ANTI-FEMINIST SHOP.
Never felt so disenfranchised or insulted.
After years of wanting a tattoo and finally months of trying to find the right artist for my first, I finally decided on Austyn Cody at Ritual. My boyfriend (soon fiancé) and I went to the consult together and we all discussed ideas back and forth with Austyn until we talked through the art. I already had the general theme I wanted but I'm not very artistic so I needed the advice of my boyfriend (who is) and Austyn for some help with the specific details. I was beyond excited to finally be getting it.
Two days before my appointment I get an email from Jamie, saying they "are not comfortable moving forward with my tattoo " and wanted to refund my deposit and cancel my appointment.
I was immediately disappointed, but mostly confused. My boyfriend suggested I call to see what happened, since the email was unexpected and cryptic. I'm a naturally shy person and embarrassed about why it could have been cancelled, so was uncomfortable calling myself. I asked my boyfriend if he could call to see what happened.
He called and Jamie, the manager of the shop, said to him "yea, this is exactly why, it seems like you're too involved in this process and it seems like getting this tattoo is not what she wants". She said he scheduled the appointment for me (he didn't) and that he SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN AT MY CONSULT. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Since when are you not allowed to bring your significant other to an appointment as serious as this?
My boyfriend at this point got rightfully livid. Jamie then started to say "I'm just a middle man don't yell at me, I'm just relaying what Austyn wants". The ridiculous irony of Austyn not tattooing me because my boyfriend was advocating for me and then hiding behind his manager and refusing to speak to me himself (when I called back, calmly) was not lost on us.
I've been crying for the last hour. Not because I can't get my tattoo now, but because I have never felt so judged or infantilized. In their effort to "protect me" they completely insulted me and acted like I have no agency of my own. Its a level of disrespect I have not ever experienced.
Their art is good (my boyfriend and his friends are all past customers for the better part of 10 years in fact), but I would never have anything associated with them anywhere near my body. Please, please, find a shop that doesn't BELITTLE women to this extent.
Austyn, Jamie, and Ritual should be ashamed. read more