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by Sandy Cameron
Body piercing and tattoos aren’t just for leather jacket-wearing
motorcycle riders these days. They’ve entered the mainstream, and you’ve
probably encountered staff — or even campers — who arrive at camp sporting
these types of self-expression. Have you decided if your camp will allow
counselors and staff to display these forms of body art?
History and Statistics
Cultures around the world have been practicing body art
— that is, tattooing and body piercing — for thousands of years. In fact,
archeologists report finding a 2,400-year-old mummy with a tattoo still
visible on her upper arm. As early as 2000 B.C., the Egyptians were practicing
tattooing. Color tattooing was also a popular form of expression in New
Zealand, China, India, and Japan. Tattoos were popular with sailors as
early as the sixteenth century, and they are credited with introducing
the method in Europe. In many parts of the world, tattoos still indicate
rank and affiliation.
Today, as many as 20 million Americans sport tattoos.
Another study estimates that 15 percent of the U.S. population wears a
tattoo. A recent study reported that one in ten teens is tattooed and
that more than half say they are thinking about getting one. Tattooing
is the United State’s sixth fasted-growing retail industry, behind paging
services, bagels, and cell phones. And the shops that are springing up
aren’t the back alley parlors of old; they operate in convenient locations
in the malls and suburbs.
Among college students, tattooing and body piercing are
becoming more common. A recent study found that 73 percent of students
obtained their first tattoo when they were between the ages of eighteen
and twenty-two. Furthermore, 63 percent received their first body piercing
during their college years.
Students reported having traditional body parts, such
as ears, pierced as well as formerly nontraditional parts such as their
nose, eyebrow, lips, tongue, nipple, navel, and genitals pierced. Their
reasons for getting tattooed or pierced were not unusual; the most common
were to commemorate an event, differentiate themselves, express themselves,
or just because they wanted to. Body piercings were more often spur of
the moment decisions, whereas students took more time before deciding
to get a tattoo.
Body Art and Counselors
This college population predominately makes up the camp
staff pool. Those individuals who are drawn to a job working in the outdoors
with children are often the same individuals who choose to express themselves
through body art. More often than not, campers will idolize their counselors
and want to be like them — same clothes, same interests, and yes, same
tattoo or piercing. As good as a camp experience is, no parent wants their
ten year old coming home from camp begging for a tattoo or pierced tongue
just like his counselors’. As body art becomes more mainstream and popular,
camps will need to decide where they stand on the issue.
The stance on body piercing will be individual to the
camp and may take into account the camp’s philosophy and mission, the
culture of the area where the camp is located, or even the director’s
personal taste. For example, camps in the Pacific Northwest may be more
open to these forms of expression than camps in the South. These days
it is not uncommon to see a younger camp director sporting a navel ring
or eyebrow stud.
Whatever the decision, it is best to tell prospective
staff about the camp’s policy on appearance as soon as possible. Many
camps include these policies in their application packet or in the staff
handbook. In addition to tattoos and piercings, this section often covers
dress code and hair length and color as well. Many camps also require
that hair be a natural color and that men not have beards or mustaches.
Piercing policies
Piercing policies vary from camp to camp depending on the philosophy.
For some camps a zero-
tolerance policy works best. For example, Catalina Island Camp states
that counselors must "be willing to cover any visible tattoos and
remove any body piercings (including earrings for men)." Other common
standards for piercing state that women may wear two earrings in each
lobe and that men may wear one earring in each ear, but that both must
have no other visible piercings. The Aspen Camp School for the Deaf’s
policy states that "if earrings are worn, they must be in the ears."
Camp Champions states that counselors must appear "pierce-free"
in front of campers; they must keep "all rings, studs, hoops, etc.,
out of their noses, navels, tongues, etc." Female counselors are
permitted to wear earrings, but not the men.
Tattoo policies
The standard for tattoos seems to be that they not be visible. Camp Jewell
mentions that tattoos are "not in keeping with role model responsibilities."
At Camp Champions, counselors are asked to keep the tattoo covered; although,
they realize that this may not be possible at all times. Camps that allow
visible tattoos mention that they should not contain graphics or words
that are offensive and that they not be related to illegal substances
or gang activity.
Inform Counselors Early
The key to preventing difficulties with counselors about
this issue is spelling out your expectations early in the recruitment
process. Let prospective staff know your camp’s policy on appearance before
they complete an application if possible or during the interview. If you
are unable to explain your policy at either of these times, make sure
to communicate your expectations to counselors before they sign the employment
contact, for your sake and theirs. Also keep in mind that body art is
an important part of some cultures. You may to need to explain
to international staff why your camp considers tattoos unacceptable. If
accurate, let them know that you do not consider body art to be wrong,
but that it does not fit with your current philosophy and what you feel
is your duty to campers and their parents.
Also encourage students to tell you as early as possible
if their have tattoos or body piercings. So as not to turn them away,
let them know that body art doesn’t make them ineligible for the job and
that you are willing to work with them to help them meet your requirements.
Stress the importance of their position as role models to campers, and
parents’ concerns about their young children wanting to be like their
heroes. If they do have a tattoo, explain that they shouldn’t flaunt their
tattoo in front of campers or promote the benefits of body art.
Campers and Body Art
As body art becomes more mainstream, younger and younger
children will have piercings or tattoos. You may see campers coming to
camp with navel rings, or boys with earrings. Communicate to parents your
expectations in regard to camper body art. Will you permit campers to
wear earrings or studs? Will they need to keep their tattoos covered?
Also consider health and safety issues. Although healed piercings do not
usually present a health risk, piercings may present a safety hazard to
the camper or his peers, especially on ropes courses, in adventure activities,
or during team sports.
A camp’s policy on piercing will reflect the camp’s own
philosophy and mission. As body art becomes more popular and mainstream,
camps will have to decide where they stand on this issue.
Originally published in the 2000 November/December
issue of Camping Magazine. |
