Facial tattoos have consequences

Stuff reports:

An artist was refused entry to a bar because of his facial tattoos, despite offering to hide them with makeup.

Jesse Wright said he felt “degraded” by his treatment. He is considering making a complaint to the Human Rights Commission.

A tattoo is a choice. You can’t complain to the Human Rights Commission that you have been discriminated against because of your tattoos.

Wright has hundreds of tattoos covering about 50 per cent of his body, including his eyelids.

Those on his face meant the most, he said. Several were linked to his family.

Wright said he had never been refused entry to a bar in Christchurch because of his tattoos.

“I find it highly offensive. You don’t judge a book by its cover,” he said.

When people don’t know you as an individual, they will judge you by what they can see.

I’m not anti tattoo. I was around 20 years ago, but now I appreciate good artwork on people. But bars do have the right to have policies around appearance such as standard of clothing – and visible tattoos.