Do Not Judge a Book by It's Cover

Do Not Judge a Book by Its Cover

"What you see is what you get" is a saying that rings in a person's head when they see someone that looks strange, or just different, from them. In those cases, society is quick to "judge a book by its cover". We see tattoos and piercings on people and automatically assume they are somehow a bad influence or just an evil person. We perceive people with tattoos and piercings negatively because we have been conditioned by society to accept this stereotype, which I feel is incorrect and extremely unfair to the individual who choose this lifestyle.
"Don't judge a book by its cover" is more like the saying society should be living by when dealing with pierced and tattooed individuals. But instead, we're quick to assume a pierced and/or tattooed person is either a criminal, thug, gangster, or just plain bad simply because society has taught us that piercings and tattoos are synonymous with "bad" things like crime and violence. So when they see someone who is tattooed and/or pierced in the streets, they tend to shy away from them or simply be scared of them. I don't agree with this stereotype what so ever because I believe it is one of the greatest misconceptions.
Just because someone may look different than us on the outside, with all their tattoos and piercings, doesn't mean they're any different than us on the inside. I just don't think a person's character should in any way be judged based on the way they look or how many tattoos or piercings they may have. Just because someone may look mean and scary on the outside, doesn't necessarily mean they are. The meanest looking guy, covered with tattoos, could in all actuality be the safest and softest guy on the planet. But we'd never know that just by looking at him. If everywhere this guy went, people turned away from him and refused to befriend him based on how he looked, he would have a very lonely life, all because people judged him for how he looks on the outside. When all the while, there could be this wonderful, gentle, caring human being that would never be discovered because of this stereotype that continues to blind society.
Tattoos and piercings are simply a form of self-expression. It's art. But instead of using a traditional canvas, tattooed/pierced people use their bodies as the canvas for their intricate artistic expressions. It's no wonder a score of celebrities have chosen to openly tattoo their bodies in recent decades, throwing all caution to the wind and possibly bringing a little more much needed acceptance to the tattooed/pierced community, in society's eyes. There are plenty of examples of tattooed/pierced celebrities such as Pam Anderson, Tommy Lee, Dennis Rodman, Lil Wayne, the late Tupac Shakur, and countless pro sports athletes. The list goes on and on. This just serves to discredit the stereotype because it goes to show that just because one is tattooed and/or pierced doesn't mean he or she is a "bad" or unsuccessful person. These tattooed celebrities are millionaires, but I bet they encountered a lot of negativity and resistance throughout their careers just because they were tattooed and/or pierced, if they started out that way. Nonetheless, it proves that one can be tattooed and/or pierced and still be successful.
All in all, the stereotype that continues to discriminate against tattooed and pierced individuals still remains strong in society. We see examples of it everyday, like the tattooed individual receiving second-class service in a department store, or the pierced individual getting deeply disapproving looks in a crowded elevator. Although the stereotype still remains very strong in today's society, it does seem to be giving way a little bit more as the years pass. I believe it's slowly becoming more acceptable to be pierced and/or tattooed partly because of the entertainment industry readily embracing the tattoo/piercing culture. Society's views are based largely in part by the media and entertainment industry's views, so it comes as no surprise that the pierced/tattooed community is slowly but surely becoming more accepted by society as a result of this influence. Despite the strides, however, tattooed and pierced individuals will continue to face adversity in today's unforgiving society.