Forced tattoos

The Indian women saying no to forced tattoos

Many young people get inked to showcase their identity, what makes them distinctive and who they are.

But for me, a decision to not get a tattoo was my version of rebellion, an assertion of my hard-fought independence.

It was my way of saying: "I will not toe the line."

I grew up thinking of tattoos, along with nose and ear piercings, as symbols of the subjugation of women.

That's because my mother has a couple of tattoos. And my grandmother had more than a couple. And they told me they had no choice in the matter.