What is the deal with star tattoos?

[Vic Winters]

I'm not bashing, just genuinely curious.

[Baryonyx]

I have no idea, I know they are very popular with the homosexual community, perhaps as a symbol of "belonging" or allegiance? A couple of my gay friends have them, I'll ask them and see what they say!

[Jared Lash]

I only know one star Tatoo

[i_got_a_mohawk]

I dont know, but i think they look pretty cool.

Nautical stars are used alot

[JNowiski]

its just the new trend, like tribal in the 90s. i know alot of people with stars and i've seen alot of people get stars. in the homosexual community stars have somekind of meaning, but its also just a trend. look it up on wikipedia or something, use google.

[bongomania]

Speaking as someone who spent most of his life around the gay community in SF, I am pretty sure the nautical stars are just a me-too trend with no other meaning. They look retro and tough without being jokey like an anchor. Also note that the trend is mostly among lesbians and emo kids of both sexes, not non-emo gay men as far as I've seen.

[JNowiski]

Originally Posted by bongomania

Speaking as someone who spent most of his life around the gay community in SF, I am pretty sure the nautical stars are just a me-too trend with no other meaning. They look retro and tough without being jokey like an anchor. Also note that the trend is mostly among lesbians and emo kids of both sexes, not non-emo gay men as far as I've seen.

true that about the emos. its alot of dude and dudettes in that bracket that are getting them. and i've only heard they have meaning in the gay community, but not sure, so thanks for the correction on that.

[Vic Winters]

I didn't mean the nautical star, just stars in general, usually a grouping of 3 or more. Most of the time, they're not colored in, just a thick border.

Like this

[JNowiski]

Originally Posted by Vic Winters

I didn't mean the nautical star, just stars in general, usually a grouping of 3 or more.

just a trend.

[i_got_a_mohawk]

Nautical stars have been a thing in the punk community for a long time, along with things like spider webs etc

[f'nar f'nar]

Not long ago, in Australia it was made aware that if you have 5 star tattoos on you're body it was a simble of homosexuality (much like a single earring in the right ear), this however was met with outrage becausemany straight guys had the Southern Cross tattood onto them at some point. I know 5 stars is no longer the norm, but I'm not sure.

[Deluge Of Sound]

Spiders and Spiderwebs on the elbows used to be how many people you had killed in a fight.

[JNowiski]

prison has its own set of rules to tattoos, but nowadays in the civillian world, there's really much less of a reason for most peoples tattoos. stars are trendy right now. that's basically it.

[i_got_a_mohawk]

Originally Posted by Deluge Of Sound

Spiders and Spiderwebs on the elbows used to be how many people you had killed in a fight.

I never knew that, I always thought number of kills was by tears?

[funkalicious101]

HAH, I though this said "What is the deal with star wars tatoos?"

and then it really freaked my out when they turned out to be so popular.

[bongomania]

In American prisons, spiderwebs on the elbow mean a life sentence. Tears = number of years in prison. There is no tattoo I know of that indicates number of people killed.

[Deluge Of Sound]

Originally Posted by i_got_a_mohawk

I never knew that, I always thought number of kills was by tears?

Well, it varies from region to region and country to country. I'd always heard it stood for number of people killed, but doing some research it appears that it can stand for a number of things, prison time being one of the more common ones.

[HEIST]

Stars have always been a popular symbol.
It's aesthetically pleasing and can mean anything to anyone.

EDIT// Regarding the spiderweb and tears...

Here, tears indicate the number of people you've killed and spiderwebs on elbows means you're a neo-nazi.

[msquared]

Originally Posted by JNowiski

in the civillian world, there's really much less of a reason for most peoples tattoos. stars are trendy right now. that's basically it.

+1

Outlined stars = "I wanted a tattoo in 2006/2007 and couldn't decide what to get."

Nautical stars = "I ran with the emo crowd and wanted a tattoo in 2006/2007 and couldn't decide what to get."

Stars have always been popular. There's an entire section dedicated to them on BME.

[MAJOR METAL]

Yeah I have seen them for about the past 4 or 5 years as a tattoo trend. I cant say I have seen them represnt the gay community though , the upside down triangle has been a recent favorite of gay men for pride ink.