I'm covered in ink – but tatts no way to judge me

I try my best at work, give regularly to charity and, despite being an annoying, opinionated chatterbox with flaws aplenty, think I'm an alright kind of a person.

However, there's one thing about me that leaves me demonised, attracting dirty looks from people on the bus, inspiring people to pass negative comment and even causes people to mistrust me.

Even now, in 2014, people struggle with the fact that I am tattooed. My left arm is covered from my shoulder to my wrist and my feet are branded with ink too. I see it as something as simple as wearing clothes, only it can't be removed.

I didn't realise just how negatively people viewed these until Halloween a couple of weeks ago. As I wandered through aisles of skeletons, cobwebs, monsters and blood, I noticed a packet of 'fake tattoo sleeves' among the horror wares.

The tattoos in question weren't ones of scars, haunted houses or any other Halloween imagery. They were of traditional Japanese tattoos, of dragons and tribal design.

Yep, in among the rubber witch claws and noses, plastic Dracula fangs and stick-on Frankenstein's monster neck bolts sat replica tattoos. Heaven forbid.

My tattoos are all quite nice, I feel. Based on positive images from the Harry Potter book series, I have phoenixes, hourglasses and quotes about positivity. Surely nothing that could instil terror or fear?

Unless you're scared of hourglasses, that is.

Furthermore, I read an article online about a teacher who was told to leave her job at a Catholic school, despite being qualified for the role, for having tattoos that she couldn't fully cover.

A couple of weeks ago we covered a story about The Paedophile Hunter, a man who works to uncover child sex predators online. His story was one that divided opinion. Though his evidence did lead to prosecutions, people were worried that his methods left offenders and their victims at risk.

However, the main crux of the negative comments that came as a result of the piece surrounded Stinson Hunter's appearance, rather than his actions. With tattoos on his neck and hands, people sprang to the opinion that he was not the man to undertake a mission to protect children online or raise awareness for an issue that is so important. 'Look at the state of him', they said, with no real argument to support their complaint.

I find it so difficult to understand why, in 2014, people struggle to look below the surface.

I'm lucky in my line of work that my superiors judge me based on the job that I do. I'm not forced to cover my arms if I don't want to and my professionalism is not questioned because I chose to wear something permanent on my flesh. Others aren't as lucky. It makes me sad to think that there are perfectly qualified people with exceptional skills and abilities missing out on jobs because they have a tattoo that can't be covered.

Someone's artistic choices should not reflect how their ability is judged. I would never dream of walking into a meeting, the pub or anywhere and telling someone that their choice in shoes, haircut or clothes was a bad idea.

Ability is much more than skin deep and the sooner people stop viewing tattooed people as Halloween fodder, the better off we'll all be.