“Permanent Tracings”

“Permanent Tracings”, an observing essay written by Jennifer Macke, is about her visit to the Living Color Tattoo Parlor in Fremont, Ohio. Before ever visiting one, Macke believed all tattoo parlors were “smoke-filled, dimly lit places” where “undesirables gathered.” In the end after observing, talking, and interviewing Macke’s whole perception of tattoo parlors changed. Not only did her perception of tattoo parlors change, her opinion on tattoos changed too. A lot of people think down upon tattoos and tattoo parlors, but no one can really judge them until they actually go in one and observe and talk exactly like Jennifer did.

Most people have the same stereotypes for tattoo parlors, the artists who work there, and the people getting the tattoos. They are all dingy, old buildings, the artists are all covered in tattoos and piercings, have long hair, and do drugs, and the people there are typical tattoo junkies. This might have been how it was back 20 years ago, but times have changed. In this essay the owner of Living Color Tattoo Parlor, Gasket, said that he once tattooed five lawyers from Findlay, Ohio. These stereotypes about tattoos are bias and people would realize that if they just went and visited a tattoo parlor like Jennifer did.

What Jennifer did was very unprejudiced and I give kudos to her for that. Most people who really want to know about tattoos and tattoo parlors would just go to people who have been to them and ask, but they could be just as stereotypical as the next person and give the wrong impression. Actually going into a tattoo parlor and talking with the artists is the only way to really know what they are all about. Everyone has stereotypes and this essay proves that a lot of them are false. The only way to know if your labels are right is to go see for your self. This essay shows the meaning of the most common saying: don’t judge a book by it’s cover.