If you loved the women in part I of our Women of the World photo booth gallery, then you'll definitely enjoy part II...
Ruby
“I love the idea of being in control of your aesthetic. Women are always told how to look and dress and I think tattoos are a real 'fuck you' to that concept. I'm really terrified of needles, so getting a tattoo for me was also about overcoming that fear (for 20 minutes, at least) and doing something that scares you.”
Gabriella
“I got three swallows on my back last week. I was working in LA and they symbolise my two children and the fact that I am a single mum. This will be the only tattoo that I get.”
Aisling
“I got my first tattoo at 24. It's a feminist tattoo as a tribute to the women in my life. I'm very aware of women's representation in the media, so I would never get traditional pin-up imagery tattooed on me. I wanted to be marked for life with something that has meaning to me.”
Minda
“I was 17 when I got a star on my ankle. I did think about getting it covered, but I guess in some way I like that they tell a story of my life. Tattoos are part of my history.
“The tattoo on my arm is a symbol, saying: 'we shall overcome'. My father is from South Africa, he was in exile in Chile during the dictatorship. This is a quote from the left movement. The flower is a traditional flower of Chile and symbolises freedom.”
Sophie
“My tattoos are very personal and mark points in my life.
They remind me of the people I love and the places I have been to.”
Ella
“I was 17 when I got a lizard tattoo. The first was a big deal for me, it is self marking and controlling the way I look. We are already marked by so many things. Tattoos are a commemoration of something, somewhere, someone…”
Jo
“My first tattoo means peace of mind in Hindi. I got it when I was 26. Tattoos are personal and mark a point of time in your life. They also represent things I think about, such as climate, poetry, chance and beauty. I will definitely get more. I love getting tattooed, it makes me like my body more. I want to show off tattoos and by extension my body.”
Sian
“I was just 15 when I first got tattooed; it was on my hip. Since then, it's been reworked by Woody at Into You, so I love it even more now. I find that women with tattoos are often fetishised. I get comments in the street and people ask me questions. I have a whole list of tattoo plans - they make me feel great about my body. I love my body anyway, but they make me feel even better about it.”
Sam
“I got a grim reaper tattoo when I was 24. Tattoos make me feel like my body is my own. I love the way they look on my skin. I can carry the artwork I love with me wherever I go. It's a great memory too - whenever I have been tattooed, I have had a great experience.”
Alina
“I was 45 when I got my first. It’s an animal and I got it with my mum… same place just a different animal. It was a bonding thing we did when we were in Canada. I might get more. I'm an artist so I see images all the time, but it would have to be something special.”
Steph
“I got a terrible flaming heart tattooed on me when I was 16. I will probably never have it covered, but I don’t love it. Tattoos make me feel better about my body and I am always planning more. It's something to show and my body looks nicer with them. People see tattoos more than the shape of my body. They are what people see and that is a huge source of confidence.”
Becky
“I was 18 when I got my first tattoo. It's a sun on my arm. I was leaving home and wanted to mark the transition. I have been tattooed by both men and women, but women know how artwork looks on the female form, they understand the physicality. My female artist spent a long time positioning the tattoo to work with my body.
Tattooing, for me, is a form of ownership over the body. Maybe for men, it's more about style, whereas women want to shape their bodies.”
View more photos in part I
Ruby
“I love the idea of being in control of your aesthetic. Women are always told how to look and dress and I think tattoos are a real 'fuck you' to that concept. I'm really terrified of needles, so getting a tattoo for me was also about overcoming that fear (for 20 minutes, at least) and doing something that scares you.”
Gabriella
“I got three swallows on my back last week. I was working in LA and they symbolise my two children and the fact that I am a single mum. This will be the only tattoo that I get.”
Aisling
“I got my first tattoo at 24. It's a feminist tattoo as a tribute to the women in my life. I'm very aware of women's representation in the media, so I would never get traditional pin-up imagery tattooed on me. I wanted to be marked for life with something that has meaning to me.”
Minda
“I was 17 when I got a star on my ankle. I did think about getting it covered, but I guess in some way I like that they tell a story of my life. Tattoos are part of my history.
“The tattoo on my arm is a symbol, saying: 'we shall overcome'. My father is from South Africa, he was in exile in Chile during the dictatorship. This is a quote from the left movement. The flower is a traditional flower of Chile and symbolises freedom.”
Sophie
“My tattoos are very personal and mark points in my life.
They remind me of the people I love and the places I have been to.”
Ella
“I was 17 when I got a lizard tattoo. The first was a big deal for me, it is self marking and controlling the way I look. We are already marked by so many things. Tattoos are a commemoration of something, somewhere, someone…”
Jo
“My first tattoo means peace of mind in Hindi. I got it when I was 26. Tattoos are personal and mark a point of time in your life. They also represent things I think about, such as climate, poetry, chance and beauty. I will definitely get more. I love getting tattooed, it makes me like my body more. I want to show off tattoos and by extension my body.”
Sian
“I was just 15 when I first got tattooed; it was on my hip. Since then, it's been reworked by Woody at Into You, so I love it even more now. I find that women with tattoos are often fetishised. I get comments in the street and people ask me questions. I have a whole list of tattoo plans - they make me feel great about my body. I love my body anyway, but they make me feel even better about it.”
Sam
“I got a grim reaper tattoo when I was 24. Tattoos make me feel like my body is my own. I love the way they look on my skin. I can carry the artwork I love with me wherever I go. It's a great memory too - whenever I have been tattooed, I have had a great experience.”
Alina
“I was 45 when I got my first. It’s an animal and I got it with my mum… same place just a different animal. It was a bonding thing we did when we were in Canada. I might get more. I'm an artist so I see images all the time, but it would have to be something special.”
Steph
“I got a terrible flaming heart tattooed on me when I was 16. I will probably never have it covered, but I don’t love it. Tattoos make me feel better about my body and I am always planning more. It's something to show and my body looks nicer with them. People see tattoos more than the shape of my body. They are what people see and that is a huge source of confidence.”
Becky
“I was 18 when I got my first tattoo. It's a sun on my arm. I was leaving home and wanted to mark the transition. I have been tattooed by both men and women, but women know how artwork looks on the female form, they understand the physicality. My female artist spent a long time positioning the tattoo to work with my body.
Tattooing, for me, is a form of ownership over the body. Maybe for men, it's more about style, whereas women want to shape their bodies.”
View more photos in part I