The term deviance is defined as the fact or state of departure from usual or accepted standards, in particular from social behavior. There are many things that our society deems deviant that are not necessarily bad. In my article I will address why body modification, especially tattoos, are considered deviant behavior in today's society. During the 1920s and 1950s tattoo shops slowly began to appear in cities, especially in alleys and neighborhoods characterized by poverty and crime. Frequented by carnival workers, military personnel, criminals, social outcasts, and pseudo-tough guys, the tattoo shop became a social club where individuals existing on the fringes of society met and exchanged stories of adventure, grandeur, and bravado (Atkinson, 2003, p.36). In the period immediately following the Second World War, tattooing took a step back towards social disrepute. As social groups brandished tattoos to advertise their collective discontent with society, the practice became popular among members of the social underbelly (Atkinson, 2003, p.38). This era from 1950 to 1970 is called the rebel era. During this time people used tattoos as a sign of social protest and rebellion. They demonstrated their political disdain and contempt for their cultural environment through body art. The 70s and 90s are considered the New Age era, society was changing and so were its ideas. For example, as a product of cultural consciousness generated by political movements based on race, sex, and gender, the body has become a popular billboard for “doing” identity politics (Atkinson, 2003, p. 42). During this time tattooing moved primarily away from blue collar workers and criminals to include all types of people. Women in particular begin… in the middle of the paper… where they were used as a mode of communication between spies (Mantell, 2009). Works Cited Atkinson, M. (2003). Tattooed The sociogenesis of body art. Toronto, Canada: University of Toronto Press Incorporated. Mantell, M. (n.d.). The psychology of tattoos. San Diego Magazine Doctor San Diego. Retrieved November 17, 2013, from http://www.sandiegomagazine.com/San-Diego-Magazine/August-2009/The-Psychology-of- Tattoos/Sociological Theory // I Heart Sociology. (2011, October 29). Sociological theory I Sociology of the heart. Retrieved November 17, 2013, from http://soctheory.iheartsociology.com/2011/10/29/the-stigma-attached-to-having-tattoos-being-labeled-as-deviant/Strohecker, D. (2012, 19 January). Cyborgology. Cyborgology RSS. Retrieved November 17, 2013, from http://thesocietypages.org/cyborgology/2012/01/19/generational-change-in-the-social-acceptability-of-tattoos/