A psychological use of tattoos

Cimo, J. (2001). A psychological use of tattoos: Transitional phenomena and selfobject functions in lesbigaytrans persons (Doctoral dissertation, Pacifica Graduate Institute, 2001). UMI no. 3074953

This preliminary study of the psychological use of tattoos in lesbian, bisexual, gay, and transsexual tattooees utilizes a grounded theory methodology and 17 tattooed informants who self-identify as outsiders to mainstream culture. Gender nonconformity, rather than sexual orientation, was the primary feature of this sample's sense of outsiderness. A tattoo history was taken during one 2 1/2 hour interview followed by a second 2 1/2 hour reflective interview (clarifying meanings and asking questions about the tattooees' experience).

Findings suggest that the subjective meaning of the tattoo process is partly conscious, partly unconscious, the tattoo may be described as a validating, safety-enhancing relational phenomenon that augments the tattooee's sense of control over herself or himself and her experience of being an outsider. First-level open coding revealed experiences that approximated the functions of transitional objects, among other things. Second-level axial coding was applied to the raw data that then revealed that informants' use of tattoos met 13 of Winnicott's criteria for transitional objects. They also function in ways similar to Kohut's (1978) "selfobjects." Examples of each criterion and case studies demonstrating this use are provided. A differential diagnosis guide is provided distinguishing tattooing from addictive behaviors and the self-destructive behaviors accompanying borderline phenomena.

The function of the tattoo as a transitional object protects the ego against loss by attaching the tattooee to (m)other: here (m)other can be understood as aspects of the parents or the primary caretaker of any sex, as the maternal nurturing environment (such as a feature of the culture) or as a dissociated or ego-dystonic part of self experience. It also aids the tattooee in differentiating from (m)other and integrating split-off parts of self. This paradox occurs in a dynamic, inter-relational matrix where oscillations occur between inside and outside, self and other, subjective sense of self and an objective self, self and part self to produce a third. This supports a dynamic relational model of self and a model of human development where centrality and marginality are in dynamic tension.

Tattoos, when used as transitional objects (as opposed to mental representations) facilitate an embodied sense of self and the development of a gendered subjectivity.