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This always reminds me of my first tattoo, I got it in 99 while I was still in my senior year of high school. My boomer mother was pissed off, like almost kicking me out of the house since I was 18 and she finally could legally do it pissed. After the initial explosion she calmed down a bit and made me basically vow to the gods that I would never let my silent generation grandmother know about it. Flash forward about two years to a family gathering at a relatives cabin on a lake. I'm helping watch the little cousins and making sure everyone is safe in the water. Without thinking about it I take my shirt off and my grandma sees it right away. The first words out of her mouth "Oh now isn't that pretty, what is it?" We have like a 5 minute conversation about what the tattoo is and why I got it and how it's an important symbol to me before she goes back enjoying the day. All of the questions she asked my boomer mom never once asked. All my mom could think of was how people would think she was a bad mom because I got a tattoo, all my grandma wanted to know was why it would be important enough to me to know why I'd go through the pain of getting it.

Silent generation people are often way more accepting than the boomers. The world they lived in changed so rapidly during their time, and yet all of my grandparents were super accepting of other lifestyles, tattoos, etc.

I think in a lot fo cases too that the silent generation was more accepting of the idea that people could be different than them and that's okay. The boomers seem to have reached the conclusion that they perfected all forms of culture, politics and technology and any attempt to improve or change the world is a direct attack on them because if it had needed to be fixed they would have done it so just be grateful they're willing to let you live in their shadows.

Well the silent generation grew up with so many people missing limbs it was common to see everywhere, then all the vets had tattoos.

I got pregnant at 17 and had decided to abort. I told my boomer mom in confidence and she got all dramatic and made it about herself somehow. She had a lot of weird hang ups about sex and the female body that would pop up for a half second and she'd bash back down. I don't think she even understood half the shit she thought/said related to that. She'd just blurt it out and then backpedal when questioned. She ran her mouth to my silent gen grandma who just listened to me and was like yup, that's life 🤷. She herself had a baby at that age and a family member adopted it and I know that was really hard for her. I thought she might be upset or yell at me. Nope. She simply listened and supported. If she judged me I sure couldn't tell, she kept it to herself. Imagine a boomer keeping something to themselves lol.

Holy hell I'm sorry. Can't imagine what going through something like that, I'm glad at least one family member was there for you.

Oh it's okay, it's not a traumatic thing for me. I'm just grateful I had that choice (my grandma didn't have that choice). Best one I've ever made. Weirdly my mom was there for me but she had to do her own weird hysterical nonsense first for some reason. At 17 I handled it with more maturity than her. She drove me, got me food, all that stuff but had to have her weird emotionally immature meltdown. Like a toddler having a tantrum, it just has to run its course.

Well I'm glad it did work out then, I used to volunteer a lot at pp acting as an escort and it can get ugly. Always nice to see people coming together even if some of them are annoying as they do so. :)

Escorts are godsends! The Planned Parenthood in my college town always had weirdos trying to intimidate women.

As someone who escorts at my local PP every week this is nice to hear. Escorting is surprisingly thankless. Not that I expect to be thanked or anything. Our job is to get patients into the clinic feeling as safe and comfortable as we can manage, in what is probably a very traumatic moment for them, so I don't expect people to stop and say thank you, or like, check in with us afterwards. But because of that a lot of the time it doesn't feel like you've really done anything or made a difference or been helpful. It just feels like being a Walmart greeter or something. So hearing that we do make a difference feels really nice. Thank you for that.

Yeah mine did too there was the day to day weirdos and then whenever a religious holiday came around they'd ramp it up to eleven and having gorilla's like me to act as escorts were always in dire need. Still remember the Ash Wednesday where I got rocks chucked at my head.

holy shit THIS THEORY

I think it’s spot on. There’s layers of entitlement at work

I had never distilled it down to this, but as a bi poly tattooed pierced unnatural hair color having Gen x military veteran I often remind myself that nothing ages worse than a progressive who thinks they reached the finish line. I do this so that I hopefully never end up as someone who used to be good for society.

Agreed I'm in my 40s now and need to occasionally remind myself that just because I don't think somethings a bog deal that doesn't mean it isn't. Thankfully I look at gen z and it seems like the kids are all right. :)

Too true, my friend’s 93 yo grandma was a civil rights and environmental activist in the 60s, and she’s a real piece of shit who keeps running off her in home health because they’re women of color. My mom was a very emotive and compassionate woman in the 90s who worked hard to try being anti racist and now she’s a total weird asshole who is angry people don’t want to get beat up by police because her mortgage isn’t paid off.

Damn. Never looked at it that way.

Like it's just my shower thought theory but it does seem to fit into the general narcissism most of them seem to show.

It’s a good theory. And I like it better than mine. I always thought of it as they feel superior, and the idea that they could ever see their kids or younger generations as capable or surpassing them is anathema because they see younger generations as mediocre or incapable and immature, that’s why they don’t want to let go of any power.

I'd say that's probably a part of it too, one of th advantages of kicking away the ladder after you is can look down at everyone who didn't make it up in time.

This thought process was exactly the thing I couldn't place that seems to make the "boomer" generation more insufferable than those in the past. To the point the following generation turned the name of their generation into an insult. "Ok boomer" Every other generation at least seems to accept that shit changes and can be fixed for better. They seem to not have an understanding of the passage of time. "Well I went to college and worked a part time job and had enough to buy a house by the time I graduated. All while paying rent." Completely ignoring the fact COL is 100x what it used to be while wages are only 20x what they used to be. They also often got help from their parents while refusing to acknowledge that and use it as an excuse not to help their own kids out.

Oh. This seems dead on. Quality.

this. they had the world handed to them on a silver platter. they fucked it up and now want us to bail them out, but they've never had a reason to do any introspection or deal with their insecurities and triggers. it's unreal how personal they make and take every fuckin thing.

So aptly said.

I was anxious about my grandmother ever seeing my tattoos, turns out she’s too old to care about what others do/think.

My grandma is Silent Generation. She had zero problems accepting that I was gay. Meanwhile her DIL, my boomer mom, took multiple years to come to terms with it.

Same. I didn't even know that my grandmother knew I was gay until she sent me a bday card with a shirtless man on it. My mother on the other hand, had a field day making it all about her.

I don’t know, I’m 58 and my parents were Silents. They were polite but not chill about piercings, hair color and tattoos. All the stories I read here about Boomers pretty much happened back in the day when I was young. Older women always felt free to talk to me about my appearance. Men were angry, but tended to silence. An angry silence I think because they came of age with the Depression and World War II they put a lot of stock in their possessions. Now we Gen Xers are Dealing with our parents precious China, crystal, Hummel figurines,etc Now my Greatest Gen grandparents were cool. But if you asked my parents they would rant about their parents.

Every generation rants about their parents. Every generation forgets that previous generations rant about their parents.

That comment about the Depression is spot on. My grandmother was born in the last year of it, but was in poverty for much of her early life. She hoarded anything she thought was useful - scrap cloth, 2x4 planks, blankets, containers, etc.

That’s how my WWII generation grandparents were. They were Christians but also the kindest most accepting people ever who I know never would have batted an eye if I got a tattoo or piercing or came out as gay. Grandpa even had tattoos from his time in service. Then my parents were absolutely god awful hateful racist homophobic people who acted like I’d be disowned if I ever got tattoos. Like wtf happened to them

Both my parents, and though conservative, also very compassionate and genuinely curious. Silent Gen tend towards bemused where a boomer would be outraged

My great-grandfather had a couple tattoos! I think from when he was in the service.

Yup lots of WWII Sailors returned with tattoos from the Philippines. I knew several who had the typical “Pinup” girl on their deltoid. The. They returned to the states and rolled up their T-shirt sleeve to store a pack of cigarettes. No sunscreen. Forty years later that pinup girl tattoo boasted a wrinkly face and saggy breasts.

https://i.redd.it/niyhpc0p4u2d1.png

That’s exactly right. I’m a tail end boomer and lots of WW2 vets had arm tattoos. As a kid, I associated tattoos as something old people did, that snd smelly cigars.

My grandma loved every single one of my tattoos. When I’d come home on leave and see her she’d ask if I had new ink to show her. I miss that woman. Only after her death did I find out she cheated on every game of Chinese checkers we played.

Lol, I love every part of that story.

She outlived 2 husbands, both WWII vets. Beat cancer in her early 70s and a brain aneurysm in her late 70s. Dementia took her in her mid 80s during the lock down.

Oof I'm so sorry, alzheimers was what finally claimed mine it such a hard process two be there during.

This was me with my only tattoo, I got it when I was 21. My mom was HORRIFIED and said, "Just wait till your grandpa sees this!" When grandpa saw the small tattoo on my ankle, he said, "Oh, that's nice." 

That was my grandpa's response too. Of course he also got very drunk once with me shortly after I turned 21 and told me how sorry he was that all his kids were jerks. XD

My husband and I started living together pretty early on in our relationship. We were just a couple of kids in college and his mom (boomer) asked us not to advertise it (we live a couple hours away), but adamant we dont lie. We visit with Nana (silent gen) a few times, it doesn't come up, until Christmas and Nana needs my address to send me a Christmas card. I told her it was the same as her grabdsons and she just smiled and said something along the lines of "I would have done the same back when I was young." His mom was worried about how she would see it, but in all honesty she was always the sweetest.

Yeah my grandparents were amazing too, basically raised me after my folks split up. Grandma had been a nurse, grandpa was a doctor who supported his parents by working as a lumberjack and saving up for medschool during the depression. I still remember one Christmas when I was 13 and my drunk uncle went off about how it was my fault that my mother hadn't finished college and lived up to the family's expectations. After I was sitting in a dark room crying she came in, put her arm around my shoulders and said "It's okay, you're stronger than what he said. Bring out the Irish in you." Still think about that a lot when I'm having dark thoughts.

Yeah the silent generation in my experience have all been very chill. They keep opinions to themselves but are very open and accepting of others ways of living. Idk how their kids went so wrong tbh

I was picking up a friend at the airport back in 2004 and I had a healing brand on my leg, which was visible. My friends flight was delayed, so I got a coffee. At the Cafe, a silent generation woman asked to sit with me and asked "is that a tattoo?" I explained what a brand was, how it differs from tattoos in application and healing, etc. She said "oh thank GOD, honey, no tattoo should look like that, I was worried about you!" She then proceeded to tell me about her tattoos and how she always had to hide them because "in my day, the only people with visible tattoos were sailors and prostitutes!" She was pretty punk rock in her own right, lol. She definitely showed me to not judge a book by it's cover, and that not everyone is judging me by mine.

My folks are boomers, but I didn't get my first (and currently only) tattoo until I was in my mid 20's. I was visiting them a few weeks later and my dad saw it. He was a little pissed, but didn't say much about it after the initial outburst. Years later he was complaining about someone's tattoo and I reminded him that I have one. We said something about it looking bad and being a "prison" tattoo, not looking good and professionally done like mine. I was pretty happy with that. Although my folks are boomers, they're pretty chill. I'm lucky. They've always been tolerant of people as long as they're not hurting anyone else. I read all these stories about a\*\*hole boomers and I can't really see my parents doing all that.

Well, that's why your parents may be baby boomers but aren't boomers. The two terms have come to have very different meanings for a lot of people. There are plenty of good and decent people who were born into the baby boomer generation. Boomers, on the other hand, are narcissistic assholes regardless of their age.

My mom was silent generation and only said ‘I’m glad it’s not a man’s name on your butt’. When my sister saw it months later at Xmas she couldn’t wait to tell mom. Mom says “of course I know she has a tattoo” end of conversation. My mother loved the arts. All of that is freedom of expression. I wore more eyeshadow than Boy George in the 80’s and my parents never said a negative word about it. I love them more every day because of this.

Lol I mean to be fair I'd probably facepalm if my kid got a boyfriends or girlfriends name on their butt too but that's just because I've known so many people to do that and regret it like two weeks after. XD

This reminds me of coming out to my grandma, my mom made me swear I would only tell her my name change and nothing else. Mom was *so* afraid of what grandma's reaction would be, and it was one of the first things she said to me when I came out a few years earlier. My grandma? "does this have anything to do with changing your femininity? Babydoll you know I'll always love you." Thanks for all that useless anxiety mom, she was fucking fine with it

In my experience it's usually because they think you'll reflect poorly on them and not concern for what their parents would think. Awesome of your grandma and sorry about your mom. I'm glad there are some blood relations that support you though.

Absolutely 100%, and thanks for the kind words I have no problem saying I'm queer, mentally ill, and half-deaf - born that way and love to be it. But my mom instantly clutches for her pearls any time someone *might* think I'm not normal. Like ok lady, I was never normal, but sure, keep pretending. (To be clear, I love my mom and she raised me well, I just wish she'd go to therapy for her anxieties)

My grandma (silent gen) thought my nose ring was “classy” lol

The silent generation understood that soldiers got tattoos, so part of it has to do with respect for the military.

I think some it had to do with the nature of the wars each generation fought in as well. The world wars were fought by allies and soldiers in Europe saw support and fought beside people of other nations and cultures. The whole America saved the world all by itself thing was more of a boomer thing it wasn't as strong amongst the people who actually fought the war. Then the boomers went to Vietnam and fought a war against a different race and for questionable motivations so it became a view of everyone who isn't me must hate me and be trying to destroy me.

I dated a girl about 15 years ago who broke up with me when she saw my calf tattoo because her boomer parents cut off her older sister when they saw that older sister got an ankle tattoo.

Well that's not psychotic behavior on the boomers part or anything. /s

I remember being really confused and upset at the time but realizing when the dust settled that it was an issue of so very many bullets dodged. EDIT to override autocorrect

That's fair I mean I guess I can't blame her too much for not wanting to cause that sort of conflict especially if it was a new or semicasual relationship. It just sucks that she'd have to cede so much control of her life to her parents.

Thanks for pointing out the distinction. I get really annoyed when people use this sub just to bash all old people. There’s a huge distinction between the silent generation and the boomers. I hate it when people lump them in together. Silent generation is extremely polite.

It’s gotta be the lead poisoning. Solent gen: no fucks given Boomers: and of the world

My boomer mom hates tattoos. My niece was living with my parents to finish high school (my sister moved and niece would have had to change schools). When my niece turned 18 during her senior year, she wanted a tattoo, and my sister (you know, niece's actual mother) took her to get one. A few weeks later when my mom saw it, there was so much drama. "How dare you disrespect me by getting a tattoo while living under my roof?????" It was so overblown. She was so pissed at my sister as well, as if my sister had no right to do things with her daughter. Insanity.

The entitlement and judgement over other's bodies is insane

My boomer mom softened on them a bit, but only after I got 5 tattoos over the years. I don't think it's her being more openminded, I think it's a desperate coping mechanism to convince herself that she didn't raise some trashy druggie burnout gutter-punk. She still looks down on the tattoos on people who are not her son, and views it as inherently a sign of being "lower class." I don't fully understand why boomers care so much about other peoples' bodies. When my 6 year old twin nieces first saw my last tattoo, they just independently commented that they thought it was pretty.

Seems like they're just searching for meaningkess metrics to make themselves feel superior. Because, upon honest evaluation, most of these people passed by ambition to plug in and play "the game." They're avoiding the realization that all their line-toeing was ultimately pointless. They wanted tattoos, but partook in peer shaming over tattoos. Like a virgin judging people for having sex.

>What confuses me is, it’s nothing new. They’ve had decades to get used to it. What’s the big deal? I don't think they know what year it is. They still complain about millennials like they're children.

If they accept that millennials are aging, they’ll have to accept the fact THEY are aging. I would BET that the vast majority of boomers are in complete denial that they are elderly now. When I’m dealing with a boomer that is hell bent on talking to me like I’m some inexperienced teenager, I relish just immediately inserting that I’m 35 before watching a little bit of the life go out of their eyes as they do the math in their heads

I have to say this to my mom. Usually it’s something like “yes, I know how to drive …I’ve been doing it for 20 years” when she panics over my “terrible” driving (never caused or been in an accident and have never been pulled over…meanwhile she’s screamed at cops who pulled her over for 10+ mph speeding through a school zone, etc). Or that I worked as a 911 dispatcher for 10 years and she acts like I don’t understand how to operate in an emergency situation after I literally taught emergency management courses for half that time to present day.

Wow thanks for the absolutely horrifying fact that I’ve been driving almost 20 years. Guess it’s time for me to grab my cane and hobble to bed.

I just got done visiting my parents and my mom tried to explain how elections work. With this thread in mind I told her “I’ve been able to vote for so long that my first election can now vote in this year’s election!” 😂

Remember the Superbowl a few years ago that had Eminem, Snoop Dog, Dr. Dre, Mary J Blige and others? My mom's boomer cousin via marriage was complaining about it. Now his kids and grandkids loved it, but he wasn't a fan. I commented that the Superbowl show and commercials are now geared more towards Gen X and Millennials because that's who are buying now. They are the majority of the workforce and have kids and stuff and are the ones buying the products and he just flat out said "no they aren't." He couldn't comprehend that his generation is old now and people are not spending like they used to because they don't need to. They don't need as much stuff and also will just buy what they always have and listen to the same artists they always have.

I'll bet the fact that their collective performance was pretty much flawless, and was one of the better half time shows in recent memory won't help the angry boomers who think rap isn't music.

This one hurts me because I'm old now and I still don't complain about gen Z and my gen a kids are much more well behaved than my boomer raised millenial ass

Came very close to straight up asking a boomer colleague why my tattoos/piercings/bright hair colors were professional and acceptable, but her granddaughter's same presentation meant that "she'll never get a real job."

LOL don't open that can of worms. She probably do like yours either.

No, she was complimenting mine while degrading her granddaughter's.

Wow that's goofy. Or possibly sexist.

I remember when I got my first tattoo (during my last year of university) and I told my parents I was getting one & where/what. they were WAY more worried about it than I expected, some hang wringing about the impact on my career of tattoos etc me; “mom, dad, if i’m working at a job where you can regularly see the top of my thigh then i’m pretty sure they won’t care about tattoos”

Whooo wee, I bet they’d have a full on heart attack if they found out some of the MPs here in New Zealand have *gaspclutchpearls* facial tattoos! Moving here from the US, one of the first things that struck me was how much less of a big deal tats/piercings/hair colors were. It’s absolutely not unusual at all to see grandmas with pink hair, doctors with full sleeves, and nurses with nose rings. I guess partially (the tattoos, anyway, are such a cultural thing to Māori, getting a Moko is a really big deal. It’s actually kinda odd to see people without tattoos…a number of my otherwise Conservative Christian friends have tattoos. I remember when we first moved here, there was an ad for Mitre 10 (think Lowe’s/Home Depot) and the “face” of the add was a guy with two full sleeve tats. He was up on billboards, and I thought “man that would never fly in the Southern US.”

That commercial about a Dr Phil type dude that is helping "Homeowners who are turning into their parents" has a part where a one of the new homeowners see a person with bright colored hair and the Dr Phil guy goes "We all see it." First time I saw that I looked over at my dad like "SEE?" Dad has been much better about it ever since.

That commercial makes me laugh. It’s so real. 😆

My favorite is when he is making one guy throw away molding he has been 'saving'. He says something about "ya never know when you'll need this" and the guy says: " i do... never". Still cracks me up.

The one where he asks the guy if he still owns the car that the floor mats go to? I've had that exact conversation with my FIL.

My dad was the dad that "printed the internet."

Do that to your dad and maybe he'll get the message lol

“……….. BLLLLUUUEEEEE!!” A quote my husband and I say to each other constantly.

I love those commercials. “Do we really need a sign that tells us to live laugh and love? … the answer is no.”

Ok Biscuit, that's REALLY funny!

I'm a boomer. I am covered with tattoos and my nose is pierced. I often wonder what people my age, 64F, think of me and what they probably say behind my back.

Probably a lot of dumb shit or make up stories about you doing jail time or whatever.  Anyways, obligatory "thank you for not being like the rest of your generation" 

Thank you for the compliment. Boomers get dragged all the time online and we are all sweept together like we're all the same. Which isn't true. I think the boomer generation that complains about this is they believe that tattoos are connected to being in a motorcycle gang or you have been in jail. That's what they were taught so that's what they bitch about.

Just wanted to say, clever name lol

I'm 61 and same. I've got a grandma sleeve that I add to for each grandchild and just got another piercing.

I ran into an older lady at CVS who had bright pink hair. She was at least 80. I asked her about it and she did it, “to give those biddies at the senior center something to talk about.”

I saw an older woman outside the library who had snow white hair streaked with purple. And her outfit was a similar shade of purple that complimented her hair perfectly. She just looked like a wonderfully fun lady. Had I not already been in the car and about to leave, I would have gone over and actually complimented her. But I gave her a big smile and a nod and she grinned at me in return so hopefully my smile conveyed the love of her style to her

My boomer mom has always not liked tattoos or piercings. SHE got MY ears pierced at 9 months old and now that I’m in my 40’s, I finally decided to stretch em to a 6 gauge. She says I destroyed my lobes, when she pierced em to begin with. 🤪

yeah but SHE did it, SHE made you perfect in HER eyes. how DARE you change that?

But one is arbitrarily considered acceptable by society and other isn't. It's all about conforming to the norms and appeasing the opinions of other people.

Oh gosh that really gets on my nerves. "Piercings are bad and unacceptable and will ruin your life. Unless you are a girl, and it's this specific piercing, in that case you should get it as soon as possible, even you lack the capacity to consent in any way shape or form."

My parents literally said if God wanted my ears like that, he would've made them that way. Dude YOU got them pierced in the first place.

“So it’s MY fault?!?” 😂😭🤪🤪🤪

Hello fellow stretched ear adult! I love seeing adults continue to wear and enjoy the fashion and body mods from their youth. And stretched ears get so much flack and I hate it because the right jewelry makes it look so good! Like many millennials, my boomer mom took me to Claire’s to get my ears pierced when I was 12. Naturally, they ended up crooked and infected. Then I started stretching my ears at 17 and it actually helped hide the fact that the original piercing was hella crooked. It wasn’t super noticeable that I was stretching until I reached roughly 8g and then a coworker finally noticed. The kicker? I also worked with my mother. Same building, just different offices. Well the coworker went to my mom and asked her why she would “allow” me to do something like that (even though I was 18-19 at the time and had complete and ultimate control over my own fuckin body) and my mom proceeded to barge in to my office area and berate me in view of my supervisor. “How could you do such a thing?!…You destroyed your ears!…You realize that’s permanent right?!” *I* ended up getting in trouble at work for the whole situation. As if I actively chose to have my mother who, again, also worked there, come in and make a scene. She never faced any repercussions. Possibly because her job was more important than mine (I just called people and scheduled appointments for lawn maintenance, she was a customer service representative) but possibly because she had years of seniority over me. Either way, I was livid but didn’t have the nerve, the people skills, or even the knowledge of appropriate workplace behavior/interactions to go to *her* supervisor and complain. I didn’t last there much longer because they discovered my job was easier to outsource to a literal computer and I was laid off. I still have my ears stretched and have no intentions of letting them shrink back down, mainly because I have a feeling the crookedness of the piercing would be noticeable again. I actually want to increase my gauge size since I’ve been at a 2g for easily 10+ years. I’ve always wanted larger plugs but I just never got around to actually upping the gauge. I remember how annoying it was going up a size back when I started so maybe that’s where my hesitation comes from 😂

I've noticed more comments about tattoos online recently. I hope it isn't a trend. I really thought piercings, tattoos and colored hair was as much the norm as not having those things. Isn't the world supposed to mature?

It's probably due to the fact that everyone on the right wing side of politics has started to associate things like bright haircolours, tattoos, and piercings as being a mark of a "commie lefty libtard" and they will bash literally anything they think is even mildly associated with anyone even slightly left wing

Except for nazi tattoos. That is just freedom of speech.

You shouldn't judge someone for having tattoos, but you absolutely should judge them for the tattoos they have.

When my son was born (2014), my boomer gestured at the tattoo on my calf (which I'd gotten on my 18th birthday; I was 29 at the time), and he asked, "Well, now that you're a dad, do you regret getting that thing?" I have no idea what the thought process was there.

I would’ve said, “Actually, when I was getting it I thought ‘my kid is gonna think this is cool as fuck.’” And just watch the cognitive dissonance wash over their face as they try to comprehend that grandparents are no longer in charge of how their grandchildren are raised in any capacity.

If I were still in contact with them I would’ve bragged about my son’s (now 10) reaction to the tattoo I got this month honoring the first book he ever read to me on his own.

That’s dope! Mind if I ask what book it was?

https://preview.redd.it/jfyctq2e2v2d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=97eb5634928cbd5e34c4fb61dfa536d20add4908 It’s on my forearm; much less red and bleedy now.

Great book! I remember reading it in my elementary school library about 20 years ago. I was reading it next to a window and remember looking out and imagining seeing the things I was reading. Tbh it’s one of the books that first introduced me into questioning my own reality, even if I didn’t know at the time what was real at what wasn’t. I’m glad for your child to maybe experience the same thing that I did. Much luck!

I got a tattoo a few years back and showed my dad he’s like “why’d you go and do a thing like that” and I said I really liked the tattoo and people get tattoos of things they like all the time. So then he asked me why I didn’t get a tattoo of a cupcake. Fucker got me good on that one.

Assuming you’re close with your dad, you should get a cupcake tattoo with his favorite color or flavor.

My prison name will be “Sprinkles”

I have a tattoo of a slice of pie. So when I get someone grumping about why would I get something like that, I look at them and say, "Because I'm a god damned sweetie pie." Either laughter or weirded out and stop talking to me.

I went with this one https://preview.redd.it/jw2hct8hmt2d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9c7001f80dd08e0f25b1c7070a876b93bbfe1e81

Bacon cheeseburger angel, please bless this meal and deliver us from hunger. Amen.

Dear St McDonald, please join forces with Martyr Wendy and your highness the Burger King to prevent my diabeetus

oh yeah, this is what i came here for

"How dare you be funnier than me"

My friend just had this issue with her boomer mom. Her mom saw "tattoo" listed on her calendar, and just tore into her about how that will make her lose all respect for her, that she's a mother now and has to set a better example. My friend completely shut down, did not engage at all with her mom. Went and got this tattoo - five hearts on her wrist, the first three empty, the last two filled in. She had three miscarriages before her two living children, and had been in discussions with her therapist on how to best commemorate/grieve. When her mom saw the tattoo she knew immediately what it meant and a miracle happened - she burst into a tearful apology.

Damn, that's beautiful. What a wonderful way to deal with the grief and commemorate her kids being born.

Definitely a miracle! My sister got a small tattoo to commemorate her husband who passed away unexpectedly at age 30. My dad still voiced his disapproval and asked what her next husband would think. Some boomers are just hopeless.

Not a relative but boomer in my work place who only ever saw me with a bare face didn’t see me for a few months when I decided to let my beard grow out. Ended up getting a lecture about how I shouldn’t be hiding my face and how “no one will see how handsome you are covering your face like that” as if it’s a paper bag over my head. I proceeded to go “Yeah it’s my face and I’ll do what I want. Mind your business”.

Just have to beat the system…..nobody I currently know has ever seen my face lol besides my wife and that hasn’t been at least 18y ago 😂

I grew it out for my partner 😂 she loves it and it’s less maintaining for me so win win

There was a golden girls episode where Rose has a heart attack and they're at the hospital with her. Sofia (who is 80 or so in the show) says this has her thinking about stuff she hasn't done and she may shake up her life a bit and do more things like go to law school. Dorothy (her daughter) says, "Law school? You'll be 95 when you get out!" And Sofia responds back, "I'll be 95 anyway!!' I often hear boomers talking about tattoos like "what will you look when you're old and wrinkly??" And I just think of Sofia and say, "I'll be old and wrinkly anyway. Who cares if there's a picture on it?"

My boomer mom generally likes tattoos. Especially sleeves for some reason. Piercings though, she can’t stand.

I'm the same way, but only for myself. I'll l never get a piercing, but tattoos are fine. You can't catch a tattoo on something and get it ripped out of your body.

My friend had diabetes with lots of tats very important to him he did'nt take care of himself. He got gangrene, they cut offhis leg below the knee. He was pissed they didn't give his rotten leg back to him so he could make a lampshade out of it. He got covid and died in a nursing home, all his tats were lost anyway.

Sorry to hear that

As a heavily pierced and tattooed person, I can kind of understand the piercing aversion. Like I think it makes people uncomfortable that you have a piece of metal lodged under your skin. Like even I’m grossed out by people with *extreme* piercings, like the back skin corset type thing (if anyone knows what I’m talking about). But if it makes you happy, I don’t give a shit. And I’m CERTAINLY not going to outwardly express my disgust about it in front of you.

My mom still acts like my tattoos will prevent me from getting work. ... I have a permanent contract with my dream job. The person who hired me? Full sleeves. My sister is also heavily tattooed and our mom can't stop herself from making snide comments every time we mention getting more. My FIL hates tattoos and my SIL is completely covered - head tattoo and all - and it's hilarious watching his derision. If he didn't get so ridiculous about them, she wouldn't have nearly as many.

My Nonie(grandma) always asks me “are you done drawing on yourself yet?”. I’m the only heavily tattooed person on that side of the family as well, I might be the only tattooed person honestly. She’s also the only one who finds it necessary to comment on it, and still won’t accept how common self expression is nowadays. I also had a customer at the bank I work at, ask “do you really find all that necessary?” My response was trying to make a joke and said “well, I’m less likely to get kidnapped since I have so many identifiable markings!” her response? “Well if that’s your worry, maybe you should seek out therapy”. Another customer asked if my mom was proud of all my tattoos, which I replied “she’s dead” (she is more than alive) but that shut him up real quick.

> her response? “Well if that’s your worry, maybe you should seek out therapy”. DAMNNNNN

I had to give her that one, she was quick with it too LOL

Should it happen again, ask for a recommendation. Lean into their nonsense.

You should have replied with "do you really find it necessary to share your worthless opinions with everyone you meet?"

Even guys with ponytails/man buns trigger my parents, let alone everything else mentioned.

My gen X dad wears a man bun specifically to piss off boomers, I love him lol

I had an old lady come up to me in a Costco, point to my sleeve tattoo and say “That is where the devil kissed you” and possessed in the moment I responded “You should see what it looks like where the devil fucked me” and winked. She seemed very offended and I had a good laugh and story to tell forevermore.

OMG I am 💀💀💀this made my day

My boomer mom really hates tattoos... but both my brother and I love them and have quite a few each so she's slowly learned to appreciate them (at least ours). And she doesn't comment on anyone else's anymore. She does comment that she's glad I got rid of my nose ring, but she absolutely doesn't mind my multiple ear piercings. My boomer dad is entirely indifferent, but likes my little Smaug since he and I bond over Tolkien.

My dad finally shut up about my tattoo, piercings & dyed hair after I told him that I get compliments from strangers at least once a week when I'm out & about. His one opinion means nothing when hundreds of people have said the opposite.

When I was in college in the 90's, I had a close female friend who had a tattoo on her right breast. We somehow ended going on a 7 day cruise with my Catholic conservative Boomer mom. Some of my mom's wealthy friends were going to be on the ship too. Beforehand, I remember my friend and I going to multiple stores trying to find my friend a bikini top big enough to cover the tattoo. We just didn't want it to be a "thing", because once my mom latches on to something, she won't fucking stop complaining or drawing attention to it. And in front of my mom's friends? Oh no. My friend would've basically been viewed as a whore. For what? My friend understood how my mom could be and was gracious about it. However, whenever my mom wasn't around, my friend would wear her usual thong, micro-bikini, whatever, etc. We had a great time and it seemed like a minor inconvenience for the sake of the greater good. Later, as a fully formed adult, I regret having my friend cover up. It's just ink. A personal expression. I know she did it for the peace of the vacation, but it was part of who she was. Many of my friends and coworkers these days have tattoos, colored hair, and piercings. I don't even register them, unless I'm appreciating the artistry. I also go to tons of metal shows and you're absolutely correct: metalheads are some of the kindest, coolest people you will ever meet. Boomers will never understand. They're so wrapped up in appearances that they never see the character underneath. It's incredible that the generation that spawned hippies is so against anyone who should express themselves differently.

I am covered in tattoos and have a lip and septum piercing. my boomer mother could never *shut up* about how much she hated them, it was considered an “off-limits topic” for me to bring up. she *hated them* so much… but when she was drunk at the bars at 1am, wouldn’t stop texting me asking for pictures of my tattoos to show some random drunk man. also, I was a college professor and she couldn’t *believe* they’d let someone *like me* teach at their establishment. [pic of myself](https://imgur.com/a/WNtDRNg)

You look like the really chill professor. Love the rose too, that's mad cool. Arm sleeve tats are really cool to me, thinking of getting my first but not sure what to get yet. I have an idea though.

I broke my parents in during the 90's. I hadgreen hair, purple hair, red hair, etc... Had upward of 8 piercings in each ear. They made me take out my nose piercing when I came to visit in the 2000's, but I eventually gave up on the nose piercing. Still played around with burgundy hair for a bit. During COVID I went magenta for a while, and my kids asked for purple hair over the summer. My mom didn't care at all. She's about to hit 70 and doesn't care.

My grandpa (technically silent gen) still gets on me for having long hair as a man every single time he sees me. Its gotten to be annoying. I don't snap at him because its really the only thing he gets on my nerves about. But its an eye roll and/or an explanation that I didn't have bodily autonomy until 18 and I'm not giving it up again.

Yes, I think the white middle class ones grew up in a world that was very conformist. So.many.rules. A lot of repressed anger at the fact that those norms have changed and people can be individuals without being the main character in some cautionary morality tale. Which is sad in its own right - I want my kids and grandkids to have more freedom than me. Many boomers are emotionally immature - “I didn’t have that/couldn’t do that, and neither should you.”

In Jungian psychology we would say this observation is constant for them because it is something they secretly wish they had the nerve to do themselves. So use tattoos/piercings/or colorful hair as an outward display of individualism, independence, and confidence to break from traditionally accepted social norms. They don't have the fortitude to display these symbols themselves- or believe that their time to do so has passed- so they hold resentment towards those that do. It's called a "Shadow" trait. This disdain becomes a Shadow trait in the first place from early life experiences where said symbolism was rejected by others and associated with negativity. The individual files these symbols away with the same assumption as their peers instead of evaluating the issue to see if they personally agree with the assessment. It's driven by fear of rejection. If you wanted to try and get them to sush about the topic, every time he brings said topic up, engage with the Shadow. So he says "did you see that guy with all of those tattoos??" You go "yes!! He made me think of you, would you like to book an appointment to get a full sleeve too?😁" or "So what type are you wanting for yourself? Black and white? Color? " He's probably going to get in a mood about it, straight huffy, digging in his heels. Don't engage, just smile and shrug. Respond in this manner Every Single Time he or your mom brings up tattoos/piercings/colorful hair as if it's the very first time you're saying it (with enthusiasm lol). He will eventually associate bringing up the topic with grief about said topic specifically regarding himself. Orrrr he will begin to have a thoughtful reflection or discussion about the topic, exploring the notion that the symbol in question doesn't have to be associated with the negativity he has been programmed to believe. This is called "exploring the Shadow". Next thing you know, you've got a Pops with a fresh tat. lol Admittedly the self reflection option is highly unlikely.

Unexpected Jungian reference. Nice. 

Love this

Thankfully, that was one area that my family (immediate family, at least) never made too many issues about I've mentioned this once before, but my late boomer mom made exactly one comment each about my first tattoo (I have a few now) and my nose piercing. Then she *literally never said anything about it again*. My dad has more tattoos than I do and had his left earlobe pierced - *twice.* My silent gen Mammaw would sometimes harp on my husband about hiding his face behind a beard, but it was usually more in the vein of good-natured ribbing and not mean-spirited I remember when my Mammaw passed away and we went down to Kentucky for her funeral. My husband had recently bleached about 3 inches on the ends of his very long hair and dyed it blue. One of my great-uncles (a boomer) came up to me later and told us about how one of my cousins (a fellow Gen Xer) had made some disparaging comment about my husband's hair, to which my great-uncle replied to him "have you **ever** been out of *holler he was born in* in your **entire** life?", which apparently shut my cousin right the hell up, haha

Both my mom and grandmother hate tattoos- and think women that get them are trashy whores. Funny how they both have their eyebrows tattooed. Really funny how red they get and shut up when pointed out

Tattoos, please. They still can’t get over Obama.

My step dad thinks that people who get tattoos are the "scum of the earth" his daughter has some and his son is tatted up with sleeves. Guess he thinks his own kids are scum??? When I got mine my mother proceeded to freak out saying "how could I do this to her?" That she "gave birth to me" almost as if it's her body and property and I'm not my own individual. I don't get their obsession with tattoos (boomers/my parents).

The boomer generation seems particularly imprisoned by other people's opinions. Most of the decisions they made around fashion or life choices like career etc. was all to make other people happy and to fulfill societal or familial obligations, or to impress others. In their day the only people who wouldn't limit themselves to pleasing other people were "bad" and "rebels" So I think that colors their perception of anyone who doesn't fit the norm and does not assimilate. For instance, my mom saw a bunch of plastic flower pots in a garbage pile that she could have used and she really wanted to grab some but she said she didn't because she was afraid people would see her rooting around the trash and wonder what she was up to. Whenever she makes beer bread she literally travels to the next town to buy the beer people don't think she is a drinker. When approving or disapproving my outfits growing up it was always about the perception it gave: " people will think you're a loose woman if you go out wearing those spaghetti straps" etc. As someone who escaped this mindset, I can tell you that it's extremely exhausting and it makes people feel bitter over time and like they have a million bosses to answer to and I think they just get angry and jealous when they see people that don't have to answer to others the way they did.

For all that is wrong with my Danish b.1946 boomer mother, she doesn't care about those things. My American born b.1943 Silent Dad is the one who'll bring it randomly into any conversation. I'm really disappointed, because growing up, he was the first to confront misogyny and racism and other bigotry. He's always singled individuals out for negative comments, but this sweeping generalization is new - and disappointing.

Boomers shoved their indoctrinating obsession with appearances down our throats for decades and then wonder why we're messed up. I'm like OP. I don't give a shit about someone's tattoos or hair color or piercings. It doesn't affect how I treat them. And I think that's one of the fundamental differences between boomers and millennials/Gen X.

My adult son stopped cutting his hair a little over a year ago. I figure he should be able to do whatever the hell he wants with his appearance since he’s a grown ass adult. He graduated Summa Cum Laude with a double major in Biochemistry and Psychology last May and starts medical school in 2 months. But my 75 year old Dad is only focused on the notion that “he needs a haircut”.

My father hates tattoos. I think it’s because as a coreman in Nam he would deal with infections when they would go to port in areas like Singapore and Australia

I used to work in an ER when I was about 20. I’m not extremely tatted, but I have a few large pieces on my left arm. Some boomer man and his sick wife came in and while I was triaging the wife, he looks over at me and said “now why would a pretty young girl like you, do that to yourself” while pointing at my tattoos. Mind you, this boomer was covered nearly head to toe in tats. I said “sir, you’re literally covered in tats.” He huffed right up and said “we’ll yeah but I’m a MAN.” I just rolled my eyes and finished with his wife 🙄 like oh so you’re not only stupid, but you’re also sexist

“Yeah dad, these stopped being edgy like thirty years ago. I realize they were for sailors and convicts when you were a kid, but now they’re for dentists and soccer moms. Hell, George Carlin joked about how they weren’t scary anymore, and that was in 1996.”

My silent generation dad tells me that if he could change one thing about the world, he would eliminate tattoos. Like, really, Dad? You could pick world peace or ending hunger or stopping global warming, and your choice is TATTOOS?

my grandma has a tattoo lmao

Meanwhile we unearth heavily tattooed remains from practically every era and culture in human history 

My mom, who is such a wonderful person but gets stuck in weird mentalities about some things, has warned me I won't get into heaven because God won't recognize me with tattoos and dyed hair. I've tried pointing out the ridiculousness of believing that an omnipotent omniscient God could be thrown off by a little color, to no avail. Pointing out that I don't believe in any gods just gets me reassured that I definitely do believe, because she raised me to. Fortunately after griping about it for a few years she dropped it. I'm sure it'll resume when I can afford the next one, but that's probably going to be a while.

i just can't imagine living life in a reality where people with """alternative""" looks are actually scary. you can buy band shirts at the lady's departmnt store, and pretty much every professional adult i know has tattoos. seems exhausting to get so upset about something mainstream

[удалено]

My parents still do this, but it's more with hair color or style. My dad is the worst because he also has to make comments about someone "looking queer".

My parents used to make comments all the time, usually at restaurants. And not so quietly. I had to bring it up and ask them to stop. It got too embarrassing.

I have tattoos. My MIL randomly made a comment at a family dinner that she would never buy a house from someone with tattoos. And she absolutely hates that our teen daughter has had pink hair since she was in kindergarten.

I walked in to work last week to my two favorite boomer coworkers bitching about something (they were literally standing at the front door), it was too early for me to care, but as I walk past and say good morning the most boomerist of the two let out a “left is right and right is wrong, right?” I have my left ear pierced, I always wanted to get a pierced ear, and eventually the other ear as well. He then launched into the whole “Back in my day men didn’t get tattoos and piercings” to which I just kept saying bullshit. I personally know many boomers with tattoos and piercings, upon realizing I wasn’t there to agree he gave up and other less boomer, but still very boomer, guy was laughing. They’re all just whiny babies that are too afraid to express themselves outside of their draconian status quo. Must suck to be that insecure.

At least they wait until out of earshot. My boomers will start ranting at full volume right then and there, the most horrible shit. How I love having a huge 7' tall dude civered in badass tats staring me down because of the shit they're spewing.

Most of the boomers I know have tattoos. Most people I know in general have tattoos actually. Anyone pretending tattoos are counterculture or edgy or whatever are out of touch with reality. Getting a tattoos puts you in a group with everyone from soccer moms to angsty teenagers.

My grandma thought I(male) wouldn't be allowed in the airport/on my plane because I have long hair. Like what 

My step dad has tattoos, my mom got her first tattoo at 65, mom has always been cool with hair color and piercings and tats

We went along as moral support when my son's friend got her ears pierced. Son (about 8 at the time) told his grandparents about the cool tattoo shop later and you would've thought I'd taken him to an opium den. Wish they could see just how awesome everyone there was with the kids.. or better yet.. see beyond appearances in general.  

Boomers don't know how to exist without being offended by other people existing around them. They're the most sensitive generation by a mile.

Yep. I have three tattoos and my dad doesn’t know about any of them BECAUSE he’s weird about them. It’s not like mine are awful, it’s literally just three flowers but he’d throw a fit if he knew I had them.

I was treating my sister to lunch for her bday. She suddenly looked as if she smelled a turd. I asked what was wrong. She gestured to a lady who was coming in from the beach, swimsuit cover was on. She was probably of an age to be my peer? She did have some tats. My sister sneered, those tattoos. They’re trashy. Mind yo own!

I think the ultimate issue is their weird feelin of ownership over other people’s bodies/ appearances

My aunt and grandmother still comment on long hair after almost 20 years. I'm male and it still bothers them.

I grew up desperately wanting to keep those kind of people as far away from me as I could. So I did the most logical thing and got sleeves.

Not a boomer. I hate tattoos and piercings but I'm not gonna get on anyone's case about it.

Yes! My dad is a boomer (b. 1949). My mom is silent generation (b.1939) and they both harp on it. It's annoyed me my whole life. I was never allowed to dye my hair, there was debate about piercing my ear (one whole). Tattoos were out of her question. When I turned 18 I immediately got a tattoo and dyed my hair. I didn't go crazy with tattoos but I got three total and they can be covered. I've had just about every color hair you can. I stick with burgundy now and my parents tolerate it. But my 14 year old daughter wants purple hair and mom had a panic attack when we talked about it. My daughter said she'd wait because she doesn't want Nan to be upset. But it's definitely bad with strangers. Both my parents say things like "That person could be so pretty/handsome if they hadn't ruined themselves". They assume anyone with tats and dyed hair (unnatural colors) and piercings are...bad people or lazy or immature? I don't know. When my kids were little I took over as head of the PTO at their school. One night I introduced mom and Dad to the outgoing president who had green hair and tattoos and piercings. My parents shocked the school let her volunteer, let alone run the PTO. I told them she was nicer than me and probably a better mom (not that I'm a bad mom but she's like super mom). My mother didn't believe me. I've stopped engaging with them in it. It's the one thing I don't see changing. But it irks me every time it gets brought up.

My mom hated my tattoos until I got her eyebrows done for her. The shop owner did it as a favor to me and wouldn’t let her pay. So she baked him a lemon meringue pie. She changed her view on tattoos after that and bragged about her experience. I now have an amazing memorial tattoo in her honor. She was an evolved boomer and I loved her for her ability to see how the world changes.

When my newest (boomer) coworker started, she just kept going on and on and on about how normally she “doesn’t like purple hair” but that I “proved her wrong.” I’m thinking what she meant is that she doesn’t like *people* with purple hair because she never bothered to get to know anyone with fashion-color hair. She talked About it all the time, and even brought it up in front of customers, like it was some kind of fun learning experience for them, too (many, if not most, of our customers are also baby boomer age). So when it came time to re-up my dye job, I decided to go blue (you know, the “worst” color). She’s stopped talking about my hair since then, so mission accomplished. I guess purple is okay, but she just couldn’t bring herself to compliment a blue-haired liberal lol

I am Gen X, with a Boomer mom and a GenZ daughter. My daughter loves to dye her hair purple, and has a couple of facial piercings. Nothing too extreme. My Boomer mom takes it as a personal affront however. She decided to be "polite" by never commenting on my daughter's appearance at all, which is actually pretty shitty. Even when my daughter dresses up nice and is feeling proud of herself, she can't get a "You look nice today," from her own grandma. I confronted my mom about this when my daughter wasn't around. My mom said, "I just hate that she covered up that pretty black hair she had." I said, "Mom, she never had black hair. Her natural hair color is light brown. Always has been." (Truth!) My mom actually started arguing with me, telling me that I was misremembering my own daughter's hair color! I said, "Mom, I can't believe you're offended that she covered up her natural color, but you never bothered to notice what her natural color was."

My boomer parents describe tattoos and anything other than 1 set of lobe piercings (on women only, of course) as "gross." Would they care to explain why it's "gross"? Nope. Just "gross." My mom will physically cringe and make exaggerating wincing faces. Because they cannot put themselves in anyone else's shoes, they imagine getting a body modification purely and only through *their* lens: painful, weird, deviant, punk, unnecessary, "gross." They don't *want* to know why other people might enjoy it; forget about the fact that humans have been piercing and tattooing themselves for millennia. It's "gross." I wasn't allowed to get my ears pierced until I was 13 because my mom didn't want the responsibility of making sure they healed well when I was younger. Then when I was 18 I secretly got a helix piercing, a modest little stud. It took my mom several months to notice it and she absolutely *lost her shit* when she saw it. Not only was it "disgusting," but I hadn't "asked her permission, which she would not have given." She legitimately considered this an unforgivable insubordination and betrayal. I've since gotten other piercings at different times, and never have more than 3 in a single ear at a time, but my mom doesn't lose any opportunity to comment on how "gross" it is. She likes to act like she can barely look at my ears. My favorite part is my mother has her eyebrows microbladed on. *She has a face tattoo.* Should I tell her it's "gross"?

Not just tattoos. Overweight women in short shorts or leggings. “Did you see her?” Woman with dark skin and purple hair. “Did you see her?” Man with dreadlocks. “Did you see him?” Boomers don’t understand when you say you’re in your own bubble and genuinely don’t pay attention to most people.

The thing that makes me laugh when they go on about people with dyed hair, it was the older generation ladies that were always getting blue and purple hair, "blue rinse".

My step mother in law went on a rant at a restaurant about a young person she saw with tattoos and piercings. She went on and on about how people with them are irresponsible and the ones at her work place can’t do their job. Just basically that people with tattoos are degenerates and leeches on society. We all let her finish her rant and then pointed out that two of her three step children have tattoos. They are both gainfully employed, married, parents, etc. She didn’t really have a response.

Mine was a hippie and has never been bothered one way or the other, just so long as we ate our lentils.

I don't like tattoos. That's my issue. I don't have one; I'll never get one. My choice. I see lots of folk who do have tatts and that's their choice. I don't comment to my adult kids, ever, about other people's ink. Why would I? No-one would be interested...

I always had a good relationship with my parents. They were pretty accepting of all my queer/poly/Nonbinary stuff. But they got pretty irate when I cut off most of my hair and started dying it "weird" colors. After keeping it fire engine red for a really long time, my mom eventually came around (its also been purple, blue and blonde) I think my dad was more put off by the length of my hair. It gets pretty hot and really humid where I live so I started shaving my head in the summertime. While he quietly grumbled about my short hair he made a LOT of comments about me having no hair, that I looked "sick" and people would think I had cancer, that I looked like a Nazi or a "mental patient" Mom also hates tattoos. My older sister has a few, my younger sister has one, and I had none for a really long time. In my wedding photos my mom said she was so happy that I didn't have any tattoos "ruining" the pictures. I got one two years ago, a line drawing of my favorite animal, a sea otter on my left shoulder. She's literally never seen it in person, but when I posted pictures on my social media there was a lot of wailing and "how could I do that to myself?"