TATTOO TAG: EXAMINING WHAT WOMEN HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THEIR TATTOOS IN YOUTUBE VIDEOS

Historically, women with tattoos have been fetishized in mainstream media and seen as more masculine, unprofessional, and deviant. I conducted a textual analysis of 42 YouTube videos with a minimum of 100,000 views from 2015 to 2020 uploaded by women who display and talk about their tattoos. Guided by a feminist media theory lens, this study finds that, through the simple vlogging set-up, women talk about the content, motivations, stories, and meanings they associate with their tattoos. The primary reasons to get tattooed in these videos appear to be the meaning of the tattoos and/or the tattoos’ aesthetics. These videos help women define their digital identity and normalize their tattoo consumption rather than allow people to control and project a stereotypical narrative onto their bodies. These women reframe their tattoo consumption by using it to express themselves and their autonomy. These women discuss their tattoos in a way that reclaims their agency against stereotypes describing women with tattoos as unladylike, promiscuous, lazy, unprofessional, and manly. These women also emphasize how their tattoos help them represent their identities and connect to certain groups. In addition, by making these videos, which social media followers heavily requested, women can also empower themselves by supporting their digital social presence for social and capital gain.

Grantor dc:publisher

Temple University. Libraries

Year dc:date.issued

2022

Author dc:creator

• Brova, Christen

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Shaw, Adrienne, 1983-

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Darling-Wolf, Fabienne
• Kitch, Carolyn L.

• Communication

Statement dc:rights

• IN COPYRIGHT- This Rights Statement can be used for an Item that is in copyright. Using this statement implies that the organization making this Item available has determined that the Item is in copyright and either is the rights-holder, has obtained permission from the rights-holder(s) to make their Work(s) available, or makes the Item available under an exception or limitation to copyright (including Fair Use) that entitles it to make the Item available.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12613/8282

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarshare.temple.edu:20.500.12613/8282