The fact that you have to be 18 in most states to get a tattoo is, generally speaking, an attempt to protect us from ourselves. Teenagers are capable of making some earnestly terrible decisions and tattoos, unlike pink hair dye, are for life. Miley Cyrus is a teen with a ton of ink. She got her first tattoo at 16, "just breathe" in script on her ribcage, and just recently, the 19-year-old pop star got a new one on her inner forearm. It's a quote from a Roosevelt speech, which rounds out the big dream catcher she has on her side, the "love" she has on her ear, and the anchor on her pinkie. Apparently, there are even more where those came from.
Miley's going to have to live with these permanent teenage decisions for the rest of her life, but I guess she's not really been one to sit around and wait to become a grown-up. (She's also engaged, after all.) But is she going to regret these tattoos when she's older and wiser?
Yes and no. I mean, that dream catcher one, come on. That's classic teen right there. That's a tat you'll grow out of pret-ty quickly. At the ripe old age of 24, she may wonder what the hell she was thinking, putting such a cliche image on her body.
That, and she's already gotten some removed. If she's regretted a tattoo at 18 that she got at 16, isn't it possible she'll regret a tattoo at 21 that she got at 19?
The rest of her tattoos aren't bad. In fact, they're pretty cool. I can't say I'm whole-heartedly on board with her latest one. It reads: "So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat." It sounds like something I would've gotten when I was 19, thinking I was soooo smart and soooo above it all and soooo awesome and soooo much more into doing than watching. I wouldn't say it's immature, but it's a bit premature.
Tattoos are like Pringles, once you start, you can't stop. I'm sure Miley will get more ink down the road, and if I had to guess, I'm sure she'll get some ink removed down the road, too. The only thing that's certain, though, is that we'll keep track of it all.
What do you think about getting tattoos as a teenager?
Photo via Splash News
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Comments 23
@Lucretia - If you don't like them, don't get them.
Tattoos are a personal choice. I got my first tattoo at 19 and now as an adult I have 6. I don't regret any of them. My body is my storybook for my children - each word and picture is a story of who I am. The only person that has to "think it looks good" is me.
Well said Lulu! I currently have 5 tattoos. I got my first at 17 and as Waag said, mine also symbolize a part of my life and the people I love. There's nothing wrong with tattoos and it's getting old hearing about how they're a "cry for attention". If I wanted to get attention from a tattoo, Id put it on my forehead. I think of my tattoos how my grandma would think of a charm bracelet; each one is like a trinket, meaningful and beautiful, and since it's my body and my choice, its no one else's business.
I'm fine with tattoos. The new quote Miley got sure sounds importent and a good way to live life; however, I would never get it for myself because of the whole Japanese Internment Camp thing that FDR signed-off on. Sure, FDR did a lot of good, but I can't overlook that he was OK with illegally imprisoning innocent US citizens.