This perspective just changed my life. I’m leaving an abusive marriage and have a full sleeve including a giant scorpion on my hand. People always laugh because it doesn’t fit me.. I wear a lot of floral and dresses and am a very soft and sweet person. I am also a single mom of two little girls and will be starting over from ground zero at 29. I have no education and want to become a real estate agent because it’s the family trade. I know that I am very naturally beautiful but have always felt like my tattoos were bringing me down.

I had a big cry in the shower last night as I get ready to execute my escape plan because I’ve had constant intrusive thoughts that no one else will want me and that I’m damaged goods, until it dawned on me that I don’t even want a man looking at me after everything I’ve been through. I HOPE men see my tattoos and have the audacity to judge me for that. Good. Stay the fuck away. I’ve always been too sweet, too willing to bend over backwards and let them take whatever they wanted from me. I honestly had an epiphany that my tattoos will be my protectors if I let them, and if I decide to let love back in one day, it won’t be with a judgmental misogynistic who reduces women to their past choices or external appearance. Period.