Abstract

Although much research has been conducted on the embodied experience of tattoos across cultures and subcultures (DeMello 1995; Rubin 1988; Sullivan 2009; Dickson et al. 2015; Ferreira 2014; Roberts; 2012; Johnson 2006; Klesse 2007; Kosut 2008, 2013; Schildkrout 2004), there is presently no research which focuses directly on female-to-male (FTM) trans individuals with tattoos, and how these tattoos help shape their body image, masculinity, and identities. Therefore, the question this research aims to answer is: what role do tattoos play in the development and perception of masculinity, identity, and the self, for transgender men?  Using a thematic analysis method, six themes were extracted from the ten participants interviewed. These themes demonstrate the multiple roles tattoos play in the lives of these trans men. The most significant theme discovered through these interviews was how tattoos are related to one’s trans identity. For some participants, this relation was direct, where individuals got tattoos connected to their trans identity, such as the trans symbol, or the date they started hormone replacement therapy. Yet for others, the connection was indirect, where many participants related tattoos they had before they realized they were trans, and now, can see these tattoos as a reflection of their lives and transition. Other significant themes discovered include: tattoos as permanence; as therapeutic; as storytelling; as reclamation; and as visibility. Overall, I conclude that tattoos play an important role in the lives of these 10 trans men: they are intimately related to their trans identities, as well as to different aspect of their lives.