By Mark McCrindleTuesday 19 Jan 2021LifestyleReading Time: 3 minutes
If there is a perception that Australians have become more tattooed than ever, there’s a good explanation, it’s because we have.
One in four Australians has a tattoo
Australia is experiencing growth in the proportion of people becoming ‘inked’. Our latest study shows one in four Australians has a tattoo (25 per cent) – a record high. This is up from 20 per cent in 2018 and 19 per cent in 2016. The proportion of women with a tattoo now exceeds that of men by more than ten per cent (31 per cent women compared to 19 per cent men). Women are also more likely to have got their first tattoo between the ages of 26 and 45 (31 per cent of women compared to 23 per cent of men).
Not just youthful rebellion or a one-off
While most Australians with a tattoo got their first between the ages of 18 and 25 (48 per cent), over a third (36 per cent) of people got their first tattoo when aged 26 or older. Three in five Australians with a tattoo (61 per cent) have more than one, while two in five (39 per cent) currently have just one. A third (33 per cent) have two to three tattoos and 18 per cent have more than six.
Not without regrets
One in five (22 per cent) Australians with a tattoo say that they regret, to some extent, getting a tattoo, and one in four (25 per cent) have commenced or looked into tattoo removal.
Three in 10 feel the need to cover their tattoo/s
When attending a job interview or formal occasion, three in ten (31 per cent) people with a tattoo feel the need to cover it up. Women are more likely than men to say they feel the need to cover up (33 per cent of women compared to 29 per cent of men), while men are more likely to say they do not feel the need to cover their tattoos at all (52 per cent of men compared to 42 per cent of women).
“The proportion of Australians with a tattoo has steadily been increasing over the last few years and marks a shift away from linking tattoos to youthful rebellion, low class or crime,” social researcher Ashely Fell said.
“As the trends show, tattoos are also more common among women, and older women at that, indicating that tattoos are moving to a form of self-expression and symbolic meaning. The fact that social media regularly shows celebrities, movie stars and sports people with tattoos is helping to change consumer attitudes and behaviour towards tattoos and how they are perceived.
“While 31 per cent of people with a tattoo still feel the need to cover them when attending a job interview or formal occasion, employers today are more accepting of tattoos on display as they become more prevalent in society and everyday life.”
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Article supplied with thanks to McCrindle.
About the Author: McCrindle are a team of researchers and communications specialists who discover insights, and tell the story of Australians – what we do, and who we are.