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Woman shares her pre-pandemic tattoo that 'aged like milk' almost immediately

She couldn't have timed this any worse if she tried.

via wakaflockafloccar / TikTok

The timing of this woman's tattoo could not have been worse.

It's amazing to consider just how quickly the world has changed in early 2020. One day we were all just casually going along, living our lives. And then the next day, everything was different. If you were to have told someone in February of 2020 that the entire country would soon go on some form of lockdown, nearly everyone would be wearing a mask, and half a million people were going to die due to a virus, no one would have believed you.

Yet, it happened. And in addition to changing the world as we know it, it also sparked a sharp political and cultural divide here in the United States.

PPE masks were the last thing on Leah Holland of Georgetown, Kentucky's mind on March 4, 2020, when she got a tattoo inspired by the words of a close friend.

ppe, masks, medical masks, covid, tattoo, funny, humor, pandemic, viral videosWho could have guessed that simple medical masks would become such a huge source of controversy?Giphy

"We were just talking about things we admire about each other and he said, 'You courageously and radically refuse to wear a mask,' like meaning that I'm undeniably myself. I thought that was a really poetic way of saying that," Holland told Fox 13.

So, she had "courageously & radically refuse to wear a mask" tattooed on her left forearm.

It's a beautiful sentiment about Leah's dedication to being her true self. It's also a reminder for Holland to remain true to herself throughout her life.

However, the tattoo would come to have a very different meaning just two days later when the first case of COVID-19 was reported in Kentucky. Almost immediately, everyone in the country was advised to mask up anytime they left the house. Some refused, citing their own personal freedom to do with their body as they wish. Holland had, completely inadvertently, taken sides in a massive culture war with some simple black ink on her forearm.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

"It basically looked like I'm totally, you know, anti-mask or whatever, which is not the case," said Holland.

Now, she was embarrassed to be seen with the tattoo for fear she'd be associated with the anti-maskers who either deny the existence of the virus or refuse to wear a mask to protect others. Either way, it's a bad look.

So Leah started wearing long-sleeve shirts and cardigan sweaters whenever in public to cover up the tattoo.

On Monday, TikTok users asked each other to share their "dumbest tattoo" and she was pretty sure she had the winner.

@wakaflockafloccar

#stitch with @hannanicbic I could NOT have had worse timing. #fyp #foryoupage #tattoo #worsttattoo #winner P.S. I’m not anti-mask I promise 🤦🏻‍♀️

In her video response, she talks about how her tattoo was about "not pretending to be something you're not," but then revealed it to show how — in an incredibly ironic twist — it made her out to be someone she isn't.

"I just kind of wanted people to laugh with me because I think it's funny now, too," said Holland.

Plenty of people on TikTok laughed along with her with one user suggesting she update the tattoo with the phrase: "Hindsight is 2020." Another playfully accused her of "jinxing" the world and causing the virus outbreak. Another suggested adding an asterisk and "except during COVID" to the tattoo.

"I was dying laughing. I'm like, I'm glad there are people that find this as funny as I think it is," said Holland.

"It will be a funny story to tell years from now," she said. "I don't think it will ever not be a funny story."

ppe, masks, medical masks, covid, tattoo, funny, humor, pandemic, viral videosMany people continue to practice masking in public either due to being immunocompromised, or just out of precaution. Photo by charlesdeluvio on Unsplash

The pandemic has not been officially declared "over" though the "global emergency it caused is — for now." However, Holland still has to explain her tattoo. The risks associated with COVID have decreased but a fierce debate still exists about personal freedom vs responsibility to the greater good. Should you wear a mask in public when you're sick? Should you ever be required to wear a mask? How do you balance individual rights with our need to live in a cooperative society? Most won't soon forget the COVID-19 era in America and there's no doubt many will still feel passionate about those who refused to wear a mask. Just don't lump Holland in with that group because of a poorly timed, but quite beautiful, sentiment.

This article originally appeared four years ago.

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Here's the meaning behind the viral 'Lucky Few' tattoo

The three arrows have important symbolism.

meetmrshowell/Instagram

There are a lot of reasons to get a tattoo — to honor a loved one, visualize a spiritual or life goal, or just for the aesthetic appeal.

(They do look pretty cool, after all.)

Tattoos can also symbolize that you belong to and identify deeply with a certain group — like the recently famous semicolon tattoo that denotes a person's battle with depression or suicidal thoughts.

Now a group of moms is banding together through custom ink — called the Lucky Few tattoo — that symbolize their family's experience with Down syndrome.

A group of these moms recently met up at a Ruby's Rainbow retreat — a nonprofit that raises funds to get people with Down syndrome the education and training they need to succeed in the world — when they decided to get matching tattoos to commemorate their unique bond.

Designer Mica May was among those in the group, and she came up with a concept on the spot: three arrows stacked on top of one another.

They decided to call it the "Lucky Few" tattoo in reference to a popular book about Down syndrome.

Woman hugging her child while displaying a three arrow tattoomeetmrshowell/Instagram

What's the origin and meaning of the Lucky Few tattoo?

In an Instagram post, May wrote that the concept for the tattoo had come to her in a dream, though she initially wasn't sure what it meant.

The other moms noticed that the number three seemed to be incredibly symbolic of Down syndrome, also called trisomy 21, in which children are born with three copies of the 21st chromosome.

The three arrows in the tattoo represent the three copies of the 21st chromosome, as well as the ability to move forward.

This genetic irregularity puts people affected by Down syndrome at greater risk for certain health conditions and presents different challenges for them in the way they learn and move through the world.

Down syndrome affects about 6,000 babies in the United States ever year.

A woman displaying three arrow Lucky Few Tattoo on her fingersavanna.lauryn/Instagram


Now the movement is going viral, with parents, teachers, and loved ones of people with Down syndrome all over the country joining in.

People who admit they never thought they'd get a tattoo are going under the needle to show their love and support for people affected by the syndrome.

Woman displaying three arrow Lucky Few Tattoo on her forearmmeetmrshowell/Instagram

Hundreds are taking to Instagram using the hashtag #theluckyfewtattoo to share their photos and stories.

Some parents have even organized mass tattoo-ing events in their area.

The Mighty reports that one group in California had over 260 local moms sign up to get the tattoo at the same local shop.

Parenting a child with Down syndrome can be a tremendously difficult challenge. It can also be extremely rewarding.

The difficulties can be vast, but one survey found that parents of children with Down syndrome self-reported that their outlook on life was more positive than before, with the experience teaching them new depths of love and compassion.

Elle Westover, who shared her own tattoo on Instagram recently, put it like this: "The Arrows, because we can only launch forward after we have been pulled back and stretched."

There's no overestimating how much a sense of belonging can help people through hard times. The Lucky Few Tattoo is a constant, visual reminder for these parents of why the challenges are worth it.


This article originally appeared on 2.2.18

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Innovation

A tattoo artist is giving people free 'nipple tattoos' to help cancer survivors

Tattooing, like any other skill, requires practice. The problem is, how do you practice permanently putting a nipple on someone else's body?

This genius tattoo artist found a solution. "Shannon McCauley gives out free tattoos to the people who volunteer their bodies to help her practice tattooing nipples.

McCauley is a tattoo artist at Steadfast Tattoo in Rochester, NY. She went absolutely viral after tweeting a photo of a leg with a nipple with the caption, "Tattooed my first nipple on skin. I'll be covering this tattoo for free once it's healed. I'm learning this so I can tattoo in surgeon's offices and help breast cancer survivors that had mastectomies."



She later said she'll also use this skill for people in the trans community. Simply amazing. You can visit Shannon's instagram to see even more photos of nipples tattooed on legs.



Tattooing is very common for people that have gone through mastectomies because surgeons can only do so much in terms of pigmentation. Tattoos on the hand have a practically infinite range of shade and color. Artists like Shannon are necessary in helping people through the recovery process.

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How one woman's tattoo journey allowed her to overcome bullying and beauty standards.

"I’m able to let people know that they’re not alone and things do get better, and high school — high school isn’t forever."

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L'Oreal Dermablend

Caroline Grace is covered head to toe in tattoos.

They make her stand out, but that wasn't always her goal, especially as a teenager.

Brand new tragic kingdom dress from @westernevil 🔥www.westernevil.com

A post shared by Carolina (@curaline) on

"I didn't like the way I looked," Caroline admits. "I started to wear makeup to feel good about myself. But then I'd get bullied for how I wore makeup."

It didn't help that her family moved around a lot, which resulted in her having to adjust to six different high schools.

"I got put down a lot," says Caroline. "I got made fun of. It was very hard for me."

As she struggled to fit in, it was around that time that she also developed a love for tattoos.

Just a few of Caroline's tattoos. Photo via Dermablend.

Caroline got her first tattoo when she was only 15, but it didn't turn out exactly as planned.

The tattoo was very large and on her chest, so she bought Dermablend to help her hide it from her mom, which worked amazingly well.

She had fallen in love with tattoos after that first one, though, and pretty soon, had collected a whole slew of them to the point where she stopped keeping count.

And the more tattoos she acquired, the more beautiful she felt.

Photo via Dermablend.

"When I look at tattoos, I see beauty and self-expression," says Caroline.

Her distinctive look, which she has grown to embrace, has inspired others to find their own definition of beauty as well.

It's a huge part of why the 24-year-old has over 380,000 followers on Instagram.

She started her account like anyone else — just posting photos she thought were cool — but she also made a point of really putting herself and her body art out there. Ironically, the thing she tried so hard to keep hidden from her family was the very thing that sparked her sizable fan base.

Now she feels like she can finally help teens and adults who might be struggling with self-esteem issues for one reason or another.

"I’m able to let people know that they’re not alone and things do get better, and high school — high school isn’t forever," says Caroline.

A post shared by Carolina (@curaline) on

Does she still cover up her tattoos sometimes? Sure, but not because she's hiding.

Dermablend allows her to change up her look, which is all about self-expression and fun.

"It’s pretty fun to be able to cover up just one tattoo," says Caroline. "My skin doesn’t really define me. My tattoos aren’t who I am."

She's been using Dermablend since she was a teen because it fully covers her tats, but still feels light, which is good for her sensitive skin.

Photo via Dermablend.

When she's sporting all of them, she tends to get a lot of attention in her small town of Newport, Pennsylvania, but she's usually happy to answer questions about her look.

"I'll talk to people on the street who approach me about my tattoos," Caroline says. "If they can walk away having learned something or with one less stereotype, I think that's cool."

After all, beauty comes in all sorts of packages. The more people like Caroline who are regularly challenging beauty norms, the more space we create for people to be their authentic selves.

I'm so proud of you.

A post shared by Carolina (@curaline) on

She may have a busy life of managing a clothing business and running after her 6-year-old son, but Caroline still makes time to sit in front of a mirror and take herself in. Whether she decides to put on makeup on any given day or not, she does it to enhance who she is rather than hide. And that person is beautiful, tattoos or no tattoos.

"At the end of this journey, I hope to fully love myself, and I know I’m getting close," says Caroline.

Check out Caroline's whole story here:

Her tattoos are a form of beauty and self-expression. And so is her choice to cover them.

Posted by Upworthy on Friday, October 20, 2017
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