A woman whose face is fully covered in tattoos is having a hard time getting a job, as she believes people don't see her as human.
Tattoos have been a point of contention across generations, but their perception has progressively transformed, with an increasing number of people embracing them as permanent forms of personal expression.
Melissa Sloan, a 46-year-old from Wales, is a self-confessed tattoo "addict", which is evidenced by her appearance which features over 800 pieces of body art.
According to a report by the Daily Star, Sloan's journey with body art is a unique one. With her partner Luke as the artist, Sloan receives new designs at a rate of three per week, many of which are applied "prison style" within the comfort of her home.
This artistic journey, however, has led to challenges in her professional life.
Speaking with the outlet, the 46-year-old said: "I'm not proud of saying it but I haven't worked for 20 years."
She went on: "I have applied for jobs and they look at me and say 'what is this', like I'm not a human being. I would love a job and prove them all wrong because all the time they keep saying to me 'no one will give you a job.'"
"People don't like me with my tattoos, my face, because they just look at you like you're worthless, you're nothing," she added. "They don't want people like us with tattoos on their face. They don't understand us, do they? We're just exactly the same as anyone else. We breathe the same, we live the same - but they just don't want to know."
Furthering her anguish with her job hunt, Sloan added to the Daily Star: "I can’t get a job. They won’t have me. I applied for a job cleaning toilets where I live and they won’t have me because of my tattoos.
"The first job I had was cleaning ages ago, cleaning toilets. People have said I have never had a job in my life, I have had one once and it didn’t last long. But, if someone offered me a job tomorrow I would go and work - I would take that offer."
Sloan remains unemployed and is currently living off of government allowances to get by - but she has been making a clear effort to gain employment.
The story is not limited to just employment struggles. Sloan's tattoos have cast a shadow on her personal life as well.
She recounted an emotional incident involving her children's school activities, revealing: "No Christmas parties and when I go to my child's school I don't get invited."
Sloan's tattoos have isolated her from school events, even leading to her watching her children's performances from outside the classroom window.
Sloan also shared that she has been barred from certain pubs due to her tattoos, hindering her participation in traditional UK Christmas festivities with family and friends.
Even tattoo shops have shut their doors to her, leading her partner to take on the role of tattoo artist to ensure her weekly dose of ink.
Despite these hardships, Sloan maintains her pride in her body art and insists that she has no intention of stopping even with the way she is perceived.
