So you've got your eye on a handsome inked up hunk huh? Well, before you dive into his swimming pool, let's clear some stuff up, shall we? If this is your first time dating a guy with a tattoo, there are some things you ought to know. I've always thought tattoos were hot like the sun. I suppose that goes hand and hand with being a person who has Led Zeppelin as desktop wallpaper. I've always associated tats (well, nice ones anyway) with a certain of whimsy and lust for life. But unfortunately men and women with tattoos are still judged more harshly than an American Idol contestant these days.
When you think about it, it’s rather silly. A tattoo is merely another form of art. Tattoos are a style of self-expression that just so happens to use your arms, chest, legs and back as a canvas instead of well....a canvas. They’re like earrings except more permanent. About 60 years ago tattoos may have been seen as unsavory, but let’s not forget so was women’s lib. So let’s flush some of those preconceived notions (like guys with ink are "bad boys") down the toilet and get to know the man behind the ink.
1. They’re warm and fuzzy inside
They might look all bad ass on the outside, but tattooed guys are just as sensitive if not more so. They'll sing you death metal songs, make you soup when you're sick, and massage your tootsies when your feet are sore. For example Nikki Sixx wrote "Without You" about Tommy Lee and Heather Locklear’s love and Dave Grohl wrote "Everlong" about falling in love. How sweet is that? These are sensitive tatted-up guys!
2. They have professional jobs
Back in the old days, a tattoo meant you would never see the inside of an office or even remotely hold a decent paying job. Not the case anymore. Thanks to a younger more accepting workforce and a buttload of startups, tattoos are no longer the mark of Satan they once were. Hell, even if ministers and doctors have tattoos these days. So if you meet a guy with a tattoo don't just assume he's s vagabond with no career goals. He might just make more money than you.
3. They’re not all “bad boys”
Sure these inked up guys may shun conventionality, but that doesn’t mean every guy who has a tattoo is in a band or chugging cheap beer at dive bar that smells like piss. Plenty of people who have tats live a normal life going to bed at a decent hour and curling up with their significant other on a Saturday night. If it's excitement you're looking for, you may be better off riding a roller coaster at Great Adventure.
4. They can tolerate pain (but they don’t love it)
There’s an assumption that guys who get tats must love pain. But that would be like saying that women who give birth like pushing a watermelon out of their vaginas. He’s enduring the pain in the name of art. Haven’t you guys seen L.A. Ink? Having a needle drilled into you hurts like a bitch! So don’t think you can just bust out the nipple clamps without asking first.
5. They aren’t looking for attention
It’s a common misconception that all guys with tattoos want attention. Not so my friend! Tattoos are often deeply personal and are done for the wearer’s own satisfaction. Kind of like clothes or lipstick. Getting inked has nothing to do with getting attention though if you think his tats are prettier than a stained glass window, by all means tell him!
Images: timbaumgarten/Instagram Getty (3); Carl Lentz / Instagram; Giphy
