The government’s next pseudo-liberal cause (under the direction of Deputy PM Cyrus Engerer): the tattoo & piercing lobby
Deputy Prime Minister Cyrus Engerer has been holding meetings in the name of the government with the Tattoos and Piercings Acceptance in Malta lobby group.
There is one thing only that any sensible person would tell them: it’s a choice. You choose to get yourself tattooed or pierced in odd places, you deal with it.
When you choose to get yourself pierced and tattooed, you’re doing so to communicate something about yourself. Don’t then get upset because you’ve communicated it successfully.
Being gay is not a choice. Being a woman is not a choice. Being disabled is not a choice. Being a real Glaswegian-style redhead is not a choice. Being black is not a choice. Being albino is not a choice. Being African is not a choice. Being Jewish is not a choice. Religion is a choice, but it’s a privileged choice in these terms because very often, religion is not a choice at all but what we were brought up with to the extent that it becomes a part of us.
But tattoos and piercings are very much a choice. And if other people don’t like your choice, and think it says certain things about you which you don’t like, then that’s your problem and not theirs. That’s what liberalism IS.
And I speak as somebody who has no problem with either, but would still advise against for the simple reason that nobody stays 25 forever. You can divorce your wife but you can’t divorce your tattoo.
Going home the other day, I found myself driving behind a flash limo with the number-plate TATTOOIST. That’s a sign of the times if ever there was one.
The fact is that Malta is no different to anywhere else: you can only get away with a tattoo if you are ‘posh’ and/or successful already. Then it becomes ironic. Or post-ironic.
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I see another MZPN-sponsored, PN-presented amendment to the Constitution on the way.
To divert, how about a banner at the Auberge de Castille tomorrow morning: “WATCH WHAT YOU SAY WHEN YOUR COLLEAGUE CYRUS IS AROUND. HE’S PROBABLY RECORDING YOU.”
This is just getting ridiculous.
I’m a comic/graphic novel enthusiast myself, and I find people accepting my area of interest more and more each day. Should I be thanking Jo and co too? Will he make sure I’m not discriminated against due to my choices?
Għandi ħafna ħbieb żgħażagħ bit-tpinġija ma’ ġisimhom kollu, €700 ‘il-biċċa!
Imsiemer tal-fidda ġo lsienhom, ċrieki illi jkabbruhom maż-żmien ġo widnejhom,insomma x’ħasra!
Hawn employers li ma jaċċettawx lil ħaddiema jikxfu t-tpinġija waqt ix-xogħol għand in-nies.
Xi bluha!
Meta dawn l-affarijiet jiġu diskussi mal-gvern, dawn ikunu jridu l-APPROVAZZJONI mis-soċjeta .
Tista’ taċċetta pulizija bil-misluta ġo imnieħru u tpingija tal-perit fuq driegħu?
Tattoos and piercings, well, it’s in yer face odd isn’t it. What do they expect.
I will never employ anyone with visible piercings or tattoos and strange hairstyles. Discreet tattoos are OK, because there is a way how to get a tasteful tattoo. Or a navel piercing.
Cyrus probably seeks out these weirdo groups, and very successfully at that, in order to get their vote.
Why don’t Cyrus speak to some black people and tell his Labour friends on Facebook what they told him about human rights?
Given Malta’s situation I thought the next big progressive liberal move would be fat acceptance.
Then I realised we’re far more progressive and liberal than anyone on that issue. Thanks, Jo. Luv u lotssss.
How about fitness and healthy lifestyle acceptance? Time to break the taboo!
And being a liar, a thief and vindictive is a choice. Did he lecture them on this?
I don’t care what Cyrus says. I would never employ anyone with a visible tattoo and body piercing in my office.
I would never go to a doctor who has a piercing or visible tattoo and I would never consider professional somebody with a tattoo.
I might be as conservative as they come but I do believe that distorting one’s body to follow a trend shows spinelessness and lack of individuality. And I want neither on my staff.
Dick Cheney isn’t a choice.
Being Maltese is not a choice but Jo is changing that for a lump sum of money.
http://nationalreport.net/california-allows-first-ever-state-recognized-human-animal-marriage/
Here is an underdog group for Cyrus to champion.
What exactly is this about? I thought people with tattoos want to be seen differently.
You can get a tasteful one, hidden and out of the way, or one right across your forehead- but that comes with consequences.
There is a reason why as teenagers we thought they were cool but weren’t allowed to get one. Our parents were right about that too. They give the wrong impression and that impression stays with you for life.
I guess one could argue that it is wrong to judge people because they have tattoos, but that is business. It s nothing personal at all.
If you work in a business you are representing that business pretty much all the time, but especially at work. Appearances matter at work because you are the first impression someone is going to have of the company. Tattoos can work in your favour or they can work against you. It depends what sort of job you are going for.
What next? Are we going to have civil liberties extended for those who don’t wear a tie or suit because, jahasra, they get discriminated against when they show up for an interview in an adidas tracksuit and bikini?
A visit to St Luke’s Hospital in golden year 1972 revealed to me the most complete tattooed man I ever saw in my life, a tall skinny Maltese man with tattoos even on his face.
If one is applying for a job as a bouncer at a seedy nightclub, tattoos and body piercings might be an asset, but the same would (should) not get you a job in a bank or any professional office where you come in contact with the public.
If I were an employer or his representative needing to employ a person and I have a choice between two people having exactly the same capabilities and potential, and one has a visible tattoo or piercing and the other has none, I’d choose the one without the tattoo/piercing and that is a very logical choice which nobody can dispute.
I hope Mr. Engerer stays well clear of Tattooing & Piercing. hopefully this was just a post on fb to get some popularity.
I am a tattoo artist and I agree completely that a tattoo is a choice, so one not should complain of being discriminated against when not getting a job or whatever.
We even have a name for certain tattoos (Job Stopper). It also comes down to what type of tattoo they are. You can get tasteful artwork or hideous hammalagni. Yes, there is a difference.
I will speak for myself here – I am quite tattooed, have got a few piercings and I run my own business. And that does not make me anything close to injorant/hamallu.
I was human resources manager in three hotels in Malta, and I employed ex drug users and ex prisoners on more than one occasion.
I also employed persons with tattoos on the condition that these are not visible, and the exception for those having visible tatoos was employment as dish washers where they can never make contact with the guests.
I have travelled to various countries due to my work, including Japan and the United States, and have never met a hotel employee with visible tattoos, whatever standard of hotel I stayed in.
My advice to those who intend to tattoo themselves is to ensure that they will not regret doing so as trying to remove it is painful, expensive, time-consuming and not always entirely effective.
My final comment is to ask Cyrus Engerer whether he has or intends to have any tattoos himself, despite befriending tattooists to win their vote for Joseph his Saviour, who is proud of having similar values to his.
Cyrus should get the ‘old’ ballot paper tattooed on his forehead along with the number 150,000 so it reminds him the cost he inflicted on this country.
My mate Redent’s dad is a rabid Laburist. In 1996, as soon as Alfred Sant was elected, he got ALLAHARES NIDHLU FL-EWROPA tattooed on his chest.
Over the next few years he added:
F*** JOHN DALLI HU BASTJAN on his right bicep,
F*** CYRUS IL-PEPE on his left bicep
F*** JPO TAL-MISTRA on his upper back
F*** LOU BONDI DAK IN-NAZZJONALIST on his lower back, over a pair of outspread biker wings.
Now he’s hoping for a few more 2 cents savings so he can pay for laser removal.