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Tramp Stamps!


Robbie Kass
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I’d like to take this time to express my thoughts on the current misconception about lower back tattoos. 10 years ago if a woman entered a shop inquiring about getting her first tattoo, there was a 80% chance it was going on her lower back. It’s a great place for a decent size tattoo and the location affords the owner the ability to choose whether or not it’s seen based on their wardrobe selection. The advent of the term “tramp stamp” has discouraged so many ladies from getting tattooed there that I can’t even recall the last time tattooed one. The derogatory word “tramp” in the title spawned from the fact a girl had a tattoo in the first place as if to indicate the tattoo alone made her low class. Being as though the lower back was the most common area for one to appear it became associated uniquely to that body part. So in turn, if someone avoids having that area inked to evade accusations of a slutty stigma all they are doing is sacrificing prime real estate for a contemporary taboo. Moral of the story, get your fuckin’ back tattooed:}

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Not sure it's all in the name, location trends come and go (not overall styles, mind you, trends). I haven't seen a wave of girls avoiding the ribs after the advent of the term "skank flank." I've done probably two lower back tattoos that fit the term (symmetrical, side to side, etc.), while I've done hundreds of rib ones.

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It seems to be the sternum (underboob area) that's a pretty popular equivalent at the moment. And as much stigma as the phrase holds I think tattoos in both those placements look great. And fair play to the girls that have got them (at a substantial size still) it's not a nice area to get tattooed. Especially the sternum! They're not for the faint hearted. I'm dreading the lower back and beyond when I get my backpiece done.

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Good points so far about the trendy tattoo positions. I've never heard the term "skank flank", but that's pretty funny. Maybe some day rib tattoos will receive the same stigma. Then Robbie Kass will be starting a thread in 10 years telling people to get rib tattoos and be proud you aren't really a skank if you have a rib tattoo.

I avoided the stigma all together and just got the whole thing done, like you @Hogrider. Which by the way, that little avatar makes for a good tease with regards to your progress. Put some pics in the back piece thread! It looks great!

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I avoided the stigma all together and just got the whole thing done, like you @Hogrider. Which by the way, that little avatar makes for a good tease with regards to your progress. Put some pics in the back piece thread! It looks great!

Thanks! I need to get some final pics. It's all done and healed. I keep forgetting when I'm at the shop.

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Yeah, I agree that it's a good place for a tattoo. Not to mention painful as hell--all those women people mock for having "tramp stamps" more than earned it and went through something way tougher than a judgmental blowhard with an anchor on his bicep.

I know, right??? When I got tattooed there, I was like, holy hell, how was this a big thing?

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I will enthusiastically third how much that spot sucks to get tattooed. It feels so awful to get tattooed there.

I can't remember how painful it was. I think I was so traumatized, my poor brain is blocking out the memory.

Funny thing about my backpiece was that the horse outline was drawn first. I walked around for a month with the world's largest "tramp stamp". I'm so slutty ;-)

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The only people who come up with terms like "tramp stamp" is the uneducated, mainstream general population who's opinions are held without much regard anyway.

I wish that was true. When a phrase like that gets started, some people jump on the bandwagon to use it because it sounds clever, and they will repeat it because they think it imbues them with a perception that they are in-the-know or part of the in crowd. It's the same with any bullying, stereotyping, derogatory name-calling that can be done right on the edge of general acceptability without raising enough ire that people will challenge them. It's enough to make better people feel uncomfortable hearing its use, but not enough to say something because the response is generally, "I'm just making a joke, I don't really mean that, don't be so sensitive." Then you come off as the jerk for calling them out.

Before, I didn't care for the term and didn't use it, but now I hate it. It was used on me "jokingly" by a very close family member to break the ice when another close family member saw the bottom of my back piece sticking out from under my shirt for the first time. While I appreciated an ice breaker because I was nervous about how my tattoo would be perceived, the tramp stamp comment really hurt and it still does thinking about it. It demeaned all the pain I've been through, and now it might possibly be the way that other family member remembers seeing it for the first time. I had a short conversation with the first family member, and if I hear it again, there will be a much more heated discussion.

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