Its not that you are being told that you cannot have a tattoo or a piercing, it is just that you have to look at everything before you make this decision. I have 3 tattoos and a piercing and I have chosen to place them in areas where it will not be distasteful, and where they can be hidden if need be. You have to look at the whole picture! Even when joining the army, you are not allowed to have tattoos in certain areas or piercings! It is just the way it is!