Agreed, and I'm not sure why they should be treated as so different from markers of other cultural affiliations. It must be that the culture that most tattooed people in America represent--generation X or younger, prone to sensation seeking, arguably part of the counterculture, often lower SES--is looked down upon more than others. I find it really interesting that nose studs are actually protected when they represent someone's religious beliefs, or are part of their ethnic heritage. However, if a person is not Indian or Hindu (for example), then suddenly a nose stud represents a greater barrier to treatment. I realize that many people do also caution against the use of religious symbols, etc. in practice, but institutionally those two types of expression are usually treated differently.
Full disclosure: I have a tattoo and a couple non-traditional piercings. I've been willing to take them out/cover them up throughout my training when I've been asked to so. However, I dislike the feeling I get when I do this--like someone telling me it's not ok to be me. Not that I will be completely picky about this, but I really hope to end up with a career at a site that doesn't have a problem with these types of self-expression. My current internship does not. In fact, I'm surrounded by several hospital employees with visible tattoos.
