Snotty, Entitled Jezebel Blogger Pitches A Hissy When Tattoo Artist Refuses Her Command
Jezebel blogger Jane Marie doesn't get that you don't just wave your hand and command an artslave to hop to it.
Great David French post at NRO, via Instapundit:
The following exchange took place between Jane Marie (the blogger) and Dan (the tattoo artist):Dan: "And then you want your daughter's name... on your neck?" Shakes head left to right.Me: "What."
Dan: "Not gonna happen."
Me: "Wait, what? Why?"
Dan: "It'll look tacky. It's just tacky."
Me: "Wait, you're telling me what will look tacky on me? Don't I get to decide that?"
Dan: "A neck tattoo on someone without a lot of tattoos is like lighting a birthday candle on an unbaked cake." Stunning analogy, right?
I wonder: Does Dan know what an analogy even is? And then suddenly I'm fighting back tears because, as Dan has already correctly assessed, I'm just a feeble-minded, hysterical girl. And then I ask the next thing that pops into my head.
Me: "Would you say this to a guy?"
Dan luh-hiterally paused, looked askance, and said with a slight nod, unconvincingly, "Yeah."
Fighting back tears over a denied neck tattoo? Yes, you are hysterical. Racing immediately to the sexism as the reason for your frustration? Yes, you do write for Jezebel. When Dan asked if he could get started working on other tattoos, her response was as gracious as expected: "Are you f**king kidding me? I'm not going to give you money after that, let alone have you touch me or put art on my body!" Then she wrote her post, where she shamed the tattoo artist and the tattoo parlor by name and attached mocking photos of examples of his work.
Love this little self-important sneer from her:
I wonder: Does Dan know what an analogy even is?
Well, he was smart enough to refuse your bratty ass.
And French found this reply from a tattoo artist at InkedMag:
This week blogger Jane Marie of Jezebel put tattooer Dan Bythewood "ON BLAST" for refusing to ink her neck. The reason Bythewood turned down the tattoo was because Marie is barely inked and so Bythewood was following the traditional tattoo honor code. As the population of tattooed people continues to grow we are happy to add to our community but hope that our new brothers and sisters respect the soul and traditions of tattooing.Chief among our traditions is that quality tattoo artists are the custodians of the craft. What they say goes. Also, how dare she admonish him for refusing the tattoo on any grounds? A tattoo is a collaborative effort between the artist and the wearer, if the artist doesn't want to take on a piece then he or she needn't feel pressured. Tattoos are in a sense fashion. Cut-rate tailors will alter any dress to please a client but couture designers have the right to refuse clients whose wishes don't work with their aesthetic and don't want their name on the outcome. There is a saying that a tattoo artist is only as good as the latest piece in their portfolio and so if Bythewood had accepted the tattoo, Marie's piece would be in his record.
Blythewood's response, in part, at InkedMag:
"I was targeted by a blogger via Jezebel.com who would like to see me out of business. The reason? I refused to tattoo her neck, as I regularly do when asked by a sparsely tattooed or un-tattooed customer. Where she really got it wrong is assuming that I refused her service for sexist reasons, even after I informed her that I refuse neck tattoos on men and women weekly. Her misguided attempt to make this a feminist issue is a disservice to true feminism. It trivializes it in a wolf cry and makes slanderous assumptions of my character (just ask my mother, three big sisters, three beautiful nieces, and all of my wonderful female friends).
I believe him but he'd sound better if he didn't pull the "But some of my best friends are women!" line. The response was great until that last sentence.
NicoleK at June 18, 2015 11:06 PM
I left it in for honesty's sake. It kind of made me hurl, too.
Amy Alkon at June 18, 2015 11:08 PM
This is the whole "refusing service" thing, just in a different context.
Of course you have the right to refuse service. Or, at least, you damned well should, because the opposite (someone can force you to work for them) is a far greater intrusion into personal rights.
As for her getting hysterical, well, she writes for Jezebel, where hyperventilating hysteria is pretty much the norm.
a_random_guy at June 18, 2015 11:32 PM
I don't know. I'm glad he said that. If this was only 5 years ago, I would be like 'What's he like but not that bothered' but nowadays, U really think many women seem to think men came into this world via some test-tube and can only have fathers and brothers.
It's frightening that these group of women that are growing, will have sons. It truly is.
So yeah, I'm fine he said that. And also as a black woman, I'm fine if someone realistically says they have black friends.
I don't know why or how but people are getting more insane and their obsession with projecting is unprecedented.
Chloe at June 19, 2015 12:25 AM
A few thoughts
1. She admits she almost broke down in tears cause a guy told her no. I wonder what her response to the Hunt situation was?
2. Most tattoos look like shit, at least to me. Human standards of beauty generally conform to near perfect symmetry. Most things that are non symmetrical are jarring to the brains visual process.
3. I'm a touch OCD, I can generally channel it, but I cant watch news channels with the rolling bar of text underneath it, I see text I read it.
Its kind of distracting from sex when I have to read the same name over and over and over and over.
Given my dyslexia I learned to read by engaging my auditory memory as I cant really spell for shit - so I "hear" what I read as I read it. Imagine hearing a random name or word or two repeated over and over in the back of your brain as you try and concentrate on anything else. And I realize this inst necessarily a problem for most people, but it drives me nuts
lujlp at June 19, 2015 2:15 AM
Jezebel gal didn't realize that if you want to compel an artist to create, the subject has to be gay marriage.
dee nile at June 19, 2015 5:26 AM
Its kind of distracting from sex when I have to read the same name over and over and over and over.
That's a great point. Imagine, in the heat of passion and you cry out her daughter's name.
Awkward.
I R A Darth Aggie at June 19, 2015 5:42 AM
You absolutely should have the right to refuse your creative work to anyone -- whether you are baking a cake for a gay wedding or a gay cake maker refusing to bake a cake for church people or a tattoo artist saying no to a snot who blogs for Jezebel.
Hilarious, luj, about having to read the same name over and over and it being distracting.
Your spelling is vastly improved in comments. It never bothered me before (I found it cool that you didn't let it stop you from commenting).
And I wonder if dyslexia and autism spectrum disorders like ADHD are related. My brain also keeps going back for more when it's not in my best interest.
And hah, dee nile -- read your comment after I wrote mine.
Amy Alkon at June 19, 2015 5:44 AM
I R A, you made me laugh. Thanks for that.
I agree that people should have a right to refuse service, but this has got me thinking about what, exactly, creative work IS. Obviously, art such as painting and drawing qualify, as does writing.
But, what about things like architecture? Landscaping?
Just about anything that requires a human element requires some form of thinking (so, not assembly line jobs, perhaps), but if writing qualifies, what about computer programming? Preparing taxes? Doing HR reports?
Obviously, many people who do these later things are doing so as part of a larger company, but should the company have a right to refuse services? What it if is an independent contractor company of one?
Shannon at June 19, 2015 6:01 AM
lujlp, for what it's worth, I have never noticed a spelling error in your comments. Mind, I'm not a great speller, but I don't totally suck (I took Latin for years to get to this level).
Shannon at June 19, 2015 6:02 AM
I know you're not supposed to ascribe other motives when stupid or crazy will do, but this smacks of viral marketing to me. The name of the salon and several of its artists have been mentioned, as well as some intriguing tidbits on the history and artistry of tattoos.
Allison at June 19, 2015 6:14 AM
"But, what about things like architecture? "
It's well documented that Frank Lloyd Wright turned down many would-be clients. In general, no one who is prepared to accept the financial consequences should ever have to do work that they don't want to do. Many years ago, I was offered a job setting up telecommunications for a Florida boiler room. They were offering good money too, a lot more than I was making at the time. I turned it down because the people setting it up were scum.
Cousin Dave at June 19, 2015 6:25 AM
There is nothing magical about artistry or creative works. Anyone should have the right to refuse service unless they work for the government.
Ben at June 19, 2015 6:47 AM
Anyone should be able to refuse service, not just artists. An engineer or builder should definitely be able to refuse to build something they think is dangerous or unsafe or frankly ridiculous or insulting.
THe artistic jobs run into this more often but it is not limited to them.
My neighbor does hair for a living, he is always telling about refusing someones request, your hair won't do that color without destroying it or your scalp. Should he be forced to, no. Has he lost potential customers by doing that, sure and he is grateful since those are the ones who are crazy or will drive him crazy.
Joe J at June 19, 2015 7:14 AM
I work in documentary fim. I regularly turn down jobs because I'm not a fan of the subject or context of the films--for example, positive portrayal of Holocaust denial. Someone else can take that gig. Thus far, no producer has burst into tears.
KateC at June 19, 2015 7:25 AM
"so Bythewood was following the traditional tattoo honor code."
__________________________________________
So why didn't Bythewood just SAY that? Preferably spelled out with other, different examples so she would know he wasn't making it up?
Using a cooking simile, instead, does sound weird and condescending at best, especially when the customer doesn't see anything wrong with the request. I don't blame her for getting suspicious, at least. I would have too - if I'd ever consider getting a tattoo. Jumping to conclusions, publicly, without quietly asking around first is a different matter altogether, and yes, she shouldn't have done that.
lenona at June 19, 2015 8:23 AM
The best part of the original rant is "Here, directly from Dan the Man’s Instagram account, are a bunch of perfectly un-tacky tattoos he’s given people. Mostly people with dicks."
And proceeds to show tats she apparently doesn't like. Mostly on people's neck---err, arms.
And what's with the "Let me??" bullshit??? Feeling like another stupid white privileged twit (with or without a dick), aren't we???
Ben nails it above.
drcos at June 19, 2015 8:40 AM
Oh, and Dan's request:
Please apologize to my customers whose tattoos you mocked in your failed attempt to hurt my career in order to bolster yours.
Let's not hold our breath.
drcos at June 19, 2015 8:42 AM
Leona: So why didn't Bythewood just say that?
How do we know he didn't. We only have her account as to what went down between them. And it's not like she's being objective.
Patrick at June 19, 2015 9:06 AM
A friend brought this to my attention earlier this week, and I assumed the writer was 19 or something. She was in her forties -- her forties!
Like or dislike the feminist movement, I do remember when one of its core precepts was strength. Jezebel and the whole Tumblr-outrage-driven movement just turn it into a whinefest of imagined first-world grievances.
On another topic, I see people are still very upset about gay wedding cake! Very upset! It's almost... Jezebelish.
Kevin at June 19, 2015 9:18 AM
By the way, any professional in the industry of enhancing someone's appearance will refuse something they believe will make them look bad.
I had read about an elderly woman who was up in arms because a dentist refused her request for the dentures she was to be fitted for. She had admired what she called "snow-white teeth" her entire life, but never had that megawatt smile herself. Now, at last, she was going to have her snow-white teeth with her dentures. To her utter horror and indignation, the dentist refused, saying that they simply wouldn't look realistic in her eighty-year old mouth. He's right. When was the last time you saw a senior with a smile like Donny and Marie?
She pitched a hugely embarrassing hissy fit, like this woman, insisting that she was the customer, and he had no right to refuse to honor her specifications.
Wrong, lady. Once you leave his office with your dentures, you become a walking advertisement for his business. You think he wants people looking at your fabulously fake smile, wondering where you got those horrible dentures? He has every right to refuse to do anything that he thinks will harm his business.
Patrick at June 19, 2015 9:23 AM
Do NOT argue with the guy who wields the needle to permanently disfigure you. If they refused to do it, go find someone else that will, it's not like he held the only inking pen.
BigFir at June 19, 2015 9:25 AM
"Artslave", what a great word! There oughtta be a word to describe yoga, Pilates, and other practitioners mistreated by entitled clients.
Another Amy at June 19, 2015 9:37 AM
"So why didn't Bythewood just SAY that?"
Possibly because, based on her writing, Jane Marie didn't let him get a word in edgewise...
Cousin Dave at June 19, 2015 10:36 AM
Your spelling is vastly improved in comments
Only because I noticed someone saying chorme had a build in spell check.
If you look closely no doubt in my longer rants you'll see the occasional correctly spelled but wholly inappropriate word, or the correct word but wrong tense; like it instead of in, or notices instead of noticed which almost happened on this post
lujlp at June 19, 2015 10:59 AM
luflp: Never bothered me 'cause I like your logic and your writing style.
Bob in Texas at June 19, 2015 11:28 AM
Lenona - he may not have said it, but her cousin did, before she even went in to that parlor. And she'd been told that at another parlor, where she went when she had been drinking. She was warned that a lot of artists don't do neck tattoos on people, especially those who aren't already heavily tattooed.
So the timeline is - she wanted a neck tattoo, walked into a first parlor while drunk/tipsy, and was told that she couldn't get a neck tattoo. She didn't make a stink about it because she was too tipsy to make a coherent argument, and walked out. She talked about it with her cousin, who has a tattoo parlor, who refused, and told her that a lot of artists won't do it, but that doesn't count because they were in a backyard, not his parlor and it was a "hypothetical". And then she went to Dan's and the other parlor employee told her Dan was unlikely to agree to do it.
It's a cultural thing, and to someone who's not in the culture, it might sound weird to say "I'm sorry, that's not culturally appropriate, and I refuse." He had an awkward analogy, but I don't know saying it flat out would have done anything, because apparently two previous tattoo places had told her they wouldn't do it for her, and she didn't listen to them either.
Janie4 at June 19, 2015 1:32 PM
"On another topic, I see people are still very upset about gay wedding cake! Very upset! It's almost... Jezebelish."
Classic projection.
dee nile at June 19, 2015 2:26 PM
I have tattoos. Seven, to be exact. I'm betting even then my artist would ask me more than once if I was sure (but the point's moot because I don't want a neck tattoo, so we'll never know).
Tattoo artists have to talk people down from the ledge of stupid all the time. I was once in getting some ink and three drunk frat boys walked in. The artist working next to me looked up at the counter guy (who was obviously new and unsure what to do about it) and said, "No, absolutely not, I am not tattooing them. If you don't want to cause a scene, just tell them we're booked."
Because you know damn well when frat boy woke up with the giant eagle he wanted across his chest he was probably going to regret it, and of course it would be the shop's fault, because he certainly wasn't going to take responsibility for his actions.
Daghain at June 19, 2015 6:36 PM
Keep your ugly tats to yourself - above the cuffs and below the neckline. (Unless you're an idiot gangbanger or meth whore in which case, please tattoo your neck and hands and face so the cops can pick you out easily).
"YOLO" doesn't mean "trash yourself quick".
Gog_Magog_Carpet_Reclaimers at June 20, 2015 8:32 AM
My thoughts as a heavily tattooed libertarian:
1. I think homophobic bakeries should not be required to bake homosexual wedding cakes, but that's not even analogous. This is about an artist refusing to allow a client dictate his aesthetic not political statements.
2. This would be true even if the artist would agree to do the same tat on a guy that he refused to do on this girl. Tats, like clothing, are bodily adornment, and therefore should not be viewed gender neutral. That crop top that looks sexy on my girl would look fruity on me. While, I don't believe all tats make a girl look unladylike, I think girls should be careful to stay feminine designs and placements.
3. Tattooists routinely refuse to do tats, but more usually on political grounds, e.g. no racist or gang stuff. They should be free to refuse to do whatever they want on whatever grounds. But they should not have the power to impose their views over client wishes. Personal example: an ex of mine wanted to get my name tatted on her (always a dumb idea, but at least a classicly dumb one), the artist persuaded her to start just with my initial, but then when she did it, she put a flower in front of the initial such that it made it extremely difficult to fill out the rest of my name (all without informed consent). That is just cockblocking.
4. All that being said, I disagree with this particular artist's opinion that it is tacky to do a neck tat before anything else. I think publicly marking yourself as an outlaw like that right out of the box is hardcore. I say this jealously as a person with a Japanese bodysuit that I cover completely with my business suit going into the office.
Osama bin Pimpin at June 20, 2015 11:19 AM
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