The legal age of consent for tattoos and piercings is 18 (in Georgia.) There are specifics about parental consent that vary across the country, but the minimum age for an individual to obtain these bodily changes independently is 18. This is an example of one of the basic adult privileges that is developed in the Constitution where an adult is defined as 18 years of age. There are immense legal responsibilities placed on a new adult, so making changes to one’s body is made legal at that age as well. Tattoos and piercings are forms of expression and are especially popular in modern culture. Strong, beautiful idols like Kat Von D have become common across pop culture and are respected among the younger generations.
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Older generations hardly accept the idea of marking one’s body permanently or piercing one’s body whether for religious or moral reasons, but it seems as if their opinion fails to matter anymore to the current generation. Everyone is their own person and can consider other’s opinions but in the end make the final decision as to how they treat their body. This law affects me because I was able to legally acquire both a piercing and a tattoo without parental permission. The feeling of signing a paper allowing one to do something most likely not approved of by their parents is empowering and allows for a strong desire and feeling of independence. There are many issues regarding this law and states have been increasing the restrictions. For example, in Arkansas the parent must now be present for the body modification. A concern with this overkilling law is that minors will instead do the markings themselves in less sanitary and more dangerous manner.
The law defines a person by letting individuals define themselves. Each tattoo or piercing makes each person different and unique and allows for differences among the broad definition of a person that tends to include and generalize among all citizens. In Citizens United v. FEC, there was dispute among what defines a company as well as how to include just one definition of person (corporation) when each component was so different on so many levels. Once the court reached a decision of whether a corporation was an individual, they would immediately have to work on a definition that would include and define all people. Just as people are so different in appearance, corporations vary in several ways. Overall, the law regarding a minimum age of 18 to sign for tattoos and piercings seems to accommodate all eligible individuals by including a clause that requires parental consent, making it seemingly fair all around.
The law defines a person by letting individuals define themselves. Each tattoo or piercing makes each person different and unique and allows for differences among the broad definition of a person that tends to include and generalize among all citizens. In Citizens United v. FEC, there was dispute among what defines a company as well as how to include just one definition of person (corporation) when each component was so different on so many levels. Once the court reached a decision of whether a corporation was an individual, they would immediately have to work on a definition that would include and define all people. Just as people are so different in appearance, corporations vary in several ways. Overall, the law regarding a minimum age of 18 to sign for tattoos and piercings seems to accommodate all eligible individuals by including a clause that requires parental consent, making it seemingly fair all around.
This is the piercing that I decided to get the day after my 18th birthday.
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