Kylie Grunsfeld, Opinions & Humor Editor
Women online are taking to their phones in droves to announce that they regret their tattoos, warning others against getting any. This is happening as the beauty industry is actively pushing “natural” and “classic” femininity, which prioritizes clear skin, natural-looking makeup and dissolving fillers.
As tattoos become more mainstream and the percentage of those getting tattooed increases, so does the percentage of people going through tattoo removal treatments. However, I do not think it is a matter of chance that tattoo removal is most common among Millennials and Gen Z, according to Removery. Women are also more likely than men to go through removal procedures, according to New York Cosmetic, Skin & Laser Surgery Center.
Tattoos throughout U.S. history have correlated with rebellion, counterculture and toughness. It is fair to say that these associations are far more linked with masculinity than femininity. Sailors and military servicemen were the first and largest group of individuals to get inked when tattooing was brought to the U.S., according to PBS. Years later, whether consciously or subconsciously, we still associate tattoos with these kinds of professions.
Tattoos on men are manly. Tattoos on women are trashy, dirty and unladylike.
Ironically, we have seen a boom in tattoo sales in the last 20 years, specifically among women. 27% of men have tattoos compared to 38% of women, according to Pew Research Center. It is evident that the perception of tattoos being strictly masculine has changed in the past few decades. Many female celebrities lauded for being beautiful, such as Angelina Jolie and Megan Fox, are tattooed.
So, why are so many people’s views on their own tattoos starting to change? Why now?
In an age when women are told to embrace their “divine feminine” and more traditional feminine roles, this trend does not strike me as merely coincidental.
My tattoos are a reflection of me. I have a tarot card, ladybugs and a few non-sentimental designs that I chose because despite their “meaninglessness,” they still speak to me. When I walk around, people can get a glimpse of my personality before I even open my mouth to talk. This is one of my favorite things about being tattooed: it is a method of self-expression that simultaneously speaks to who I was, who I am and who I want to be. I do not feel like being inked up and down my arms makes me too masculine, but that is the trouble with these kinds of beauty trends — they have the ability to make you question something about yourself you never thought about before.
I understand growing out of specific designs, but getting tattoos removed because they make you feel less feminine is where the problem lies. Why is this idea of “natural” femininity suddenly so coveted?
Of course, it goes hand-in-hand with our society’s obsession with policing women’s bodies. This is nothing new. When women are more frequently taking back up traditional roles, they also become interested in championing a traditional kind of beauty. When this idea spreads widely enough, the beauty industry does not even have to deliver the message itself — women will start self-policing online.
It is a shame that what is considered feminine in 2026 is also quiet. No heavy makeup, no immodest clothes, no “chasing what is not meant for you,” and no body modifications, even if it makes you feel more like yourself.
You will never convince me that being tattooed, pierced or dyed makes me look bad in a dress. You will never convince me that I should spend thousands of dollars on tattoo removals to look like more of a woman. In 10 years, the opposite will be true — the pendulum swings back and forth with such ferocity it is impossible to know when you will be on the “right” side of the beauty standard.
Beauty trends will come and go, but my tattoos are forever.