Society and Culture
Body modification in modern society, art, generations and communities.
Start here · Essential guide
A broad, balanced look at where tattoos, piercings and other body modification sit in present-day social life, from fashion and work to identity and risk.
How some contemporary artists use the body as a medium through tattoo, surgery, piercing and performance, and why those works raise questions about consent and meaning.
What shapes which tattoos and piercings become popular: media, celebrity, social platforms, technology, the market and peer groups, explained without citing studies.
How attitudes to tattoos and piercings tend to differ between older and younger people, why those differences exist, and why individual views vary widely.
How people actually react to tattoos and piercings day to day, from friends and family to workplaces, and why some stigma remains even as acceptance grows.
A careful look at how tattoos, piercings and other body modification relate to queer visibility, community and belonging, without assuming one experience fits everyone.
What tattoos mean in everyday life today: how common they are, how they show up in fashion and work, and what to consider before getting one.
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