Ayngelia Ara

The Public Self and the Perceived Competence of Visibly Tattooed Women as Higher Education Administrators Ayngelia Ara

The prevailing social cultural view of tattoos and the individual who wears them are characteristically deviant, a criminal, and immoral. However, not all individuals hold the same social cultural view as many use the practice of tattooing for meaningful purposes. A sense of cultural uncertainty for tattooed individuals is typically described by scholars. These tattooed individuals, more women than men, exist in a culture where most of the population rejects the practice of tattooing. Yet, a growing number engage in and accept the practice of tattooing. The impact of the cultural uncertainty on the tattooed population, specifically women is generally understudied. However, tattooed individuals wanting to remain a part of mainstream social society without having to cover their tattoos are affected by this cultural limbo. Perceptions of men and women are typically related to conventional, cultural positions that may be difficult to analyze because of their individualized complexities and the debates that gender fosters. Discussion of appearance regarding visible tattoos and higher education women administrators gives a unique perspective to gender debates. An abundance of research on the origins of inequality exists but there is little research on the effectiveness of different programs put in place to circumvent it, illustrating the need for the research study. There is an inescapable influence of assumptions concerning appearance in higher education leadership.