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May 09, 2023

Tattoo or taboo? Influencer speaks up about people commenting on her half

Tattoos are still seen as taboo in our society, just ask Jeynelle Ng. The local

Tattoos are still seen as taboo in our society, just ask Jeynelle Ng.

The local influencer has a couple of visible tattoos and she still receives unsolicited comments from strangers on the regular.

Last week, Jeynelle posted a clip on her TikTok account, Buffbaby88, about how tattoos are still not widely accepted in Singapore.

"I get so many comments every day from people, especially the older generation," she said.

Apart from getting unsolicited comments, Jeynelle receives stares as well.

She mentioned that this could be due to her half-sleeve tattoo, which is rather prominent.

Sometimes, the stares turn into conversations with strangers.

They'd ask if getting the tattoos was a painful experience, or why she was wearing a spaghetti top instead of "covering up".

A major gripe for Jeynelle is when strangers walk up to her and read out the tattoo on her right arm. It's a row of Chinese characters which translates to "learn and overcome".

"I'm honestly embarrassed with this tattoo but I don't know why. It meant something to me when I was 18 or 19," Jeynelle said.

She goes on to explain that growing up in a "conservative family", she too had reservations about people with tattoos.

In fact, her parents "freaked out" when they found out she'd gotten a half-sleeve tattoo.

For the most part, netizens in the comments section had no issues with tattoos.

"I see tattoos as an art. If you like tattoos, get them inked and enjoy to the fullest," one TikTok user commented.

Unfortunately for Jeynelle, it wasn't all positive in the comments section.

One netizen was clearly not on the same page, commenting: "What's wrong with the beautiful skin your mum gave you?"

According to a CNA article, within the Singapore context, tattoos have been associated with gangsterism, the use of drugs and generally people who tend to be rule-breakers.

Disentangling perceptions will take time.

In May 2019, a survey of more than 1,000 Singaporeans by YouGov found that nearly half are less likely to hire someone with a tattoo, even if they qualify for the position.

The goal is hiring based on individual merit, but it would seem that physical appearance does end up being a factor in the hiring process.

However, it seems like the stigma surrounding tattoos is slowly changing in certain spaces.

This YouTube clip from last August has Singaporean families, friends and bosses reacting to their tattoos.

The discussion and conversations are all in good fun and certainly nothing like the negative experiences faced by Jeynelle.

ALSO READ: 'He was actually really excited': This woman got matching tattoos with her 91-year-old grandpa

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