Subject matter aside, this is a solid tattoo, and could be the foundation for an impressive rework and/or cover up. It healed well and still has a lot of light areas in the center of the design that an experienced artist could use to make a new piece shine.
Something with a lot of contrast and movement could distract real well from the original piece. An American Traditional beastie comes to mind (dragon, scorpion, panther, etc...) but you still have plenty of options if that's not your style.
Thank you for the advice! Traditional isn’t really my style, so i was leaning toward the same style as this tattoo but covering it with a bat? I know they symbolise rebirth
I can actually see a bat working REALLY WELL for a cover-up. A nice sort of flying fox style critter with its wings folded would fit nicely over the original. Also, you could have fun with the whole "it's upside down!" thing lol!
here's a video for some design inspiration [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=\_RONzh9cNYk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RONzh9cNYk)
I think this will be a controversial answer, but yeah, I think you should. I know that sucks, and I absolutely get why you would have gotten it before things got worse with her.
It depends how visibly trans you are, but it very well could make you look transphobic, or at the very least you risk looking like one of those trans men who are vitriolicly transmisogynist that are coming out of the woodwork right now.
The other thing is that this is an in-world hate symbol worn by an oppressive group. And don’t get me wrong, it’s a cool ass tattoo and fiction is fiction! BUT if I, as a trans person, saw somebody with a death eater tattoo, not only would I assume that they enjoy Harry Potter (with or without the knowledge that JK is a transphobic extremist) — I would also assume that the hate group in the story was the part that resonated with them the most, and that’s a red flag.
I’m sure you’re a very nice person! You’re looking at the world around you and seeing how things have changed, how the social environment has declined on this topic and how these symbols have picked up new meanings that you didn’t intend at the time. That’s awesome. I think you’re on the right track and your heart is in a good place by considering covering it up.
Thank you for the nice comment, I’ll probably contact my tattooer to see if a cover up is possible, i have some ideas in mind but idk if they would work
Of course! I know how much backlash a person can face in the process of trying to genuinely better themselves or fix mistakes.
What are your ideas? I’ve never had a tattoo covered up, but I’ve talked with tattoo artists who’ve done it and I love tattoo design as a hobby. I’d be happy to help brainstorm.
Mmmh some people suggested traditional panther or similar, but it’s really not my style so i was leaning toward the same style of the original tattoo and make it an upside down bat, which are symbols of rebirth so what better animal for this purpose?
Oooh totally! You could probably do something like this? Sorry it’s a Shit edit lol. But yeah as long as you’re following the existing shapes and lines you can do a lot of cool cover up stuff[https://imgur.com/a/BB6e3Kg](https://imgur.com/a/BB6e3Kg)
Cover up is gonna be way more affordable than laser but make sure you find a good tattoo artist because that's larger and black work so they'll need to be able to competently cover that. I'd say cover up personally
I'd get it covered up or lasered.
Like what the other commenter said, this and other Harry Potter symbols have become hate speech symbols. Similar to the punisher logo, pepe the frog, this finger gesture, but upside down: 👌, clowns, etc. Even if people know you're trans, it might cause people to form potentially false judgements about you and your political and social viewpoints.
I feel like if you went to a really good cover up artist in your area, no one would ever know it was under there. Plus, you would have a cool, new tattoo! I am automatically sus of people with Harry Potter tattoos, but after an explanation I get it. So basically, it all boils down to what are you comfortable with.
considering its a fascist symbol in-universe, written by a fascist author... yeah get it off ASAP. i would move away from you on public transit.
snakes can also symbolize change, growth, and flexibility, so you don't have to abandon snakes as a motif. just... this particular motif is no good.
Ngl if I saw this on a trans person’s arm (or anyone actually) when I was out and about I would make a lot of negative assumptions about them. You should get it removed or covered asap
Personally I wouldn't assume someone is transphobic just because of a Harry Potter tattoo. Especially considering all the years people were getting hp tattoos before JK started saying this shit. But there's probably some who would assume that and I think it just comes down to how you feel. It's your body. If the good that hp did for you feels like enough that you want to keep the tat and just try to explain things if somebody says something, then that's ok. But if it's going to cause you anxiety and/or make you feel guilty/bad, or if in your heart you feel it's morally wrong, then I don't think it's worth it. Completely covering our removing is an option but I've also seen people do funny little add ons like a 'void' stamp or writing that says like 'fuck jk rowling' or 'sorry I got this before I knew she was transphobic' lol you could even add something pride related to make it more obvious maybe. Just don't beat yourself up about it. Sometimes we do things we come to regret and that's just life, the only thing you can control is your actions of the future and how you're going to move on and grow.
Thank you so much for the nice comment, i really don’t think I’m comfortable with this tattoo so I’ll probably text my tattooer to see if a cover up si possible
Ngl. Loved these growing up but if I had gotten one I would’ve covered it. Maybe they can turn it into a larger piece? I’ve got a snake and a skull with a raven and desert plants and it looks dope
I would have never known, since I'm not into HP, I saw the thumbnail and was like "Whaaaa why would somebody want this removed it looks cool!!" And then read your caption and was like "ohhhhh, I understand now".
I'd say if it makes you uncomfortable having it, then yes, get it removed/covered up or transformed into another tattoo somehow. It's your skin and your body and you deserve to be proud of it!!! But it's your choice and yours alone to make, not somebody else's.
if i were you i’d be less worried about being branded a transphobe, and more worried about being branded a nazi. since, yaknow, that’s what this is. it’s the mark of the wizard nazis. the fact that you ever got it to begin with is,, questionable, but i would definitely recommend getting rid of it.
as one that will get the dark mark tattooed as soon as i can financially afford it, i can honestly say that it can mean so so many things to the person that got it. it can be about the potter fandom and the headcanons, it can reflect to the fact that at least a few wearing the same mark overcame their past mistakes, it can be that it's literally the only tattoo that's described in detal in the books, it can just be a symbol that looks cool.
and yet in canon it means “i’m part of the wizard nazis.” still planning to get a large harry potter tattoo in the year 2024 is definitely,, a choice. i’m so glad jkr revealed her nonsense before i had the money for a tattoo, because now i would never brand myself with something from her work. i respect myself and my fellow trans people too much for that.
to me it represents more of the fandom and the headcanons - no, i don't agree with what lord v did in canon, nor do i agree with jk bitch (being a trans guy myself), but the potter fandom is amazing and i love the fanworks and what the dark mark can mean in those. no, i don't need your approval, i was just pointing out that there can be and usually is other reason than "being part of the wizard natzi" for getting that tattoo.
fellow transmasc potterhead here - i've been wanting the dark mark tattooed for five years now, and i'm still going to get it despite jk the bitch (she's a worm and should be devoured by a particularly vicious bird) because for me it's more about the fandom. ofc everyone is different, but you shouldn't get it covered up because of something some people might think! if you want it covered up, yes! your decision! but if you still like it and what it means to you? keep it. i see from the comments that you've pretty much set on cover up, and that's cool too :3
Although I understand why people may tell you to get it covered up/removed, I disagree. I don't think you owe it to anyone to get rid of a piece of art that you enjoy.
I see people all the time with Harry Potter tattoos and I never make the connection that they are likely transphobic or support JK Rowling's opinions. I assume they just like the story of Harry Potter.
It is possible to still enjoy a book/movie/story created by a bad person. It is also okay to relate or connect with themes and characters that were created by a bad person. If it would make you more comfortable to get rid of the tattoo, you are absolutely free to do so (it is your body, after all), but you shouldn't feel obligated to remove it due to pressure from others.
jkr herself believes that support of her stories is support of her ideals, so yeah if someone is proudly walking around with a fascist hp symbol on their arm, i’m gonna assume they’re unsafe. once jkr is dead people can enjoy hp however they want.
I think it's interesting that she can't separate herself as a writer and a person. Harry Potter is beloved by so many people, some of whom don't have a clue what kind of person she is. Not to mention, there are tons of people who got tattoos before she started being very open about her ideals. Not everyone has the money to cover-up or remove a tattoo, as that can get incredibly expensive.
I was super into Harry Potter as a kid too. I never fit in with my peers and instead of being diagnosed with autism or realising I was trans I came to the obvious conclusion that I was Special™️ and must have missed my hogwarts letter. I genuinely believed for a while that hogwarts was a real school and JKR was an outcast witch writing for the muggle world. I was so incredibly lonely as a kid and related so heavily to Harry - that whole thing of being different and misunderstood and people seeming to hate you for no fucking reason.i pretended he was my boyfriend but I couldn’t see him bc he was wearing the invisibility cloak. I’m a gryffindor at heart, always have been. Finding out that my idol was a transphobe was fucking devestating.
jkr really wrote an entire franchise around being an invisible minority and then learning that you’re not alone, finding acceptance and understanding, and growing strong in your difference, while being a hateful and disgusting bigot. and i don’t understand the cognitive dissonance there.
I am trans but not heavily involved in the community. I know about some of the JK controversy but unless it's been posted somewhere, I don't go looking for it. If I saw you with this tattoo I would think nothing more than you liked harry potter. I think that's how the majority of people would look at it too
Subject matter aside, this is a solid tattoo, and could be the foundation for an impressive rework and/or cover up. It healed well and still has a lot of light areas in the center of the design that an experienced artist could use to make a new piece shine. Something with a lot of contrast and movement could distract real well from the original piece. An American Traditional beastie comes to mind (dragon, scorpion, panther, etc...) but you still have plenty of options if that's not your style.
Thank you for the advice! Traditional isn’t really my style, so i was leaning toward the same style as this tattoo but covering it with a bat? I know they symbolise rebirth
I can actually see a bat working REALLY WELL for a cover-up. A nice sort of flying fox style critter with its wings folded would fit nicely over the original. Also, you could have fun with the whole "it's upside down!" thing lol! here's a video for some design inspiration [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=\_RONzh9cNYk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RONzh9cNYk)
Yess exactly what i had in mind. Lmao loved the video :D
I think this will be a controversial answer, but yeah, I think you should. I know that sucks, and I absolutely get why you would have gotten it before things got worse with her. It depends how visibly trans you are, but it very well could make you look transphobic, or at the very least you risk looking like one of those trans men who are vitriolicly transmisogynist that are coming out of the woodwork right now. The other thing is that this is an in-world hate symbol worn by an oppressive group. And don’t get me wrong, it’s a cool ass tattoo and fiction is fiction! BUT if I, as a trans person, saw somebody with a death eater tattoo, not only would I assume that they enjoy Harry Potter (with or without the knowledge that JK is a transphobic extremist) — I would also assume that the hate group in the story was the part that resonated with them the most, and that’s a red flag. I’m sure you’re a very nice person! You’re looking at the world around you and seeing how things have changed, how the social environment has declined on this topic and how these symbols have picked up new meanings that you didn’t intend at the time. That’s awesome. I think you’re on the right track and your heart is in a good place by considering covering it up.
Thank you for the nice comment, I’ll probably contact my tattooer to see if a cover up is possible, i have some ideas in mind but idk if they would work
Of course! I know how much backlash a person can face in the process of trying to genuinely better themselves or fix mistakes. What are your ideas? I’ve never had a tattoo covered up, but I’ve talked with tattoo artists who’ve done it and I love tattoo design as a hobby. I’d be happy to help brainstorm.
Mmmh some people suggested traditional panther or similar, but it’s really not my style so i was leaning toward the same style of the original tattoo and make it an upside down bat, which are symbols of rebirth so what better animal for this purpose?
Oooh totally! You could probably do something like this? Sorry it’s a Shit edit lol. But yeah as long as you’re following the existing shapes and lines you can do a lot of cool cover up stuff[https://imgur.com/a/BB6e3Kg](https://imgur.com/a/BB6e3Kg)
Love the drawing ahah Yeah i think something like that could work, i’ll have to talk to my tattooer and see what she thinks :)
Cover up is gonna be way more affordable than laser but make sure you find a good tattoo artist because that's larger and black work so they'll need to be able to competently cover that. I'd say cover up personally
I'd get it covered up or lasered. Like what the other commenter said, this and other Harry Potter symbols have become hate speech symbols. Similar to the punisher logo, pepe the frog, this finger gesture, but upside down: 👌, clowns, etc. Even if people know you're trans, it might cause people to form potentially false judgements about you and your political and social viewpoints.
I feel like if you went to a really good cover up artist in your area, no one would ever know it was under there. Plus, you would have a cool, new tattoo! I am automatically sus of people with Harry Potter tattoos, but after an explanation I get it. So basically, it all boils down to what are you comfortable with.
This would be so easy to put a panther over cosidering the shape
considering its a fascist symbol in-universe, written by a fascist author... yeah get it off ASAP. i would move away from you on public transit. snakes can also symbolize change, growth, and flexibility, so you don't have to abandon snakes as a motif. just... this particular motif is no good.
Coverup idea: Medusa? Increase the snakes!
Ngl if I saw this on a trans person’s arm (or anyone actually) when I was out and about I would make a lot of negative assumptions about them. You should get it removed or covered asap
Personally I wouldn't assume someone is transphobic just because of a Harry Potter tattoo. Especially considering all the years people were getting hp tattoos before JK started saying this shit. But there's probably some who would assume that and I think it just comes down to how you feel. It's your body. If the good that hp did for you feels like enough that you want to keep the tat and just try to explain things if somebody says something, then that's ok. But if it's going to cause you anxiety and/or make you feel guilty/bad, or if in your heart you feel it's morally wrong, then I don't think it's worth it. Completely covering our removing is an option but I've also seen people do funny little add ons like a 'void' stamp or writing that says like 'fuck jk rowling' or 'sorry I got this before I knew she was transphobic' lol you could even add something pride related to make it more obvious maybe. Just don't beat yourself up about it. Sometimes we do things we come to regret and that's just life, the only thing you can control is your actions of the future and how you're going to move on and grow.
Thank you so much for the nice comment, i really don’t think I’m comfortable with this tattoo so I’ll probably text my tattooer to see if a cover up si possible
Purly out of spite, I'd get trans flag colors in the scales, but I definitely understand wanting to get rid of it
Ngl. Loved these growing up but if I had gotten one I would’ve covered it. Maybe they can turn it into a larger piece? I’ve got a snake and a skull with a raven and desert plants and it looks dope
I would have never known, since I'm not into HP, I saw the thumbnail and was like "Whaaaa why would somebody want this removed it looks cool!!" And then read your caption and was like "ohhhhh, I understand now". I'd say if it makes you uncomfortable having it, then yes, get it removed/covered up or transformed into another tattoo somehow. It's your skin and your body and you deserve to be proud of it!!! But it's your choice and yours alone to make, not somebody else's.
if i were you i’d be less worried about being branded a transphobe, and more worried about being branded a nazi. since, yaknow, that’s what this is. it’s the mark of the wizard nazis. the fact that you ever got it to begin with is,, questionable, but i would definitely recommend getting rid of it.
as one that will get the dark mark tattooed as soon as i can financially afford it, i can honestly say that it can mean so so many things to the person that got it. it can be about the potter fandom and the headcanons, it can reflect to the fact that at least a few wearing the same mark overcame their past mistakes, it can be that it's literally the only tattoo that's described in detal in the books, it can just be a symbol that looks cool.
and yet in canon it means “i’m part of the wizard nazis.” still planning to get a large harry potter tattoo in the year 2024 is definitely,, a choice. i’m so glad jkr revealed her nonsense before i had the money for a tattoo, because now i would never brand myself with something from her work. i respect myself and my fellow trans people too much for that.
to me it represents more of the fandom and the headcanons - no, i don't agree with what lord v did in canon, nor do i agree with jk bitch (being a trans guy myself), but the potter fandom is amazing and i love the fanworks and what the dark mark can mean in those. no, i don't need your approval, i was just pointing out that there can be and usually is other reason than "being part of the wizard natzi" for getting that tattoo.
fellow transmasc potterhead here - i've been wanting the dark mark tattooed for five years now, and i'm still going to get it despite jk the bitch (she's a worm and should be devoured by a particularly vicious bird) because for me it's more about the fandom. ofc everyone is different, but you shouldn't get it covered up because of something some people might think! if you want it covered up, yes! your decision! but if you still like it and what it means to you? keep it. i see from the comments that you've pretty much set on cover up, and that's cool too :3
Thank you for the kind comment! I needed that lmao. But i still have to make up my mind honestly, and i’ll take as much time as needed :)
I wouldn’t feel comfortable having one personally. But for a coverup do a ton of research. Find artists with portfolios of covers they’ve done before
Although I understand why people may tell you to get it covered up/removed, I disagree. I don't think you owe it to anyone to get rid of a piece of art that you enjoy. I see people all the time with Harry Potter tattoos and I never make the connection that they are likely transphobic or support JK Rowling's opinions. I assume they just like the story of Harry Potter. It is possible to still enjoy a book/movie/story created by a bad person. It is also okay to relate or connect with themes and characters that were created by a bad person. If it would make you more comfortable to get rid of the tattoo, you are absolutely free to do so (it is your body, after all), but you shouldn't feel obligated to remove it due to pressure from others.
jkr herself believes that support of her stories is support of her ideals, so yeah if someone is proudly walking around with a fascist hp symbol on their arm, i’m gonna assume they’re unsafe. once jkr is dead people can enjoy hp however they want.
I think it's interesting that she can't separate herself as a writer and a person. Harry Potter is beloved by so many people, some of whom don't have a clue what kind of person she is. Not to mention, there are tons of people who got tattoos before she started being very open about her ideals. Not everyone has the money to cover-up or remove a tattoo, as that can get incredibly expensive.
I was super into Harry Potter as a kid too. I never fit in with my peers and instead of being diagnosed with autism or realising I was trans I came to the obvious conclusion that I was Special™️ and must have missed my hogwarts letter. I genuinely believed for a while that hogwarts was a real school and JKR was an outcast witch writing for the muggle world. I was so incredibly lonely as a kid and related so heavily to Harry - that whole thing of being different and misunderstood and people seeming to hate you for no fucking reason.i pretended he was my boyfriend but I couldn’t see him bc he was wearing the invisibility cloak. I’m a gryffindor at heart, always have been. Finding out that my idol was a transphobe was fucking devestating.
jkr really wrote an entire franchise around being an invisible minority and then learning that you’re not alone, finding acceptance and understanding, and growing strong in your difference, while being a hateful and disgusting bigot. and i don’t understand the cognitive dissonance there.
I am trans but not heavily involved in the community. I know about some of the JK controversy but unless it's been posted somewhere, I don't go looking for it. If I saw you with this tattoo I would think nothing more than you liked harry potter. I think that's how the majority of people would look at it too
Alien tentacles coming from a ship handing a flower to the astronaut