“AITA For Refusing To Tattoo An Extremely Overweight Woman?”
Interview With Expert
More and more people are getting tattoos. A whopping 225 million people worldwide have at least one tattoo. So, it’s natural that people of all shapes and sizes may want one. Yet the reality is that sometimes tattoo artists may turn away clients if they think they won’t be able to do a good job.
This is what happened to the OP of this story. She, a tattoo artist, already agreed on the design and placement of a tattoo with her client. But when the client showed up at the salon, the artist decided that her initial design wouldn’t be possible due to the woman’s plus-sized body. After a verbal altercation with the client, the OP came to Reddit to ask others whether her behavior was inappropriate.
Bored Panda asked Joanne Sherlock, the owner and manager of the tattoo studio Nomad Ink in Wirral, England, to tell us more about plus-sized people and tattoos. She has spoken up about similar subjects in the tattoo industry quite a few times and was kind enough to tell us whether tattoo artists often turn away clients because of their weight. Read her insights below!
Tattoo artists are free to choose who they do and don’t tattoo
Image credits: Thomas Despeyroux (not the actual photo)
But after this artist refused to tattoo a client, she got called some pretty insulting names
Image credits: kajsakiller
Tattoo salon owner says tattoo studios should be size-neutral
Joanne Sherlock is the owner of the Wirral, England-based tattoo salon Nomad Ink. She feels quite passionately about tattoos on plus-sized bodies, and she advocates for tattoo studios to be size-neutral.
“The tattoo industry is a celebration of bodies as much as art,” Joanne wrote in one of her Instagram posts. “When you leave a tattoo studio you’re supposed to love your body even more than when you arrived.”
Sherlock tells Bored Panda that she’s never heard of a tattoo artist turning away a customer because of their size. “In general, tattoo artists are alternative people who don’t have a narrow view of beauty standards. Also, the bigger the space, the bigger the tattoo, which is good for tattoo artists,” the owner of Nomad Ink says.
“That said, I also know lots of tattoo artists who aren’t mature enough to make sure their plus-sized client[s] feels comfortable,” Sherlock admits. “And many set up their studios using cheap beds that won’t stand up to a heavy client.”
Joanne says that the debate about whether some bodies can be tattooed or not is more about accessibility and ensuring an enabling environment. “There is nothing about the skin of a fat person that would stop you [from] tattooing them.”
“But what would get in the way would be if the client had mobility issues and couldn’t get up stairs (if the studio wasn’t [on the] ground floor, which many aren’t) or if they can not get on the tattoo bed or in a suitable chair.”
Image credits: AllGo – An App For Plus Size People (not the actual photo)
Tattoo artists say that hygiene and safety are essential when getting a tattoo
When getting a tattoo, most people’s primary concerns are the artist’s skill and experience, what measures they take to sanitize their equipment, and the cleanliness of the salon overall. At least, these should be the primary concerns. How pretty the tattoo is and its price should come after that.
Respectable tattoo salons and artists understand that, which is why they have guidelines for clients before and after tattooing. Australian tattoo aftercare provider Dr. Pickles emphasizes the importance of a clean surface for a tattoo.
“Proper preparation minimises the risk of infection, ensures a smoother tattooing process, optimal ink absorption and leads to better healing for a more vibrant, and longer-lasting tattoo,” they write.
In their tattoo pre-care guide, they list six things clients should do before getting a tattoo:
- Hydrate. They advise starting to drink lots of water at least 3 days before the appointment. When the skin is well hydrated, it also takes in the ink better. That results in a smoother process overall.
- Moisturize. You should moisturize the place where your tattoo will be, not only after you get it. Well-moisturized skin is also more receptive to the tattooing process, so it will make the process easier for both the artist and the client.
- Shave. And while it can irritate the skin, doing so carefully can also be paramount. Especially if you’re getting a tattoo in a hairy place. Tattoo artists can do this for the client on the day of the appointment if they think they might do it wrong or just don’t feel confident.
- Shower or exfoliate. “You want to keep your skin as clean as possible since tattooing is breaking your skin’s barrier,” the site writes. They also advise you to exfoliate every 3-4 days before your appointment to make the canvas smoother for your artist.
- Eat. If you’re prone to dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting, don’t forget to eat! Something that will keep your blood sugar level stable, like whole grains and nuts, should do the job.
- Dress appropriately. This one’s more for practical than health reasons. Wearing loose clothing will allow the artist easier access to the tattooing area. And if you’re worried about ink splatters – wear something dark.
Image credits: kevin turcios (not the actual photo)
It is possible to tattoo plus-sized people by incorporating their natural folds and creases
One of the reasons the OP turned her client away was because she wouldn’t be able to do her desired style on that type of body. Michigan-based Carrie Metz-Caporusso is an artist who creates beautiful “Flower Roll” tattoos on their clients’ bodies. They integrate the intricate floral designs around the body’s creases.
They told Allure that one of the reasons they created these designs was because different bodies simply weren’t represented. “I have been tattooing professionally for eight years and in that time I noticed that tattoo designs that were made to compliment someone’s body were always for thin or muscular body types. Never have I seen anyone come up with anything particularly for fat bodies.”
Metz-Caporusso also told CNN that there’s a lot of fat-shaming in the tattoo industry and that a lot of people above a certain size get turned away. “I knew when I designed the roll flowers, the first thing people would think was, ‘But what happens when you lose weight?’ So, I was trying to challenge that thought.”
“A fat person isn’t a failing thin person. A fat person is just a person, and they should be made to feel as good as anyone else should be made to feel,” Metz-Caporusso explained their philosophy.
The OP clarified some things in the comments
The majority of netizens said the OP was not the jerk for turning the client away
However, some people thought that either the OP or everyone involved in the situation was at fault
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I hate people who yap at others for setting boundaries. This disillusioned idea that people's body care is no one's business'. Hell no. Your body care IS other people's business if you want them to touch your body. Nope. You're not entitled to force others to offer 'professional solutions' so you don't have to do the most basic things like body hygiene. That's just disgusting.
Yep. As soon as working with that skin that needs cleaning before and for an extended period after becomes your job it most certainly is your business. Someone who is going to have their face inches from a body for what could be hours gets to refuse working with someone with BO.
Load More Replies...
The artist was right to not tattoo her. That design, in the place she wanted it, simply would not have worked out in the way the client wanted. Most importantly, is the hygiene issue. You don't want needles jabbing in and out of an area that's filthy and stinking. Hello, staph infection!
Nah. I had an issue like this once with someone whose white keyboard was chocolate brown from finger dirt. I looked at it and said call me back when you've cleaned your keyboard. F**k you. If you do not have the respect for other people to practice hygiene, no. Another friend of mine was a waxer. She said the number of guys who do not clean properly and their stinking a******s... it was disgusting. She gave up.
As a plus size person, I wash my folds everyday, and put on a cream deodorant. I don’t want a skin fungus. My fold smells can be really awful if I don’t cleanse them carefully. I can imagine that it would smell like death if this woman wasn’t washing her stinky fold sweat everyday. I think OP was right to tell this woman to clean herself up. Maybe not so meanly, but there’s really no euphemistic way to say “wash your skin, lady”.
BP readers: we want uplifting cute and funny content. BP editors: we hear you! Enjoy these AITA articles, rage bait posts about overweight people, useless plastic Chinese c**p from Amazon, TikTok idiocy, and breathless articles about what Kanye pulled out of his a*s this morning.
So read that content. I'm here for the filtered drama. ALSO you can make those posts yourself. Go make one right now if it's what you want.
Load More Replies... NTA. Everyone has a right not to provide service, whether it's a bagel shop or a tattoo parlor.
And tattoo artists are a finnicky bunch, because they literally brand your body. Some will refuse to do neck and face tattoos, others only do their own designs, etc.
Load More Replies...
NTA. OP politely explained why she couldn't perform the service, but the client behaved like a banshee on crack. Cellulitis is no joke; doing a tattoo on someone who may have it could mean the loss of their business permit and a lawsuit. Tattoo artists are under the same scrutiny as dentists and doctors: hygienic practices must be upheld.
Just as the client in the other post had the right to leave when her hairdresser did not want to cut the hair the way she wanted it, this tattoo artist has the right to refuse service. If she was clean and non-smelly, I would have done it but made her sign something if the tattoo was a bad idea bc of her body type and she still insisted. But a nasty smelling person? This is not first aid she was refusing.
she was right not to tattoo her client. its one thing to be overweight or even obese, its a whole other ballgame when the body smells rancid and the area where the ink is going cant be properly cared for. i know a paramedic who was responding to a 911 call for a fall victim. woman was heavily overweight. once they loaded her up and was checking her for other injuries, she swore she thought she tore something under one of her folds. paramedic buddy went to investigate and (weak stomachs turn back now) the skin was tore open, raw and filled with maggots..
As a former fatty, I can attest to the smelly folds, however this can happen even if you shower daily and wash every nook and cranny. I would regularly find yeast growing in my b*tt crack if I skipped even one shower. However, you are NTA. She just hasn't accepted the fact (and more than likely, nor will she ever) that she is morbidly obese. Her obesity is her problem that she doesn't want to deal with, so she lashes out at anyone and everyone when her body becomes a problem for others.
So body shaming in 1 wat is bad but the other way is fine? Shes a hypocrite. And lucky op didn't tattoo her as lets be honest they're a professional they knew it wouldn't be good or possible. It just sucks that she was disappointed
I'm a fat lady, I make sure I'm clean almost always (except when I'm slouching around at home) as I would be mortified if other people could smell anything because of my fatness. I've never had nor wanted tattoos on my torso/stomach area because they are stretched skin and I know they could make the tattoo look terrible.The tattoo artist had every right to deny this client a tattoo especially if she knew the tattoo was likely to get infected and ruined that way. The client would no doubt have complained and put all over social media if the tattoo turned out badly. However she could have just said that she didn't feel comfortable tattooing the client after her outburst instead of making it about her personal hygiene.
If OP had done the tatttoo and it became infected, she probably would have been sued or worse.
i love how h@e is censored in the post, but not the comment. great censorship work bp!
This was a no-win situation. Yeah, the artist should have been kinder at the end, but doing the tattoo would have been a bad idea. She presented fair options and professional insight.
I'm no super skinny person, not by a long shot, but neither am I morbidly obese, I'm just chubby. I simply would never let myself get that far. As I said on another post regarding morbidly obese people on a plane - it's no ones fault but your own that you let yourself get to that size, if you really want a tattoo, or not to have to pay for two seats on a plane, then don't let yourself get to such an extreme size. Also, as someone who has several tattoos and is pally with tattoo artists, skin that is stretched so extremely over fat is much harder to tattoo, there is much more risk of a blowout, infection, skin tearing, and the tattoo ending up malformed if/when a lot of weight is lost. So I don't blame the artist here one bit for refusing the tattoo, even without adding the problem of the rancid smell.
while I agree that its harder to tattoo large people for the mentioned reasons and that the artist was right to delcine, its not always the obese person at fault for being overweight. there are a lot of psychological reasons people gain weight. There are also a lot of medical conditions that can cause people to gain weight to the point of being morbidly obese, and medications that can cause weight gain. Sure, the majority is down to healthy food choices or lack of exercise. But lets not make assumptions about everyone who is obese when placing blame.
Load More Replies...
Question, hygiene aside, are there complications with tattooing larger people? From my perspective, I wouldn't want to because if she is significantly larger, if she ever lost weight, the tattoo might be a point of regret. However that really isn't the artist's concern. There are laser removals and other forms of surgery to correct the area. Thoughts?
It just depends on where they want the tattoo. I purposely chose places on my body that are not ever going to change shape. But that can be said about anyone. What if a skinny person gains a ton of weight after they get a tattoo? That's going to mess it up as well. I don't think any artist is going to turn you away for your weight. Your smell or person hygiene? Definitely!
Load More Replies...
Speaking from a medical stand point, sounds more like yeast in the folds due to moisture in those areas. Not trying to be mean or gross, but as a pharmacist, I ran into that question a few times.
This artist is NOT an a-hole. I’m technically morbidly obese despite having lost over 150 pounds and still truckin’ but if I were to request a tattoo that my artist felt would not look best on the place I initially wanted it to be placed I would work with them on possible solutions. Also, anyone who has ever had a tattoo KNOWS that you have to be CLEAN to give the tattoo the best chance for healing and to avoid infection. If this woman was truly that smelly then it was imperative that the artist be blunt about requiring their clients be showered/bathed and ready to go. As a plus sized woman I get so sick of everything being “fat phobia”. I used to be nearly 400 pounds and the world was not made for me because I was above the average weight (and the average weight in America IS overweight as 64%(+/-) of the population are “overweight” or larger but there comes a point where you are so large that you have to accept that you will be larger than can be facilitated.
I am overweight with those folds. My doctor told me that I get occasional yeast infections from not cleaning thoroughly. I was told to use athlete's foot cream to get rid of it. Yes,.it smells bad if you don't clean everyday.
I don't blame the tattooist for not wanting to tattoo that person. Their thoroughly nasty attitude combined with the BO would've been a hard no had I been in the artist position.
NTA...guarantee that if she did tattoo her she would've had to complaints due to it getting infected. In order for that to heal properly it would need air, if it is constantly being suffocated in her folds it will turn into a painful puss ridden mess that could potentially kill her or leave her scarred for life....and do you think she will take responsibility since she ignored the advice??? Nooooooooo of course not.
I had friend who was so morbidly obese that she was folds and folds and folds (etc.) It got so bad you could smell her coming from 6 feet away. I am not small, and I rely on others to tell me if I've developed a problem because I literally cannot smell. (Thanks, COVID.) I'm grateful. I don't blame the tattoo artist at all. Between the smell and the lack of hygiene, it's amazing the customer found anyone to deal with her at all. *Someone* needed to tell her to clean up her body!
Fat phobic isnt real. Thats like being smoker phobic. Youre choosing to be unhealthy, that comes with consequences
I hate people who yap at others for setting boundaries. This disillusioned idea that people's body care is no one's business'. Hell no. Your body care IS other people's business if you want them to touch your body. Nope. You're not entitled to force others to offer 'professional solutions' so you don't have to do the most basic things like body hygiene. That's just disgusting.
Yep. As soon as working with that skin that needs cleaning before and for an extended period after becomes your job it most certainly is your business. Someone who is going to have their face inches from a body for what could be hours gets to refuse working with someone with BO.
Load More Replies... The artist was right to not tattoo her. That design, in the place she wanted it, simply would not have worked out in the way the client wanted. Most importantly, is the hygiene issue. You don't want needles jabbing in and out of an area that's filthy and stinking. Hello, staph infection!
Nah. I had an issue like this once with someone whose white keyboard was chocolate brown from finger dirt. I looked at it and said call me back when you've cleaned your keyboard. F**k you. If you do not have the respect for other people to practice hygiene, no. Another friend of mine was a waxer. She said the number of guys who do not clean properly and their stinking a******s... it was disgusting. She gave up.
As a plus size person, I wash my folds everyday, and put on a cream deodorant. I don’t want a skin fungus. My fold smells can be really awful if I don’t cleanse them carefully. I can imagine that it would smell like death if this woman wasn’t washing her stinky fold sweat everyday. I think OP was right to tell this woman to clean herself up. Maybe not so meanly, but there’s really no euphemistic way to say “wash your skin, lady”.
BP readers: we want uplifting cute and funny content. BP editors: we hear you! Enjoy these AITA articles, rage bait posts about overweight people, useless plastic Chinese c**p from Amazon, TikTok idiocy, and breathless articles about what Kanye pulled out of his a*s this morning.
So read that content. I'm here for the filtered drama. ALSO you can make those posts yourself. Go make one right now if it's what you want.
Load More Replies... NTA. Everyone has a right not to provide service, whether it's a bagel shop or a tattoo parlor.
And tattoo artists are a finnicky bunch, because they literally brand your body. Some will refuse to do neck and face tattoos, others only do their own designs, etc.
Load More Replies... NTA. OP politely explained why she couldn't perform the service, but the client behaved like a banshee on crack. Cellulitis is no joke; doing a tattoo on someone who may have it could mean the loss of their business permit and a lawsuit. Tattoo artists are under the same scrutiny as dentists and doctors: hygienic practices must be upheld.
Just as the client in the other post had the right to leave when her hairdresser did not want to cut the hair the way she wanted it, this tattoo artist has the right to refuse service. If she was clean and non-smelly, I would have done it but made her sign something if the tattoo was a bad idea bc of her body type and she still insisted. But a nasty smelling person? This is not first aid she was refusing.
she was right not to tattoo her client. its one thing to be overweight or even obese, its a whole other ballgame when the body smells rancid and the area where the ink is going cant be properly cared for. i know a paramedic who was responding to a 911 call for a fall victim. woman was heavily overweight. once they loaded her up and was checking her for other injuries, she swore she thought she tore something under one of her folds. paramedic buddy went to investigate and (weak stomachs turn back now) the skin was tore open, raw and filled with maggots..
As a former fatty, I can attest to the smelly folds, however this can happen even if you shower daily and wash every nook and cranny. I would regularly find yeast growing in my b*tt crack if I skipped even one shower. However, you are NTA. She just hasn't accepted the fact (and more than likely, nor will she ever) that she is morbidly obese. Her obesity is her problem that she doesn't want to deal with, so she lashes out at anyone and everyone when her body becomes a problem for others.
So body shaming in 1 wat is bad but the other way is fine? Shes a hypocrite. And lucky op didn't tattoo her as lets be honest they're a professional they knew it wouldn't be good or possible. It just sucks that she was disappointed
I'm a fat lady, I make sure I'm clean almost always (except when I'm slouching around at home) as I would be mortified if other people could smell anything because of my fatness. I've never had nor wanted tattoos on my torso/stomach area because they are stretched skin and I know they could make the tattoo look terrible.The tattoo artist had every right to deny this client a tattoo especially if she knew the tattoo was likely to get infected and ruined that way. The client would no doubt have complained and put all over social media if the tattoo turned out badly. However she could have just said that she didn't feel comfortable tattooing the client after her outburst instead of making it about her personal hygiene.
If OP had done the tatttoo and it became infected, she probably would have been sued or worse.
i love how h@e is censored in the post, but not the comment. great censorship work bp!
This was a no-win situation. Yeah, the artist should have been kinder at the end, but doing the tattoo would have been a bad idea. She presented fair options and professional insight.
I'm no super skinny person, not by a long shot, but neither am I morbidly obese, I'm just chubby. I simply would never let myself get that far. As I said on another post regarding morbidly obese people on a plane - it's no ones fault but your own that you let yourself get to that size, if you really want a tattoo, or not to have to pay for two seats on a plane, then don't let yourself get to such an extreme size. Also, as someone who has several tattoos and is pally with tattoo artists, skin that is stretched so extremely over fat is much harder to tattoo, there is much more risk of a blowout, infection, skin tearing, and the tattoo ending up malformed if/when a lot of weight is lost. So I don't blame the artist here one bit for refusing the tattoo, even without adding the problem of the rancid smell.
while I agree that its harder to tattoo large people for the mentioned reasons and that the artist was right to delcine, its not always the obese person at fault for being overweight. there are a lot of psychological reasons people gain weight. There are also a lot of medical conditions that can cause people to gain weight to the point of being morbidly obese, and medications that can cause weight gain. Sure, the majority is down to healthy food choices or lack of exercise. But lets not make assumptions about everyone who is obese when placing blame.
Load More Replies... Question, hygiene aside, are there complications with tattooing larger people? From my perspective, I wouldn't want to because if she is significantly larger, if she ever lost weight, the tattoo might be a point of regret. However that really isn't the artist's concern. There are laser removals and other forms of surgery to correct the area. Thoughts?
It just depends on where they want the tattoo. I purposely chose places on my body that are not ever going to change shape. But that can be said about anyone. What if a skinny person gains a ton of weight after they get a tattoo? That's going to mess it up as well. I don't think any artist is going to turn you away for your weight. Your smell or person hygiene? Definitely!
Load More Replies... Speaking from a medical stand point, sounds more like yeast in the folds due to moisture in those areas. Not trying to be mean or gross, but as a pharmacist, I ran into that question a few times.
This artist is NOT an a-hole. I’m technically morbidly obese despite having lost over 150 pounds and still truckin’ but if I were to request a tattoo that my artist felt would not look best on the place I initially wanted it to be placed I would work with them on possible solutions. Also, anyone who has ever had a tattoo KNOWS that you have to be CLEAN to give the tattoo the best chance for healing and to avoid infection. If this woman was truly that smelly then it was imperative that the artist be blunt about requiring their clients be showered/bathed and ready to go. As a plus sized woman I get so sick of everything being “fat phobia”. I used to be nearly 400 pounds and the world was not made for me because I was above the average weight (and the average weight in America IS overweight as 64%(+/-) of the population are “overweight” or larger but there comes a point where you are so large that you have to accept that you will be larger than can be facilitated.
I am overweight with those folds. My doctor told me that I get occasional yeast infections from not cleaning thoroughly. I was told to use athlete's foot cream to get rid of it. Yes,.it smells bad if you don't clean everyday.
I don't blame the tattooist for not wanting to tattoo that person. Their thoroughly nasty attitude combined with the BO would've been a hard no had I been in the artist position.
NTA...guarantee that if she did tattoo her she would've had to complaints due to it getting infected. In order for that to heal properly it would need air, if it is constantly being suffocated in her folds it will turn into a painful puss ridden mess that could potentially kill her or leave her scarred for life....and do you think she will take responsibility since she ignored the advice??? Nooooooooo of course not.
I had friend who was so morbidly obese that she was folds and folds and folds (etc.) It got so bad you could smell her coming from 6 feet away. I am not small, and I rely on others to tell me if I've developed a problem because I literally cannot smell. (Thanks, COVID.) I'm grateful. I don't blame the tattoo artist at all. Between the smell and the lack of hygiene, it's amazing the customer found anyone to deal with her at all. *Someone* needed to tell her to clean up her body!
Fat phobic isnt real. Thats like being smoker phobic. Youre choosing to be unhealthy, that comes with consequences
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