A black-and-white photo of a person mid-air in a Superman-style body suspension pose, supported by multiple hooks in their back and legs, smiling joyfully toward the camera. They are suspended horizontally in a large indoor space with high ceilings and visible rigging. A group of onlookers—some seated, some standing—watch with expressions of admiration, amusement, and support. The atmosphere is lively and communal, capturing a moment of shared experience and transformation.

How Young is Too Young For Tattoos?


We at BME publish a lot of content that people don’t always agree with—we’re fine with that. Body modification, constantly increasing acceptance notwithstanding, can still be a bit of a touchy subject. Now, BME sometimes finds itself in a predicament, being that we want to promote body modification and see it flourish (and therefore showcase the best the community has to offer), but we are also an archive, and that role sees us documenting content that can cast body modification in an unfavorable light in the public sphere. Such is the duality of a Web site that seeks, simultaneously, to be the voice of a community as well a news outlet covering it.

So, when we got this picture, it gave us the cold sweats. What was more important? Should we keep a lid on it because of the negative light in which it could surely cast tattooing, or should we publish it because that’s what we’ve made a commitment to do? In the end, we decided to run it, albeit with any distinguishing features obscured, as you can see above. Hopefully, if nothing else, it’ll spark some intelligent discussion and we won’t be proven foolish for posting it.

Says the artist:

Okay okay we know people will probably FREAK about this but you have to accept you don’t know all the details!.. The boy grows up around tattoos, he loves them, always loved them, always wants his own – hey I know what that’s like! I did a small one his leg and he took it pretty good, strong kid, so what the hell? Made sure he got a good long sleep and had a big breakfast, and had a big bottle of warm milk to relax him before laying down for the tattoo (and some during too). He’s a champ!!! It’s something to grow up with and remember, and if dont “approve” then that’s your problem I guess.

… discuss.

Comments

109 responses to “How Young is Too Young For Tattoos?”

  1. iva Avatar
    iva

    har har, im gonna be mean and ruin the april fools joke. haha 🙂

  2. kate Avatar
    kate

    i liked the april fool’s last year better.

  3. Isa Avatar
    Isa

    yeah, April 1

  4. Seraphynae Avatar
    Seraphynae

    Mmm tasty April Fool’s joke. I wonder how many people will go off their rocker before realizing…..

  5. cardboardfrog Avatar
    cardboardfrog

    the blacks are too sharp in the photoshoping too blatant

  6. Ellis Avatar
    Ellis

    Funny, tho that is really good photoshop, the tattoo is still just a little too sharp

  7. fnlleij Avatar
    fnlleij

    nice photoshopping

  8. Seb Avatar
    Seb

    I’d say the kid is a wimp for getting such a small tattoo!!!!

    Hahaha! Good April fools guys!

  9. Aiwass Avatar
    Aiwass

    sorry guys, that wasnt a funny april fools. i knew it was fake before i even read the text. try harder next year!

  10. E-Rich Avatar

    april fools, had me for about 3 seconds until I noticed the photoshop

  11. Andrew Avatar

    haha man until i read the comments i thought this was 100% for real…
    i was about to go on this long spill about how that tattoo will look all stretched and gross when he get older…
    you got me…good one…

  12. mikecb Avatar
    mikecb

    Hey, old enough to circumcise, old enough for ink! ;-p

  13. nepenthes Avatar
    nepenthes

    pretty decent photoshop except for the ink wipe smudges.

  14. Gemm Avatar

    oh my god, i fell for it 🙁

  15. cyl Avatar
    cyl

    i miss the boy’s left nipple!

  16. -LEO- Avatar
    -LEO-

    Another one of those creeping bar stories
    Baby’s in a bar having a couple of drinks and BAM! he wakes up with a big Koi fish on him

  17. deanrobson Avatar

    next year you should tattoo a child for REAL…
    you had me untill i read comments aswell aha, im around photoshop all the time, asif i didnt notice 🙂

  18. nickels Avatar
    nickels

    lolol, i was like holy hell!!
    i’ve been served.

  19. brute Avatar

    you got my room mate but you didn’t get me!

  20. Kay Avatar
    Kay

    I fell for it completely. I didn’t even think to look at the photo closely. I just went right to the description for some justification. XD

  21. Dementis Avatar
    Dementis

    Man.. I fell for it! There are retards all over this planet so it didn’t chock me to much but I’m happy it’s a joke =)

  22. Nadiah Avatar
    Nadiah

    I fell for it. for a second 😀

  23. choice Avatar

    the april fools on this one is that it’s actually real.

  24. Natália Avatar
    Natália

    I fell for it. For about 5 seconds 🙁

  25. makingtrouble Avatar
    makingtrouble

    no baby would be that relaxed. nice one jordan.

  26. Coleman Avatar
    Coleman

    this is obviously photoshopped…I mean, do you really expect us to believe that the artist’s face is really a jumbled mass of pixels? please.

  27. DuckieVamp Avatar

    I thought the tattoo was one of those really detailed transfers at first, then I read the description and 100% fell for it. Go me.

  28. NPC Avatar

    April april, sedan någon korkad fisk och lura någon till Jupiter och tillbaka.

  29. molly Avatar
    molly

    DAMN! fucking got me!

  30. mykel Avatar
    mykel

    man, that baby is relaxed! But yeah, stretching and whatnot. although How young is too young for tattoos?

  31. EMU666 Avatar

    I was totally ready to explode, until i looked at the colors!

    But great job guys! Got me a bit worked up for a couple of mins.
    Happy April Fool’s!

  32. nk masaki Avatar
    nk masaki

    D: i keep on forgetting the date

  33. presley Avatar
    presley

    for me – its like piercings… i dont give a damn if its a lobe or labret, anything! U must want it, it must be at your will – not because u r being owned by ur parents
    the thing i mean is that i accept everything. i dont accept any form of violence, like piercing ur kid’s ears or …cutting parts of its penis.

  34. Little-Spaz Avatar
    Little-Spaz

    Har-di-har-har-har. Ive been had. Ive always been terrible at calling photoshops though (and never been all that bright), dont feel to proud of yourself! lol

  35. katie Avatar
    katie

    if it was real least it wouldnt be a shit tattoo like most legally aged people get 😛

  36. Natalie Avatar

    Omg. You all suck
    I was getting ready to get all angry and write a big speech hahahahahaha.

  37. PC Avatar
    PC

    Ah fuck.
    You got me.
    I forgot it was April Fools.

  38. lexi Avatar
    lexi

    Is it wrong that I immediately thought of “Petunia” from the Adventures of Pete and Pete? Anyways, totally got me. Didn’t even notice the PS until it was pointed out, haha.

  39. Slummyx Avatar
    Slummyx

    To funny!
    Can you imagine what that shit will look like when hes 5?!?! hahahah

  40. Memphis Avatar

    yeah not gonna lie, i noticed the photoshop straight away

  41. Cara Avatar
    Cara

    I’m with 11, thought it was for real.

    feeling a wee bit stupid :/ lol.

  42. unchain Avatar

    Didn’t fall for it.

    Happy April Fool’s!

  43. PhilipBarbosa Avatar

    The tag about TSD was great!

  44. PurpleHaze- Avatar
    PurpleHaze-

    Damn, got me good!
    I’ve been telling myself all day not to get caught by any of these, but this actually freaked me out for a minute.
    Happy April Fool’s, bloggers.

  45. Becca Avatar
    Becca

    Holy hell on earth, that scared the shit out of me.

    I completely forgot what the date was, it was good to me 😛

  46. Deresteau Avatar
    Deresteau

    It took me ’bout 2 lines before I got it :p

    Good one guys, good one!

  47. opex Avatar
    opex

    fck, april fools))) but guy without nose was most funny )

  48. graelston Avatar
    graelston

    nice one!

  49. Frester Avatar
    Frester

    That would have to be some warm fucking milk.

  50. Keylin Avatar
    Keylin

    haha holy shit, I almost died when I saw that.

    Good thing it’s not real. PHEW..

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