Format: Several decades ago, a stereotype was tough males with tattoos attracted women, however, the role has reversed, why has the popularity of females with tattoos exploded?
Mike Giant: It’s the same thing for men – it’s a way for a woman to set herself apart and create a self-identity and be like, ‘Fuck the status quo, I’m going to cover myself in drawings.’ That’s totally cool. There are a lot of women that are starting to understand the deeper artistic implications of tattoos. I see more girls, in bigger cities, now, with really traditional looking, Japanese – like three-quarter sleeves and chest panels - but it’s done with an elegance, softness, and history that makes me impressed. It shows a level of class in an area where a lot of people gravitate towards lowest common denominator imagery, which I’m all about. I love skulls, snakes and roses, but I’m glad to see that women are getting more hooked into what is possible with tattooing. At the same time, I feel like a lot of women are stuck reading fashion magazines that are on a four or five year cycle of ‘Tattoos are great!’ Then, two years down the line, magazines are like, ‘Here’s how to get your shitty tattoo removed’ and then in two more years, ‘Hey, get tattoos, they’re cool!’ For women, they’re already caught up in the system and it’s just fucking them up, basically, and making them unsure about what’s up.

… a New York con Jetlog da Euro 209 …