The Tattooed Lady

Once considered a rebellious form of expression, tattoos are becoming more popular than ever, springing up in large numbers, especially among women

By Danielle MacMurchy

For centuries, tattoos have played an important role in cultures across the globe. They have expressed many different ideas: a mark of royalty, a symbol of religious devotion, a pledge of love and even a means of marking slaves, outcasts and convicts.

Today, however, 19-year-old Tanya Mendoza is not thinking about the history of the tattoo she is preparing to get. As she browses through booklets of tattoos at Fresno’s Uptown Tattoo and Piercing, she admits she is only thinking of the pain. Her boyfriend, 18-year-old Valerian Navarrl, who bears 18 tattoos, sits with her and tries to calm her nerves.

“ Tattoos are exciting to get,” he said. Navarrl is considered a regular at the parlor, but tonight he is here to support his girlfriend.

After several minutes, Mendoza decides to get a tattoo of her Zodiac sign, a Pisces. Allen Waicszis, owner of Uptown Tattoo and Piercing, draws a small Pisces sign on the small of her back. Mendoza looks at the drawing in the mirror before telling him to go ahead.

The majority of the people in Waicszis’ tattoo and piercing parlor tonight are women. Waicszis said this is a sign of cultural change. Throughout his 25-year career as a tattoo artist, he has seen many changes within the tattoo culture. Just a few decades ago, tattoos were generally popular among men. Waicszis said girls, especially nice girls, stayed away from tattoos.

“ Values have changed a lot since then. Society is redefining what it means to be feminine,” he said. “Today women stand up for themselves and express themselves.”

Planning to eventually do just that, Monica Lombera, 15, and her older sister anxiously watch Mendoza brave the needles. Lombera is too young to get a tattoo, but said she would like to someday get a butterfly. The girls’ father, Augie Lombera, said once they are 18, he would allow the girls to get one.

“ The stereotype use to be that bad people got tattoos. Now it seems like it’s appealing more to the younger generation,” he said. Tonight, however, she and her sister are happy getting their navels pierced.

Fresno State junior Sarah Beth Boutry said she hopes to get a tattoo soon. She plans to get the word “redeemed” in Greek tattooed on the small of her back. Although she chooses the most popular area on the body among women to get her tattoo, her motives are unique.

“ The concept of having a name is significant. To God I am redeemed because of what he did for me,” Boutry said. “It really means something to me.”

Boutry said she would like it written in Greek because most people cannot read it. “It’s like a mystery between me and God.”

She said she believes tattoos are becoming more popular because they are now considered more of an art form. “It’s an expression of oneself, like a piercing or clothing is,” she said.

Waicszis attributed much of tattoos’ recent attraction to celebrities. When they model tattoos it encourages young people to do the same, he said. Women of all ages seem to be attracted to tattoos. Waicszis said even 80-year-old women show up in his parlor.

Although tattoos are attracting more women now more than ever before, not every woman is making their way to the parlors. Gillian Marquez, a junior at Fresno City College, said since tattoos have become so popular, the appeal of having something unique is now gone.

“ I wouldn’t get a tattoo because they’re too trendy,” Marquez said. “It seems like everybody has one.”

Other women are hesitant to get tattoos because they are too permanent, too painful or too risky. Boutry said she believes women are turned off by the environment of tattoo parlors. “They don’t look like a doctor’s office like women want them to, which makes women worry about cleanliness.”

Boutry admitted, “the only reason I haven’t gotten one is because I’m afraid of pain.”

But if the desire is there, most women agreed a few minutes of pain is worth the lifelong work of art.