Are tattooed girls easy?

In the current issue of Psychology Today, I wrote a little piece about personality and body modification (titled "The Body Mod Squad" in the paper version.) I already have a pierced tongue and some scarification, but for the servicey sidebar (titled "Rebel Without a Commitment") I reviewed some more softcore ways to stand out. (And actually tried them; yes we are better than Maxim.)

First, there was the henna (from earthhenna.com). Henna's pretty popular but I decided to bring edgy back and do a dagger tat over my heart. I see gang-inspired teardrop henna tats as the next ironic hipster trend.

Then there was the red hair gel (from manicpanic.com). This stuff actually glows under blacklight but I didn't try that out. I pretty much looked like Bozo's wayward nephew so maybe I won't be using this one as much. (I must say it really brings out the red in my fresh facial lacerations though.)

And here are the neurotransmitter earrings (from madewithmolecules.com). Dopamine, of course. My molecule of choice. The women who designs these, Raven Hanna, actually has a Ph.D. in molecular biophysics from Yale. The pieces are really nice but sadly they looked a bit too feminine when I put them on, so I'll be gifting them when I find the perfect nerdy lady. Oh, and check out this adorable oxytocin onesie. It'll look great with the MIT Baby Scientist bibs I picked up from Liz Spelke's developmental psych lab when she moved to Harvard. My kids will have their milk money stolen before they can even walk.

As for the main results reported in story, here's the study showing that people with tattoos and piercings are more promiscuous, sensation-seeking, and unfriendly but pretty much identical to squares on every other personality measurement, including sexual orientation.* Here's the study showing that men think women with tats drink and bonk and fug more. (The two ladies pictured here, part of the experimental stimuli, were assumed to throw back eight drinks in a night out, versus only four for their inkless sisters.) And here's the study showing that among college kids, being religious doesn't mean you have any less body art.

An additional finding from the first study: The researchers suggest that men have more tattoos on their arms and women have more on their tummies and tushies because the ink calls attention to their shoulder-to-hip ratios and waist-to-hip ratios, respectively. (Woman like guys with the inverted triangle look, and men like hourglass ladies.) And men have more eyebrow piercings and women have more nose and bellybutton piercings because women value prominent eyebrows in men as a sign of high testosterone, and men pay more attention to women's cute noses and flat bellies. Finally, I suppose if guys are concerned about length, they should probably get the vertical pinstripes.

*Chris Rock has a joke that goes, "If a girl has a pierced tongue, she'll probably suck your dick. If a guy has a pierced tongue, he'll probably suck your dick." This study's findings regarding sociosexuality and homosexuality respectively show that there's truth to the first part, but not the second.

Comments

[Lee]

Two truisms:
1. If they smoke, they fuck.
2. Nothing says trash like a tattooed woman.

[Ann Talley]

What about girls that look vaguely square-ish (no tats, no piercings) but are secretly debaucherous? I think those ladies outdo their modified counterparts in the sensation-seeking department. Though perhaps without equal slut factor.

[Matthew Hutson]

Don't worry, Ann. Your secret is safe with me.

[Sergio Condoms Online]

Thanks for sharing the info. I respect their thoughts about tattoeing and piercing. They seem to know what they are doing with the tongue.

[Katherine]

I'm a woman with both tattoos and piercings and I'm not promiscuous. I don't believe that having body modifications makes a perosn more or less of a slut. In fact, I know a girl with no tattoos and no piercings and she is quite possibly the most promiscuous person I know. At the end of the day, promiscuity is down to the individual. And 'nothing says trash like a tattooed woman'??? That's both wrong and insulting. Tattoos don't make people trash. We with tattoos are probably less likely to be slutty and whoreish than our non-tattooed counterparts, because we don't need to seek cheap thrills from guys. Tattoos are better anyway.

[Louise]

If they smoke they fuck?
What?
im a smoker and i dont go around fucking people. So you're incinuating that every smoker is a slag ?
yes...because thats rational thinking right there !
grow up and get better views!

[karen*]

wtf jst cuz u smoke does not mean u go around screewing everybody and haveing tattoos does not make u trashe i agree with Katherine i too have piercings and tattoos i also smoke everyonce in a whil but i dnto go doin all th0se things u metioned that is very offensive and im sure u would have family members or loved ones that are bound to have either a tat or pericin and im sure ur not gna think lk that of them correct dnt judge a book by its cover grow up n try lookin at things from a different point of view

[Tattoo Websites]

Interesting post! I'm going to place a link to this post on the tattoo social networking website.

[Bonnie]

Nothing says "Don't Pay Me More Than $10 an Hour" like a tattooed neck.

[Nikki]

Ok so tats don't make u trashy or doesn't mean that u will never be paid more than $10 an hour!

[BC]

I must say that I am a female and heavily tattooed and I have my tongue, belly button, and nape pierced. Also my ears numerous times. And I do not drink.I smoke cigs, I don't suck dick. And I am in no way promiscuous. I spend my time studying cultures and religions. I do work in a motorcycle shop. But I am in no way rude. Most people I know who are tattooed are in no way unfriendly but welcome all kinds of people. I also suspend for the heightening experience. It brings mental clarity. Don't get me wrong there are unfriendly, promiscuous tattooed people. But there are plenty of people with no body modifications that are heavy drinkers, unfriendly, amongst other things. In fact in my experience most clean cut people tend to be more unfriendly due to misunderstandings and stereotypes of tattooed/pierced beings.

[winnie]

I can see those people who get tattooed to be trendy tending to be a bit more promiscuous because sex is also a trend. Mind you, I am not saying all trendy people, tattooed people, or trendy tattooed people are sluts.
However, I am a tattooed female, and slut I am not. I got my tats because of what they symbolize to me, not because I want to take a dick.

[michael frawly]

i am a young guy with piercings (ears and tongue), tattoos and a purple mohawk who drinks and smokes and i am in no way a slut. to the point where i have had girlfriends break up with me due to my frigidness.
i find amongst the "emo" scene among the youth there is a level of promiscuity, where the more heavily tattoed persons are almost glorified.
but to make generalisations is not fair

[Rodders]

Looking at at most of the comments on this post I can only summize that chicks with tatoos are some of the most frigid and sexually repressed woman on the planet. From now on I'm staying well clear:)

[Jake]

Ok. Things are getting way out of hand here. So now I am going to put in my 2 cents. First thing. I think a women with tattoos and piercings are amazing. There isn't anything better then a women expressing herself with the art she puts on her body. And as for tattooed girls being sluts. That is so untrue. I actually know more girls without tattoos that are sluts. And it is not trashy in any way possible. Actually, I have found that girls with tattoos are more independent and better company.

As for people with tattoos only making $10 an hour. I have a full right sleeve, half left sleeve, my back and parts of my leg done to include some up the side of my neck. With the changing life styles of so many companies are starting to bend rules regarding tattoos. I work for the government and make way more than $10 an hour so anyone that thinks otherwise, keep your f**king comments to yourself and go on with your life.

And for all those women out there that express themselves with tattoos and piercings, keep it up. Not all guys are egomaniacal, arrogant assholes.

[Chuck]

From my ample bar experience of nearly 20 years owning/running a bar yes... tattooed women are easy, and quite defensive clearly on here. From a psychology POV (my minor in college) it makes sense, if you're willing to bear your skin to have ink put on it in a "look at meeEEE" way (because it's for attention usually) you'll have a lower threshold for experimenting, which could mean sex, drugs, etc., not that there's anything wrong with it.

I guess the problem here is equating being sexual with being slutty which, that's some BS right there, the same hypocrisy that a man who gets laid a lot is a "stud" but a woman is a "slut" is a crock of shit. If you enjoy sex, you enjoy sex, there shouldn't be this gender-bias. Be safe about it of course but whatever floats your boat.

So yes, tattooed women will sleep around more but non-tattooed and tattooed guys, most of them, taken, married, or single, will sleep with anything. So I fail to see what the big deal is here. I guess if you're looking for an indicator and want to get laid, yes, you'll have a much better bet with the tattooed chick, and if she smoked, from observation, yes, definitely double bonus. However I don't get if there's a stigma attached.

[Goose]

Theres no virgins with tattoos....

[Evil1]

There's no Goose that lost his virginity...

[Kelly]

My tattoos have nothing to do with my level of promiscuity or drug related behaviors, they have more to do with my desire to love my body and to make it look beautiful. I think that findings claiming promiscuity or sexuality is in any way associated with tattoos may just be sampling from the wrong populations or making generalizations far too broad to be extended across all those who have tattoos.
In general, I think that the people who have tattoos and present higher levels of promiscuity likely did not get their tattoos for any reason other than popularity or social norms. A tramp stamped heart with wings probably doesn't have any other meaning for the person other than desired attention, but most people aren't getting tattoos for attention, they're getting them as a way of expressing a feeling or a passion.
Furthermore, one could argue that levels of promiscuity in general are increased in younger generations, so it's likely that tattooed girls aren't the only one's receiving the bad press, so to speak.

[Tattoo For Girl]

Hi : )
Why is it that people (society generally) still pre-judge people with tattoos. girls commonly?
I am a twenty six year old F, have got 9 tattoos, lots of which can't be seen on my day to day travels. 5 To 6 during the summer are pretty much constantly on display. I don't aim for attention and i also have a loving boyfriend WITH NO TATTOOS .I get the impression that lots of people believe that tattooed persons are blind, once we get stared at, even if we return a glance many people carry on looking. When will society change?

[JimmyJam]

The problem is perception. In Western society many people believe that women with tattoos are easy and that men with tattoos are dishonest.
Unfair? Yep.. But if you KNOW this beforehand and make a CHOICE to get a tattoo anyway you now know how some people will perceive you.
Unfair? Yep! You bet.
But now you know. You can whine, curse, cry, try to rationalize why they are wrong, try to "prove them wrong" with examples of your " good behavior" and it won't accomplish squat. We live on a society where people prejudge and try to rationalize their bigotry, hatred and fear of those that are different with worse case examples.
Unfair? Yep! You bet.
But now you know.

[Toy]

I am a woman, that has tattoos, and I am a proud virgin! Hooray! So that trumps the entire argument. Furthermore, I agree with Chuck that women who get tattoos for the reason of wanting attention possibly would be "easy." But to lump all of us in that category is ignorant and stereotypical, and sorry Chuck, but psychology is becoming increasingly OUTDATED day by day. Learn how to think for yourself. Don't judge.

[John]

Tattoos are disgusting on women. Honestly. You all defend your choice and that's fine, i expect you to, but its a total turn off. It's such a tragedy when you see a girl that could be cute with a tattoo. Ew. It's low class and no feminine at all.
"Oh, but it's a flower with a butterfly and ladybug"
NO, it's fucking ink tainting beautiful skin. Skin is beautiful, don't cover it up ladies. The fad will pass. The tattoo removal business is going to explode.

[catdog]

Look kids...just because you are not trash or don't "fuck" doesn't make the truism wrong! You are one data point...trust us.Women with unique tats and piercings are looser then average...it's a fact. Get a girl with a tramp-stamp and a tongue tattoo and chances are she is going to try like hard tonight to make "daddy" happy for once!