This is part of the reason why my inclination would always be to get tattoos that are concealable if required. Not because I feel that way - I mean, I've seen tattoos that I do dislike, but that's about my feeling about the art rather than the ink itself! - but because other people may think differently about them, and in some circs (e.g. job interviews) that may be relevant.

I do have a facial piercing (eyebrow) so to some extent I've made a call on the 'obvious alternative status' already; but it's small and I wear glasses, so people don't always notice it.

The tattoo I'm thinking about getting would be hip/stomach, so in fact I'd have to actively show people in most circs.

I live in an area where a large number of the tattoos that people have are, hm, less likely to be beautiful pieces of art (& more likely to be bulldogs or expressions of one's fondness for Millwall Football Club or something else picked out of the tattooist's Big Book) but I know enough people with gorgeous & meaningful tattoos to override that association. I was also brought up that Tattoos Are Bad, & my parents would/will doubtless have conniptions if I get one, but at the age of 31 I figure they don't get a vote any more :)

(I also have a theory/thought about the extent to which one writes one's experience on one's body *anyway*, & tattoos as another extension of that.)