We both got a tiny nautical star tattoo on our feet — and from the second that needle touched my skin, I knew I was hooked.
What I didn’t anticipate was how my body art would play a major role in me learning to love myself.
It wasn’t about getting my body “healthy” — it was about getting it to look socially acceptable.
I dieted, lost and gained weight rapidly, and no matter what I did or who told me I was beautiful, I still hated myself.
Three years later, I was no thinner — but still really wanted my tattoo.
I was terrified she’d take one look at my thighs and tell me to piss off, but she did the furthest thing from that. Sheena, my current and only artist, pressed the needle into my fat thighs as if that artwork had always belonged there, assuring me that it would look incredible on me.
When she finished, I was glowing.
And this created the most incredible change in me: I began to love the parts of my body I’d always been told to hide.
My tattoos are a permanent reminder that I am a beautiful badass, that I get to define that beauty any way that I want, and that my body TRULY deserves to be seen.
title: “How Covering Myself In Tattoos Helped Me Love Myself” ShowToc: true date: “2024-10-08” author: “Julia Racilis”
We both got a tiny nautical star tattoo on our feet — and from the second that needle touched my skin, I knew I was hooked.
What I didn’t anticipate was how my body art would play a major role in me learning to love myself.
It wasn’t about getting my body “healthy” — it was about getting it to look socially acceptable.
I dieted, lost and gained weight rapidly, and no matter what I did or who told me I was beautiful, I still hated myself.
Three years later, I was no thinner — but still really wanted my tattoo.
I was terrified she’d take one look at my thighs and tell me to piss off, but she did the furthest thing from that. Sheena, my current and only artist, pressed the needle into my fat thighs as if that artwork had always belonged there, assuring me that it would look incredible on me.
When she finished, I was glowing.
And this created the most incredible change in me: I began to love the parts of my body I’d always been told to hide.
My tattoos are a permanent reminder that I am a beautiful badass, that I get to define that beauty any way that I want, and that my body TRULY deserves to be seen.
title: “How Covering Myself In Tattoos Helped Me Love Myself” ShowToc: true date: “2024-09-12” author: “Ruth Tomlin”
We both got a tiny nautical star tattoo on our feet — and from the second that needle touched my skin, I knew I was hooked.
What I didn’t anticipate was how my body art would play a major role in me learning to love myself.
It wasn’t about getting my body “healthy” — it was about getting it to look socially acceptable.
I dieted, lost and gained weight rapidly, and no matter what I did or who told me I was beautiful, I still hated myself.
Three years later, I was no thinner — but still really wanted my tattoo.
I was terrified she’d take one look at my thighs and tell me to piss off, but she did the furthest thing from that. Sheena, my current and only artist, pressed the needle into my fat thighs as if that artwork had always belonged there, assuring me that it would look incredible on me.
When she finished, I was glowing.
And this created the most incredible change in me: I began to love the parts of my body I’d always been told to hide.
My tattoos are a permanent reminder that I am a beautiful badass, that I get to define that beauty any way that I want, and that my body TRULY deserves to be seen.
