Body Modification

Senior Degree Project

When beginning our senior degree project we were told to do something that would interest us for the entire semester, I
knew that I wanted to do something related to tattoos and piercings, but I wasnt exactly sure what it was that I wanted to
accomplish. I knew that I had found a passion in advocacy but I wasnt sure how I could use that in this project.

2 Days After I Started

The Day I Was Fired

That was until I had a personal experience of my own that changed my perspective. As many of you may know I was fired
from a job that I had been at for 2 years. My appearance had not changed since I was hired but that wasnt enough to
protect me from being fired for my piercings

Question

How can I use design to make an impact by creating

awareness and garner support for individuals who are
discriminated against because of their body modification?

So my question ishow design can impact by awareness and gain support for people with body mods

Goals and Objectives

Awareness and Support

My main goal is to create awareness that this discrimination is even occurring. And garner support to promote a change in
the law protecting people from this discrimination. KC is the 9th tatted city in the US.

Context/Content

Research, interviews, testimonials

The content of my research project comes from online, books and testimonials. I wanted to get as much information I can
on how people currently feel about the issue and what is already being done.

Survey

Majority of people surveyed were females, and

those between the ages of 18-30
50% Have Body Mods
57% Support Change

In order to get some of my research and testimonials I conducted a short survey over the internet.

Of the 175 people around half of them had body modifications that included tattoos and/or piercings. And more than half of
the people surveyed would support a change in the law to protect individuals rights against body modification
discrimination.

Audience
Group 1: 18-30
Group 2: 31-55

So that leads me to my audience. I have two main audience groups. First is that of people who already support the cause,
typically females in the age range of 18-30. And secondly, the people who are unaware or oppose the cause. These could
be business owners, managers and HR personelle or other business professionals. Between the ages of 31-55.

In a gang or prison
Trashy

Mental Illness

Lack of Education

Lost
Lower Class

Immature
Offensive
Disrespectful
Crazy

Unemployed

Scares Children
Impacts the work environment

a few of the comments people project upon body modification are negative like uneducated, trashy, scary, or crazy, I want
think to dispel all these rumors

Artifacts
Website
Posters
Buttons
Shirts

My artifacts consist of typical items you would find in any campaign

Logotype

my logo emphasizes the ink and also takes colors from traditional tattooing. The type is whitney and thirsty script, angled to
give the impression on movement

Pattern

the pattern consists of dierent key words but emphasizes acceptance

Button

I want my buttons to be simple just displaying the logo so they can be easily recognized while still getting the thought
across but also intriguing interest

Shirt

My shirt designs are also meant to be simple and easily readable

Shirt

I designed a few dierent versions

Shirt

Testing dierent placements of the logo

Poster

This is one poster design that shows some of the faces of people with body modification but never exposing their mods, to
show that anyone can have mods and you never know who does just by what they show you

Poster

This 2nd poster shows them both covered and showing their modifications

Website

www.thinkacceptance.org

Here is my live site, again simple and easy to navigate so it can appeal to multiple audiences. The main point of the website
is to tell the stories and put faces on people who have body mods to take some of the stigma away. I also point out the
occupations of the people who shared their stories so anyone who uses the site can see that they can come from any walk
of life. Eventually I would like to add a call to action on the site that would consist of a formal petition to the state of missouri