Government preventing minors from expressing their creativity

The state governments should have no say in what minors, or anyone else for that matter, do with their own bodies, but tattooing of minors is prohibited in the majority of the states in the country including Iowa and more recently surrounding states like Minnesota and Michigan.

I believe that the states should have no say in what minors do to their bodies as long as the minors have parental consent. Why should the government control how we want to look? We don’t live in a communist country; we live in America where we have freedom of speech, so why is the government trying to control the way we look?

Even though trying to get parental permission to receive a tattoo is a hassle, when allowed, the ultimate decision should have been the parents’ and not the governments’. For those of us who want to get tattooed as minors, we should have the choice to do so. Trying to get parental permission and written consent of parents before doing so can be a hassle for the minor. The argument should be between parents and tattoo artists, not the government. If parents are OK with their children getting a tattoo, the government should not have the final say by making it illegal to do so. Tattoos are an expression of creativity and individuality; they shouldn’t be denied to you by a law.

When you’re able to express yourself, you’re able to open up and let your ideas flow, which is good for opportunities later in life.

Being able to express yourself is beneficial, not just to you but to others around you. By having tattoos, people can see what you’re into, see your creative side. Tattoos are are permanent things and perhaps that’s why the government is stepping in. Perhaps the government believes minors shouldn’t make decisions like these even with parental consult but overall, I believe that it should be between the parent and the minor.