To think there should be a higher minimum age for face tattoos

[salutsandy]

I think a face tattoo is such a huge decision that there should be a higher minimum age, say 25 or 30, for this. AIBU?

My Maori friend with Moko Kauae (facial tattoo) gifted to her by her iwi (tribe) had it done on the marae (meeting house). It was, and is, a very great honour. Yes, some people do react negatively to her as a result - she chooses to educate them as to the tradition and meaning, if they give her the opportunity. If they don't, it's their problem, not hers.

Some make judgments - poor, stupid, ill-educated. Well, she comes from a very good family, not poor, and has three professional degrees.

You may not see the value in a facial tattoo. It may not be part of your culture. By all means, do not have one. But don't seek to impose your values and your culture, on others. Own your reactions and judgments for what they are.

Do you see any qualitative difference between your friend, and some bloke down the pub with a spiderweb across his whole face, or a --- cut here tattoo?

It's clearly and demonstratively different. It's a bit like magical thinking in MH. If someone is from a culture with magical thinking, it shouldn't be part of a diagnosis. If someone isn't, it probably should. Cultural norms work both ways. Your friend is embracing hers. Most people in white western cultures are rejecting them when they ink their face.

The benefit is liking how they look on your own face. You can’t make something illegal because you don’t like how it looks!

most tattoo artists don’t tattoo faces unless you are already pretty heavily tattooed elsewhere. That’s enough regulation.

I'm assuming people are talking about gang tattoos and dumb things, not for cultural reasons which should be obvious to anyone with half a brain

Everyone with half a brain knows that average mumsnetter, or member of public, will not recognise cultural tatoos from "gang" tatoos.

And your evidence for that startingly ignorant post is?

I took a tough line with my 18 year old when he casually mentioned a tattoo - not even a face one. Do it - and you can fund yourself through uni and he knew I meant it. A poster on another thread thought my approach was appalling- but guess what: now he is several years older he is glad he didn’t. In my view the age limit for any tattoo should be higher.

Experience with average general public as a foreigner and the levels of ignorance when it comes to anything different and the number of eyebrow raising statements which sometimes do verge on racism and xenophobia here about culturally different things.
Coupled with the fact you do not see cultural face tattoos in UK (where most of the posters on here are from) commonly, I would feel pretty safe to put bet on "average joes" not knowing difference between cultural tattoo and "gang" tattoo.
it's a very logical assumption

What a very curiously controlling parenting technique.

What else do you threaten your adult children with? "Spend Christmas with me or I'll never look after the grandchildren again"? "I want a say over which carpet you put in your house or I'll never buy you another Christmas present"?

Odd.

Yeah, I'm with the other poster. What an appalling attitude that could have seriously backfired on you.

Hahahahaha oh god

@Maray1967 I think that was shocking and coercive behaviour on your part, and you should absolutely not be proud of it.

Well I am. I have a 22 year old who is glad he didn’t get a tattoo four years ago. Nothing to stop him getting one later on was there? Just leverage to stop him doing it at 18.

Please credit me with some knowledge of my own son. I knew it wouldn’t backfire - there was no way he was going to give up the uni money for a tattoo. I can’t stop him getting one now - but what a surprise, he’s glad he didn’t do it. I wouldn’t hesitate to do it again with DS2 if necessary.

Really? Gosh, if that is true that is seriously depressing 😞

I saw a very young woman with a word written across her forehead in very large black letters. It took up most of her forehead. I can't think she'll ever be able to remove it.
I had a friend who had a boys name removed, it was thankfully short but she always said, it cost a fiver and took 20 minutes to do but the removal took months, was incredibly painful, cost hundreds of pounds and left a scar. I actually agree about face tattoos having a higher age restriction. A decent tattoo artist would probably refuse to do it on someone barely turned 18 but there are others who would happily do it.

It's not true.

"Please credit me with some knowledge of my own son. I knew it wouldn’t backfire - there was no way he was going to give up the uni money for a tattoo. I can’t stop him getting one now - but what a surprise, he’s glad he didn’t do it. I wouldn’t hesitate to do it again with DS2 if necessary."

It's a horribly manipulative way to treat an adult. It's really not something to boast about.

How would you have known if he had a tattoo? A few places someone could get a tattoo that a parent wouldn't see. Some of my friends parents were like this - and they still don't know that their very grown up child got tattoos when they were "forbidden" by them when they were younger.

Are you so sure that's why he didn't get one? He maybe came to the realisation he didn't really want one without his parents manipulation.

There are a lot of people who have tattooed eyebrows etc due to hair loss and similar. If you had a blanket rule about face tattoos, they would also be restricted.

With that and cultural tattoos you are getting into grounds of "tattoos I personally find acceptable" and I think most people can agree that would be dangerous ground?

OK then, since I got deleted I'm just going to say I'm 100% with what Tigger has just said about it being horribly manipulative.

I wouldn't want to see a doctor with a skull tattoo over his entire face.

I'm very sorry to say that there are a lot of people who 1. cannot discern between cultural tattoos, and 2. don't give a ratsarse if they can, they still presume the worst of the wearer, including socio-economic status, job, gang and criminal membership for example.

Even in a country that should have some degree of familiarity, such as New Zealand. And um, there is quite a backlog of reactionary European heritage people who proudly lead the cavalcade on this one, sadly.

Well, if he was maxfax, you'd at least want to check it was an accurate representation first.

Does he have all the required qualifications to be a doctor? If so, then 🤷🏼‍♀️