As an Asian woman, tattoos have helped me accept my body hair and celebrate my body Nikki Kotecha, 20, is a tattoo apprentice at World of Tattoos from Hertfordshire. Here she talks to Poorna Bell about […]

Nikki Kotecha, 20, is a tattoo apprentice at World of Tattoos from Hertfordshire. Here she talks to Poorna Bell about getting tattoos as a way of accepting and celebrating her body.

I remember watching Miami Ink when I was 11 and becoming fascinated with the idea of tattoos. I liked the permanency of them, the idea that you were committing to something for life. Commitment is a really big thing for me because I come from a single parent home. My dad left home when I was young, and my mum and I became one solid little unit.

Some Asian women like me have a lot of hair on our arms, or the hair is quite dark.

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‘Historically, a lot of your worth is based on your ‘marriageability’, and getting a tattoo could be considered a way of defacing your body or an act of rebelliousness.’

For me, a part of getting tattoos is so that when people look at my arms and my legs, they are looking at my tattoos instead of my body hair. Since getting my first tattoo at 18, I’ve felt a whole lot more confident about who I am. I’ve wanted to show them off, and with that comes feeling comfortable about showing my body off. It’s about accepting and being proud of my body.

It’s less common for Asian women to have tattoos compared to other women. Historically, a lot of your worth is based on your ‘marriageability’, and getting a tattoo could be considered a way of defacing your body or an act of rebelliousness.

Read more The tattoo artist carving out a space for herself

This is rubbish of course – if someone is going to marry you and want to be with you, it should be for who you are as a person. Having your own body art and being in control of it is way more attractive than just being submissive and doing what everyone else wants you to do.

Women have long been told we are supposed to be hairless, beautiful, blemish-free goddesses. But no woman is born hairless with one skin-tone, chiselled cheeks and instant curves.

I tried the academic route, but it made me miserable

I was very lucky that my mum is artistic and understood my desire to express myself. She initially thought it was a phase and I would grow out of it. But when I didn’t grow out of it, she was very accepting.

I’m currently finishing my first year as a tattoo apprentice. There were various points throughout my childhood where I was determined to be a dentist or a doctor. It was the standard Asian mindset of ‘I want to be well-off and have money’.

‘I ended up dropping out after completing the first year because I was miserable and thought it was a waste of time.’

When I was in my doctor/dentist phase, my mum sat me down and said: “I know you want to get tattoos but you probably won’t be able to get tattoos in that profession.” I thought it was ridiculous. But I had an epiphany: if I love art, why didn’t I just become a tattooist? That way I can do what I want, love what I’m doing and not be told off for it.

However, I’m quite academic and Mum didn’t want me to miss out on university. So I continued to draw as a hobby and embarked on a maths and philosophy degree. I ended up dropping out after completing the first year because I was miserable and thought it was a waste of time.

Looking back, it was a ballsy move. It’s really hard to get a tattoo apprenticeship; people get knocked down quite a bit. Luckily, I knew a tattooist at a studio and went in armed with my drawings. I expected nothing more feedback, but I walked out with an apprenticeship.

The first time I wore a sari with all my tattoos on show

Our extended family didn’t really know about my secret tattoo life. I had shown them my first tattoo, but as I started to fill up my arms, I’d go to family functions with long sleeves to hide them. I couldn’t be bothered with the questions I knew would be asked: ‘This is permanent – why are you doing this? Are you ever going to get a real job? What boss will ever hire you?’

My grandparents also didn’t know I had dropped out of university and I was in my six months into my apprenticeship when I finally told them. They were concerned, but now they are fully onboard and love it. My granddad is trying to set up a plan for me and researching market niches.

‘One of my uncles was very reserved about it and did say it was my choice, but you could tell he wasn’t happy.’

I wore a sari and had all my tattoos on show on my arms for the first time at a family event last month. A lot of family members were looking at my arms and some gave me funny looks, but no one really said anything. A couple of younger people said nice things. One of my uncles was very reserved about it and did say it was my choice, but you could tell he wasn’t happy.

I don’t really get upset when people say negative things, but I do get irritated that often, it isn’t said to my face. I hear it through someone saying something to my mum or my grandma like: ‘What would you look like in your wedding dress, and what will you look like in a sari?”’

I think they are asking the wrong question. The right question is: ‘How will it make you feel?’ And the answer to that is simple. I’m a woman who is empowered by my own body and in control of it. That is worth more than what anyone else thinks I should look like in a wedding dress.

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