**TL;DR- Many people are denied jobs because they have an ‘unprofessional’ appearance (through tattoos, piercings, unnatural hair colours, etc). However this rule is ridiculous, one reason for this being that things like tattoos genuinely do not affect how well a person works.** The rule is positively out of date, supported by the fact that nowadays, ‘97% of American adult consumers wouldn’t change current product shopping habits if employees had visible tattoos and piercings’ [1]. This makes perfect sense, as a tiny portion of people actually care whether others decide to change their appearance with tattoos, hair dye, etc. So why should it be such a big deal in the workplace? Many companies argue that allowing employees to have ‘unprofessional’ piercings etc. would repel potential customers, yet this could easily go the other way- ‘if customers hear that a company doesn’t allow tattoos or piercings, it is likely to lose customers and potential workers’ [D]. There are much more important things to look for in potential workers than what they have decided to do with their own bodies, such as their skills, experience, personality, etc. This seems like a given, but with questionable rules such as ‘no visible tattoos’, an otherwise suitable candidate could be completely disregarded. Would a doctor with years of training and experience be any worse at their job if they had a full arm of body art for example? As Sylvia Asmar states in *Odyssey Online*, ‘if you hire someone based on whether they have tattoos and piercings, you might be missing out on a lot of great people to hire’ [B]. People should not be put off expressing themselves through purple hair dye, septum piercings and visible tattoos in fear of not being able to find a job. The rule is outdated, completely unnecessary, and scrapping it would have no negative impact on companies whatsoever, and maybe even bolster both them and their employees. Many regard tattoos, piercings, etc as ‘unprofessional’, yet this is nowhere near as unprofessional as judging potential employees based on their appearance. [1] Becca Botorff in *Medium*, October 2, 2017 [https://medium.com/@becca.bottorff23/tattoos-and-piercings-expression-or-unprofessional-c83a4473c752] [2] Brianna Noto in *Central Scene*, November 14, 2017 [https://centralscene.org/1740/student-life/tattoos-and-piercings-do-they-belong-in-the-workplace-in-2017/] [3] Sylvia Asmar in *Odyssey Online*, June 15, 2017 [https://www.theodysseyonline.com/why-tattoos-and-piercings-shouldnt-determine-professionalism]

Forbes magazine claimed a person and business has seven seconds to make an impression.[1] Tattoos have been associated with gangs, violence, etc for years- these associations (while no longer true) will not go away overnight. It is almost inevitable that if you have an older employer or customer with conservative values they will instantly pick up on these tattoos as a negative trait because this is what society has drilled into them. Until this stereotype disappears, tattoos will still have negative connotations, deterring customers from using the business. Therefore, employers are looking out for their business due to the incorrect stereotypes on tattoos which many people continue to hold. [1] https://www.forbes.com/sites/serenitygibbons/2018/06/19/you-have-7-seconds-to-make-a-first-impression-heres-how-to-succeed/?sh=702ae42956c2

I completely agree with this opinion. Tattoos have been practised by many different cultures throughout history. I see tattoos as art, as a way of remembering, as a way of expressing oneself. The idea of looking at an individual and judging them based on their appearance is a concept that society is fighting against. Therefore, I do not see why tattoos and piercings are seen as any different to judging somebody based on their clothes. How somebody looks, and how they choose to present themselves in terms of their hair and body art does not have any effect on who they are as a person and how good and professional they will be at their job.

I think tattoos and piercings are pretty cool, and people should be free to use them, but there are some restrictions to consider. In many professions, appearance is significant because it helps you make a great impression, and tattoos or piercings may reduce the person's professionalism. Nowadays, there are still prejudices because, as Olivia has said, they have been associated with society's negative part. Even there's have been significant improvement, there's still much work to do. Anyway, I think tattoos and piercings are a sign of expression, but they disvalue your credibility in determining situations.

**TL;DR Tattoos and Piercings, whilst not defining ability, remain a significant aspect of perceived professionalism, and rightly so.** As someone who has both tattoos and piercings, I am in no way suggesting that they exist as indicators of ability, however I can agree that both placing and design of tattoos can, in some instances, determine professionalism. Some tattoo placements, including those that are more visible, such as face and neck tattoos, are simply not appropriate for many work environments and still continue to be somewhat socially unacceptable. The same goes for tattoos which portray a particular message, such as a gang symbol or potentially images of weapons or naked females, they simply won’t be appropriate for many jobs and this, for me, is completely understandable.

I agree that tattoos and piercings should not be used to judge an employee’s value. However, in practice, they most certainly are used this way.

Lots of people I know have tattoos, I have tattoos, friends and family have piercings. There is however a limit. Different jobs require a different person. What is acceptable in one place isn’t acceptable at another. Namely excessive piercings and tattoos on the face are distracting. Yes, distracting. Certain jobs want a company represented in a certain fashion. This means they don’t want the wrong image. While we believe this is wrong to discriminate because it has nothing to do with one’s performance, it is still a factor and always will be. So long as people judge by the clothes we wear, they will almost certainly judge your body alterations