25 September 2023 , 08:27
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Getting tattoos is a personal choice, and you'll want to get inkings that mean something to you and that you'll look at and smile. But many people who get tats opt for something that can be covered up easily by clothes, as sometimes, even now, tattoos are frowned upon in the workplace.
King Body Art, who was born Matthew Whelen, claims that staff at a call centre treated him differently because his body is 90% covered in tattoos. The 42-year-old claimed that he was hidden away from management during an "office reshuffle" because of his extreme appearance.
Before the tattoos, King looked totally different (king_b0dy_art/Instagram)
But now he refers to his body as a 'work of art' (@king_b0dy_art/Instagram)King said that he thought "ultimate restrictions" had been placed on him, just for the fact that he looks different. He shared that he thinks a dress code should just be limited to clothing, rather than people in the workplace judging him for the inkings across his whole body.
He told the Daily Star: "I got shuffled around from one office to another when I was working in a call centre. The managers were coming up so they decided to have a move around in the office. The person they got to move was me. I got shifted from one end of the office down to the bottom when the managers came up."
He didn't let the call centre experience hold him back (king_b0dy_art/Instagram)He didn't let that negative experience hold him back, however, as he landed acting roles in shows such as BBC's Doctors. However, he did say that often when it comes to his acting career, he feels as though he can be "typecast" in prisoner roles due to his tattoos. But he did joke he wouldn't be "popping up in Downton Abbey."
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Despite the stigma that he faces, King insists he wouldn't have it any other way as he enjoys his life as a "living work of art" and he regularly posts tattoo updates on his social media accounts.