A man whose body is covered in tattoos claims that he was kept away from his bosses because of his unique appearance.
Matthew Whelan, a call center worker, claims he has faced discrimination at his workplace because of his more than 300 tattoos.
He has also dyed his eyes black, split his tongue in half, and carved ‘teeth marks’ into his ears.
Speaking to the Daily Star, he said: “You bring ultimate restrictions upon yourself by looking different. That’s not just alternative people.”
Also known as King of Inkland, he continued: “Basically the reason why you won’t get a job is not that you look totally different, it’s because people won’t give you a job. It also depends on what the industry is and their dress code. I think a dress code should just be that – clothing.”
The heartbroken worker also opened up about his negative experiences in the past, claiming he was forced to hide when his bosses came up.
“This appearance, this extreme alternative look can restrict people and has restricted me in the past, even when I’ve been in employment.”
He claimed he was forced to move around in the office because managers were coming up.
“The person they got to move was me. I got shifted from one end of the office down to the bottom when the managers come up,” he added.
While tattoos can be a form of self-expression, many companies state that employees must conceal visible ink while on the job.
Whelan previously led a campaign to protect the employment status of those who have body modifications and tattoos but not much has changed.
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