Getting a tattoo placed in the middle of your forehead makes a pretty strong statement, but when the image prompts people to think that you’re aligning yourself with Satan – that’s a completely different ball of string to unravel. Amber Rose has recently hit the headlines for her near-bald model look and for the romantic company that she keeps, but her latest news-making move is the image chosen for her latest look – an inverted (upside down) cross positioned between her eyes. She’s just one of many who have embraced a symbol known for its anti-religious meaning.

It’s still questionable whether the tattoo of the inverted cross on Amber Rose’s forehead is real or temporary, but choosing such a symbol is very telling. The tattoo became public knowledge for the most part when Rose appeared at the Made in America festival in Philadelphia this past weekend, where her husband and father to baby Sebastian, Wiz Khalifa, performed. When photos of Amber Rose and her tattoo were revealed, social media went afire, and users accused the entertainment personality for embracing a symbol that is anti-Christianity and represents Satanism.

In response to questions and comments regarding her affiliation with Satanism, Amber Rose took to Twitter on September 2 to say, “An upside down cross is a St Peter’s cross…..it is not satanic. Look it up before u speak ignorance. Good Day.”

While the inverted cross is a symbol of St. Peter (an early Christian leader known as one of the 12 Apostles of Jesus Christ), it has also morphed into one of the ways that people make statements against religion. As we all know, the meaning of a symbol, sign or any other icon can be given power and influence in the way that people choose to use it. It’s one of the reasons why different symbols mean different things in various cultures. For example, if you notice, when some churches are vandalized and defaced with graffiti, the inverted cross is a symbol of choice. It’s also why we see the inverted cross in horror films and movies regarding an ‘evil’ character, such as The Omen, The Exorcism of Emily Rose, and The Devil Inside.

Over the years, incorporating the inverted cross into clothing designs has also become an increasingly disturbing trend for some companies. More than a handful of clothing brands geared towards the young adult and teen culture have a knack of plastering the symbol across their T-shirts, hoodies, and tank tops. For some, the symbol represents rebellion and appearing ‘controversial,’ while others gravitate to the inverted cross designs as a way to make anti-religion statements.

It’s hard to imagine that the clothing companies that use inverted crosses in their designs are doing so to represent Saint Peter. Below you will see some examples of how the upside down cross has made its way into today’s youth-focused fashion, including:

• Obey T-Shirt with inverted cross – company known for its all-seeing eyes and pyramid symbolism

• A Wasted Youth T-Shirt that is sold on Amazon from TeeIsland

• Unif T-Shirt with Baphomet pentagram and inverted cross symbol

