Inked Mag Video: Female Tattoo Artists Discuss Their Experiences

Nobody can deny female tattoo artists have gained a foothold in the industry within the past few years. What was once a career and trade dominated by men is now much more welcoming and accepting of all types of tattooers.

It’s one of the reasons this site exists—to showcase the scope and breath of female talent in tattooing and to help clients find female artists to support. 

That’s why we’re so thrilled to see Inked Magazine put out this video that features four incredible women discussing tattooing in a candid roundtable discussion. 

Artists Megan Massacre, Jasmine Rodriguez, Janda Farley, and Michela Bottin all talk about their own personal experiences learning the ropes and growing their careers. They cover all sorts of topics ranging from sexism and inclusion within the industry, their different apprenticeships, and how the tattoo industry has changed over the years. 

It’s a fascinating 40-minute conversation that really showcases the similarities and differences of all four of the artists.

Both Massacre and Rodriguez, who have both been tattooing longer than Bottin and Farley, discuss how they were told to dress sexier and wear more makeup when they first started out. They also talk about how they were treated poorly by both male and female clients based on their sex alone. 

On the flip side, Bottin shares how her experience as a female in the industry has been mostly positive. She talks about the family support she had early on in her career and how she’s worked alongside many women over the past few years. 

Farley discusses how she believes women artists like Massacre and Rodriguez have paved the way for females who are starting in tattooing now. She explains how she hasn’t felt the pressure to publicize her looks on social media—she’s just focused on her work. 

“When I was first starting out, I was also advised, ‘Hey, you should wear a lot more makeup, you should straighten your hair, you should lose weight,’” says Farley. “But I’m just like, ‘I’m not trying to fuck anybody, I’m trying to tattoo and that has nothing to do with how I look.’”

All the women believe that the tattoo industry is much more inclusive to all people than it used to be, but they admit that there are still pockets and cliques that make it difficult for women to get ahead. They say that the growth of social media has allowed for more artists of all genders to have a voice, share their experiences, and call bullshit out when it happens. 

Check out the full video and visit the Inked Magazine YouTube channel for more videos featuring female artists.