Often professionals need to adjust to their work environment. So when it comes to tattoos , they are mostly frowned upon, no? At least that was the experience of this one woman.
However, that all changed when she joined a new team. She was pleasantly surprised that the ink on her arms wasn’t a problem and even encouraged. So let’s find out more about this story. Shall we?
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Jessica Leonard recently started a new position at the Cleveland-based private equity firm Evolution Capital Partners. She needed new headshots for the company website, but she decided to approach the photoshoot very cautiously. Why? It’s because she has full sleeve tattoos on both arms.
In the past, she always had to hide her body art.
It was deemed “inappropriate” in professional settings. Often she heard many negative things especially coming from fellow female leaders. Those were the same women she basically looked up to professionally.
Here are some of the comments she often received.
“I saw your new photo on LinkedIn showing your tattoos…I was a bit surprised. You’re not going to use that as your bio photo in proposals, though, right?”
Wow, can you believe that?
So when it came to taking pictures for her new job, she was hesitant.
She decided to take some pictures with a jacket on to be used on the company website. But then she asked her manager if he didn’t mind if she took some more showing her bare arms for her LinkedIn profile.
Not only did the manager oblige, but his response totally shocked Leonard.
He said — “Let’s roll with the tattoos in both! Loud and proud!”
That’s definitely something she’s never heard before, and needless to say, she was very pleasantly surprised.
Leonard shared her experience in a LinkedIn post.
It has since received a ton of positive feedback. In fact, as of January 2022, there were more than 31,000 reactions to it.
I don’t know about you, but I think this is such an important step in the right direction.
Here’s more.
In the post, she states:
“I had grown accustomed to wearing long sleeves in the heat of summer, to tugging on my suit coat sleeves in every meeting, to pulling my hair around my ear so no one would get a glimpse of the small tattoo behind my ear, to avoiding getting any leg or ankle tattoos for fear of never being able to wear a skirt again in a business setting,”
Wow!
“But then sometimes,” she continued, “you come across those leaders who not only allow you to show up every day as you are, but they also expect it,” she said.
“Those leaders who have recognized that whether I’m in the jacket or not, I’m the same person, the same business professional… a female leader who will most certainly be taken seriously.”
Amen to that!
What do you think of this story?
Isn’t it sad that people can be viewed differently in a professional setting just because they happen to have body art? If you asked me, I don’t think that’s right. The most important thing is whether they can do the job.
Do you agree with that? I’m really glad Jessica found a workplace that recognizes it. I wish more companies were open-minded like this firm.
h/t People
