The Self as Art: An Exploration of Tattoos and Bodily Autonomy for Transgender People

“The Self as Art” argues that there exists a previously overlooked parallel, born from early colonialism, between the experiences of tattooed individuals and transgender people. This is evidenced through the specific stigmas and policing faced by both groups in addition to their expressions of personal choice and bodily autonomy. I trace the history of tattooing practices in the United States from Indigenous tradition to sailing, "freak shows," and prisons, the history of trans identities and healthcare, and the overlaps between them. I then connect widely shared motives for getting tattooed with common motivations for gender transition, and I compare the stigmas against tattoos to those faced by transgender individuals and demonstrate how such stigmas are based in colonialist Eurocentric ideas. I argue in favor of bodily autonomy and self-expression, and I highlight how this intersection between experiences and its common theme of creativity can be explored to encourage positive social change in support of all marginalized peoples. As an example, I include original works of art inspired by my research and analyses of how they represent my personal transgender, tattooed identity. I conclude that, with an understanding that tattooed people are engaged in similar forms of identity construction as transgender people, and that both communities face disapproval based on similar historical arguments, it is vital to build solidarity across social groups rather than simply within them.