As a woman, deciding whether or not to get a tattoo is a multi-layered question. Women still run into stereotyping and stigmas more so than our male counterparts. Whereas a man can get a tattoo pretty much anywhere other than the face and get away with it, women tend to be judged more harshly when we get tattoos. Our morals and judgment are immediately suspect in some people's eyes when they see our ink.
Case in point: Tramp Stamps. Too many men today still stereotype a lower back tattoo as a signal that a woman is "advertising" and unfortunetly, there are a lot of women that perpetuate this stereotype as well. Personally, I feel that it is your body and if you want a tattoo somewhere, go for it. Now I don't recommend the neck, face or genitals but if that is your thing, go for it but be cognisent of the flack you will get for it. Putting a tattoo anywhere on your back, upper or lower, should not be a cause for stereotyping unless you have put something blatently sexual there, then all bets are off.
Employers tend to look down on tattoos to begin with but women with them even more so. Placement of your tattoos should be taken into consideration prior to getting them if covering them is the only option and you don't really want to have to wear long sleeves and buttoned up shirts in the summertime if you don't have to.
I sincerely believe that women today more than men are making bold statements just by virtue of having visible tattoos. The risk is higher for us then men. Young women especially are announcing to the world "this is who I am, take it or leave it" by being inked. Most women wouldn't decline to go out with a man because he has ink, but how many women lose out because of theirs?
Times are changing but total acceptance of women with ink has not quite got there yet. We are slowing whittling away at it though, one tattoo at a time.
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