Graduation Term
Spring 2025
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
Department of Sociology and Anthropology: Archaeology
Committee Chair
Livia Stone
Committee Co-Chair
Maura Toro-Morn
Committee Member
David Lane
Abstract
Art, and tattoos especially, have been fundamental in creating and articulating an identity for Chicanos within the United States. Yet, for much of the history of Chicano style tattoos, Chicana/xs were not free to engage with them in the same way that Chicanos were. In many regards, their entrance into these spaces was restricted (Santos 2009). However, recently with the growing interest in tattoo art and career opportunities, the industry has expanded significantly, creating more opportunities for a broader range of individuals. This research aims to explore how young Chicana/x and Latina tattoo artists now accessing these spaces navigate and negotiate their identities within the context of the tattoo industry, which has historically been dominated by masculine and Eurocentric ideals. Specifically, I examine how Chicana/x and Latina artists interpret and incorporate their cultural identities into their artwork while addressing the unique challenges and opportunities they encounter as the tattoo industry undergoes rapid expansion. This study draws upon literature on Chicano style tattoos; Chicana/x, Latina, and Pachuca identities; and body modification as a form of bodily agency.
My work is anchored in two interconnected arguments. First, I critique the dominant narratives in tattoo literature that falsely position tattooing in the U.S. as a practice imported solely by (White) European sailors and traders from Polynesia (Lodder 2024; DeMello 2000; Gell 1993; Gilbert 2000; Steward 1990; Gathercole 1988; Kaeppler 1988; Sanders 1988). This Eurocentric origin story silences the deep and diverse histories of Indigenous tattooing practices, particularly those of the American Southwest. I argue that the literature purposefully neglects the deep history of native tattoos from the American Southwest and especially their gendered connotations, with many women of these tribes being the principal wearers and creators of these designs (Sinclair 1909; Loeb 1926; Krutak 2007). Their erasure from tattoo history not only distorts our understanding of the art form’s origins but also perpetuates a gendered myth—that tattooing is inherently masculine, an aspect overemphasized especially within Chicano style tradition. The consequence of this masculinization, deeply rooted in colonial ideology, continues to shape both academic literature and public perception, restricting the scope through which Chicana/xs and non-binary individuals can engage with and be recognized in tattoo culture. Perpetuating a whitewashed history of tattoos in the U.S., therefore, drafts a new narrative for what tattoos and tattooing traditions in the West mean: one that falsifies the idea of American tattoos as a singular tradition devoid of the hundreds of years of history that were amputated by colonialism.
Second, I focus on how Chicana/x and Latina tattoo artists today are actively reshaping this landscape. These artists are not merely participating in a tradition—they are, in many ways, transforming it. Through their work, they reclaim the symbols and aesthetics that were once used to marginalize their identities and recontextualize them as sources of connection, healing, and cultural pride. Their tattoos challenge dominant, Eurocentric definitions of “legitimate” art, interrogate classed notions of aesthetic value, and destabilize hierarchies that have long linked artistic prestige to Whiteness and institutional education (Bourdieu 1984). In doing so, they use tattooing as both a tool to navigate and overcome the economic constraints imposed by neo-colonial systems, and as a form of resistance against the structures that continue to dictate who has the authority to create art, whose art is legitimized, and which bodies are deemed worthy of carrying cultural memory. Their contributions also help to reveal the meaning of authenticity within Chicanx tattooing subculture and the significance of the “Chicana/x” designation within the tattooing industry.
Through ethnographic research, this study will incorporate first-hand accounts from Chicana/x tattoo artists, shedding light on how tattooing meaningfully reconnects Chicana/xs to their culture, how they carve out communities within these spaces, find healing, and define a sense of belonging for themselves. I also briefly uncover how these artists may engage in forms of resistance but how their agency is limited in part by the structure of the tattoo industry.
Access Type
Thesis-Open Access
Recommended Citation
Hickman, Ryleigh, "Marks of Heritage: Chicana Tattoo Artists Navigating Gender, Culture, and Artistic Expression in "Men's Work"" (2025). Theses and Dissertations. 2060.
https://ir.library.illinoisstate.edu/etd/2060
Included in
Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Commons, Social and Cultural Anthropology Commons, Social Justice Commons
