By Deidre Grieves
2018 was a year of change—due, in large part, to the #MeToo movement that swept the nation. Women all over the country came forward and banned together to speak out about sexual harassment, rape culture, and inequality for women.
Hollywood made waves by launching Time’s Up,calls to sexual harassment hotlines were up, and females in the tattoo industry continued to speak up against assault allegations and be vocal about safeguarding clients and women tattoo artists.
The new wave of feminism in the U.S. emboldened women to ink permanent, female-focused art, symbols, and sayings on their bodies as a way to take ownership of their bodies and make a statement.
Here are five of our favorite feminist tattoos:
Girl Power by Patrycja Zofia
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Artist Patrycja Zofia, based at Matuszka Tattoo in Poland, inked a strong, statement-making “Girl Power” tattoo in the middle of her client’s back. The floral-framed glasses, rosy cheeks, and cat collar really create a classic, bold design.
No Means No by Niki Hughes
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Taking the trendy, 90s barbed-wire tattoo trend to a modern-day feminist place, Niki Hughes did this badass design at Bee Ink Tattoo. That wire looks razor-sharp, and you’ve got to love the little hearts in the word “no.”
Don’t Tell Me to Smile by Natalie Schultz
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We’ve got to give it to Natalie Schultz, who works at Kustom Tattoo Club in Oklahoma. She really captured that feeling that women get when some random stranger tells us to smile. I’ve often wanted to turn into a dinosaur when asked to flash my pearly whites for no discernible reason.
Burning Bra by Kristine Tran
If our mothers and grandmothers were advocating for women’s equality and right by burning their bras, our generation is inking on our bodies with feminist tattoos of those burning bras. This one by San Diego Tattooer, Kristine Tran, is a nice traditional take.
Not Your Doll by Britt Whitman
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Last but not least, you’ve got to love the sentiment of this feminist tattoo by artist Britt Whitman, who works as part of the tattoo team at Kelly Doty’s Helheim Gallery in Salem, Massachusetts.
In her post, Whitman explains that her first tattoo was of a beat-up doll and that she enjoyed doing this “patriarchy annihilator” on a very cool client. Whitman writes that she sees broken dolls as a symbol of breaking gender roles.
