Cher has been a major celebrity name, particularly in music, since the 1960s.  She is known for her many talents, from acting to singing and songwriting.  But she also has had a major impact on society by accepting and embracing tattoos.  Her unique style and her love of tattoos inspired others to follow during a time when tattoos were not very popular or respected.  Therefore, you can appreciate Cher not only for her music and her acting, but also for her body art. Cher has gotten tattoos at various times in her life to symbolize what she was going through, such as when she felt very independent after her split from Sonny Bono and decided to get ink, which she claims was like a badge for her.  When Cher first started getting tattoos, it wasn’t as mainstream as it is today.  Mainly bad girls and rockers got tattoos, so Cher definitely stood out from the crowd by getting ink.  She has publicly stated that she just loves tattoos and loves getting them.  She has even had some of her tattoos for 20 years. Tattoos Everywhere Cher has a tattoo on a body part that most people don’t think of tattooing: her derriere.  The tattoo features flowers and a butterfly and it is quite large, covering most of her buttocks area.  Though you would think that a tattoo in that area would not be very visible, when it comes to Cher, it actually is.  Her concert and music video costumes often show off her body, including her behind, and so you can catch a glimpse of the elaborate artwork there. In addition to her buttocks tattoo, Cher also has a tattoo of a black orchid strategically placed below her panty line above her right thigh.  Another large tattoo that has been inked across her upper chest is a drawing of a necklace with large charms hanging down from it.  Also, on her ankle, Cher has a black flower tattooed. A Kanji symbol that means “strength” was inked onto Cher’s right shoulder.  On her left shoulder, she has a large flowing chain with an Egyptian ankh at the end and two other charms hanging from it, a cross and a heart.  And on the underside of her right arm, she has some Art Deco crystals tattooed. Easy Come Easy Go Cher has been getting tattoos for many years, but not all of them survive.  She has been using laser removal on and off to get rid of tattoos she no longer wants on her body, while continuing to get new ones.  Because the process of getting tattoos removed is so time-consuming, we will have to wait and see which tattoos disappear and which end up staying on the star’s body. Nonetheless, if Cher gets her tattoos removed, countless fans have gotten tattoos in dedication to her on their own bodies, whether they were replica tattoos that Cher herself had at some point, or custom tattoos to show respect for the artist, those tattoos will certainly live on.

I had to chuckle. These two stories in the news last month each in its own way exemplifies why some people should, or just should not, have a tattoo. The first story takes place in Sweden. It stated that Swedish cops were on the lookout for five girls for assaulting a man on a bicycle… Yes. I did a double take too. What happened was that these five amazons purportedly dragged the hapless 50 year old off his bicycle, pulled down his trousers and ‘smalls’ and proceeded to sexually molest him. All this happened on 8 July in the town of Örebro, central Sweden. The local paper reported that one of the gang – described as 5′ 7″ tall and with “tattoos on her forearms” – grabbed the victim’s bike rack and pulled him to the ground. Having done the dirty deed, the girls then made off into the sunset. It is importantly noted in the report that the victim was neither ”beaten or physically assaulted”. Stating the bleeding obvious, a police spokeswoman described the attack as “downright unusual” while asking the public to report any similar incidences in the past. The second story took place in the English town of Hartlepool. This story also made me chuckle. A man appeared in court accused of flashing his penis at a female train guard. He was acquitted on the basis of a tattoo. Did I say chuckle? I meant howl… Hartlepool magistrates’ court heard at length the details of how Mr Barry Kenny, 28, of Hartlepool was drunk on a train from Newcastle to Hartlepool and lewdly exposed himself to a train guard of the gentler sex. Unfortunately, though, the woman neglected to mention the ‘distinguishing mark’ on his little man. Unfortunately for her, our Barry has a two inch long lizard tattoo running along his penis. Actually, what really happened was that Mr Kenny told the court his tattoo was seven inches long and had to alter his story somewhat when he was challenged and reminded he was still under oath. His solicitor managed to get the charges dropped, but only after Barry offered to show the court his evidence.

Koi fish tattoos Koi fish tattoo Koi fish tattoos Koi are considered a manly symbol, especially after it was appropriated by the Boys’ Day Festival in Japan. According to legend, the koi climb the waterfall bravely, and if they are caught, they face their death on the cutting board bravely, like samuri. Other Japanese meanings include perseverance and strength. In China, it is believed that if the koi succeeded in climbing to “Dragon Gate” on the Yellow River, the koi will be transformed into dragons. Because of the Chinese legend, koi are considered a symbol of advancement and aspiration. When used in tattoos, especially with running water, the koi is meant to symbolize courage and the ability to attain goals and to overcome life’s difficulties. When the koi in the tattoo is shown swimming upstream, it can be used to mean that the tattooee is still struggling with their problem, whereas a koi swimming downstream implies that the tattooee has already overcome their difficulty. In other cases, the koi swimming downstream can represent the season of fall, and the koi swimming upstream can represent the spring. Koi fish tattoos