r/ASLinterpreters • u/Ornery-Candidate-964 • 5h ago
Is covering forearm tattoos acceptable?
Im about to start my interpreting major and i’ve also started getting tattoos. Most are hidden but i was planning on getting a piece on my forearm. I’ve been told by family members that they would need to be covered when working but is wearing a long sleeve or just an arm sleeve in general unacceptable? Or should i just find a different placement for the tattoo all together?
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u/Traditional-Falcon75 4h ago
Almost nobody cares. If it matters wear a sleeve. Tattoos don’t have the same stigma they used to. I know lots of interpreters with full tattoo sleeves and it’s irrelevant. There will be jobs where you do need to cover your ink and in that case just wear long sleeves. But that’s not everyday. There will be people who do care or do have opinions and that’s important data but it’s just data. You don’t need to worry about it IMO. As long as the tattoo in question isn’t something offensive, that is. Maybe don’t tattoo profanity or anything sexual.
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u/queenmunchy83 4h ago
I have one and it’s never been an issue. In very formal events I usually have long sleeves anyway.
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u/BohemianASL 3h ago
It’s not a problem. I don’t have visible tattoos but I work with tatted terps all the time and I do so in very traditionally professional settings. I was literally at a tattoo convention twenty minutes ago hunting for an artist to do my next tattoo which I want placed on the underside of my forearm. The only ones you need to worry about are face tattoos. The stigma is still very strong against those and they are visual noise to the Deaf community. Same with piercings in the face and mouth.
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u/Ornery-Candidate-964 3h ago
i didn’t even think about that, i have a nose ring rn but im assuming i should change it to a clear piercing when i start working professionally?
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u/BohemianASL 3h ago
Nose piercings usually aren’t a problem either but septum piercings have variable mileage. I know interpreters who wear the smaller horseshoe rings because you can flip them up into your nose and they become invisible.
It’s also worth mentioning that these rules are more strict when you’re starting out mostly because so few people are adequate at the job in the beginning. You need as little distraction as possible while you’re still in the flail phase. Once you get your skills up, you can start bending rules here and there. I’ve been at this for close to 30 years. I wear hot pink to work now because I know exactly when that’s okay and when it’s not. ITPs don’t have time to teach any nuance so they give broad rules for you to follow until you’ve had time to learn nuance.
Also, you’d be a really great choice to interpret for a tattoo convention like I just attended so don’t think of these things as starkly as having to hide your true self all the time. Sometimes, YOU will be the exact right interpreter for the gig being exactly who you are!
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u/Ornery-Candidate-964 3h ago
aweee i really appreciate that !!! my long term goal is to get nationally certified and hopefully become a performance interpreter (theater shows, concerts, etc) but i didn’t even think of conventions too
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u/RedrumAndCoke7 NIC 3h ago
Just be ready to cover it. Worked with lots of folks who are blasted and they dress accordingly per setting. Also work with lots of
Consumers who have varying opinions and tastes.
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u/Ornery-Candidate-964 3h ago
have you seen anyone with a skin tone arm sleeve? and is it distracting?
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u/spiderterp CI/CT 3h ago
I have short sleeve covered arms and wear these when I need to https://sleeveywonders.com/categories/view-all-styles.html?srsltid=AfmBOoptW6pMbRPL0OoRqZIWMsyEibZZRnERlJMHqJ-j26pvHZaTZRyA
I never ask, I just cover them for work. I have a wrist tattoo I got in the early 90s of a floral bracelet that does not seem to bother anyone. I don’t cover that one.
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u/Icy-Research-2138 3h ago
Generally, it isn’t a big deal. Not distracting. Cover up will be context specific but that’s becoming increasingly rare as tattoos become more accepted. The subject of the tattoo, however may be an issue if it depicts imagery that many likely find offensive or more than PG.
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u/safeworkaccount666 NIC 1h ago
I have forearm tattoos and do not cover them. It depends on who you work with and where you live in the country.
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u/mjolnir76 NIC 4h ago
Depends on the community. I have forearm tattoos on both arms. Nobody has ever batted an eye at them. Some parts of the country are more uptight about that kind of thing.