I'd clocked him as I walked up to the restaurant. Well dressed, not Irish. Nice tattoos. What did you talk about? Having quickly established that we are both from the same part of London, we ascertained that we'd had the same driving instructor as teenagers (shoutout to Ollie). We also talked about recent plays we've seen, our tattoos and their meanings, trainspotting (the actual activity) and the fact I've been reading this column religiously since I was seven.
I started life modelling 18 months ago. My mum said: You're getting all these tattoos and no one gets to see them. That triggered something in me. I've always loved art and I wanted to see how artists would respond to my tattoos. I replied to a local advert looking for life models on Instagram. I was only given two hours' notice before my first class, because another model had dropped out.
Despite how visibly common or acceptable tattoos may have become, they are still a target for quick judgment by others. People often make quick assumptions based on a single image or style, or about what someone's tattoo may say about their personality. It's not just the presence of a tattoo that prompts assumptions, but also the kind of tattoo. From the design and size to the placement or style, people often form quick opinions about someone based on the body art they've chosen.
Schottenheimer stated, "It's something permanent. It's something that's important to you. For me, it's a way of checking in when times are good, when times are bad, if you need to humble yourself, if you need to build yourself back up."},{
"Shitty" may be a bit too vague; is he going to slut-shame your daughter? Call her out her name? Punch a hole in the wall? If you think his response will be in any way harmful or hurtful to your daughter (and/or you), then you shouldn't tell him.
For many young Kashmiris, tattoos once symbolizing resistance against Indian control are now seen as burdens; individuals like Sameer Wani are opting to erase them during escalating state scrutiny.