As a survivor of child sexual abuse, I’ve been wanting a Medusa tattoo for some time. For decades, Medusa tattoos have symbolized strength, protection and empowerment, especially for survivors of sexual assault. For many women these tattoos represent resilience and reclaiming power. If you want to learn more about the Greek mythology of Medusa, check out this blog post. It does a good job explaining the story behind Medusa.
For me it is a symbolic way of saying I survived, he didn’t break me, and I’ve come out the other side stronger and more resilient. It’s a reminder to myself and others that we will survive. We are strong and can get through all the hard things.
Initially, I didn’t know exactly where I wanted to place my tattoo or for that matter exactly what I wanted her to look like, so I sat on the idea for years. I’m not the biggest “snake” person and didn’t want my Medusa to look like all the other stereotypical perfect girls you see out there. I wanted something more “real”.
After a lot of thinking, I decided to go outside the box on this a bit. I chose to use a friend/client’s face for my Medusa. Why this face? Because I wanted someone beautiful but not perfect. Laura is beautiful, curvy, quirky and kindhearted. She always photographs beautifully but isn’t the stereotypical skinny girl you often see in Medusa images. I love that she’s real and thought she would make a great face for my tattoo. I also didn’t want a head full of wild snakes, instead choosing snakes to wrap around her face like how hair would fall. And that’s how the tattoo came to fruition.
I had a vision and Pedro; my tattoo artist put my vision together perfectly. He’s so incredibly talented and the only person I trust to tattoo me. I’m always blown away by the art he makes and always enjoy our conversations at our appointments! If you are looking for someone, I highly recommend working with Pedro at The Ink Cru! Over the years, he’s never done me wrong, and I would most definitely consider him a talented and supportive friend.
Why I Specialize In Boudoir
One of the biggest reasons I chose to specialize in boudoir is because of the connections with women and their stories. I have found that most of us have some kind of body image issues. For some women, that stems from past trauma. Others, it’s the message that society sends regarding the portrayal of what women are supposed to look like. My goal is to show women through my art and the conversations we have during their session that they are amazing as they are.
Boudoir is incredibly healing and empowering. It helps us reconnect with our bodies in a more positive light. For many women, it can be life changing. For me personally, working with women and knowing I’m not alone has been healing in ways I didn’t know was possible when I first started this journey. Boudoir had taught me to accept and trust my body. All bodies are unique and different in their own ways and that’s what makes us all so incredibly beautiful.
Do you have a tattoo that helps you feel empowered? What would you get next?
