27 Jun Meet the tattoo artist providing free cover-ups for Harry Potter tattoos
Anyone with a social media account is likely aware of the controversy surrounding J.K. Rowling. For those fortunate enough to be unfamiliar, Rowling has expressed incredibly prejudiced views, particularly towards the trans community. These controversies first surfaced on X in 2017, and since then, even more have unfolded.
Given how many LGBTQIA+ individuals are fans of the Harry Potter franchise, her comments have caused significant disappointment and upset. The franchise’s massive popularity has led many fans to get Harry Potter tattoos. In recent years, however, as Rowling’s views have come to light, many now regret these tattoos and no longer want to be associated with a franchise created by someone who holds such opinions. But as we know, tattoos are expensive, and it is easier said than done to just cover-up or remove a tattoo.
That’s where tattoo artist Helena Gifford, known as @hella._.tattoos on Instagram, steps in. Helena is offering free Harry Potter tattoo cover-ups. While the cover-ups come at no cost, she’s set up a donation page for clients who’d like to leave a tip and for others who want to contribute. All proceeds will be donated to Trans Pride Brighton, as a way to give back to the community and turn this initiative into something positive. We chatted to Helena to find out more…
Can you explain your initial motivation for offering free Harry Potter cover-ups?
Well, I saw a graphic online, probably on Instagram, about her funding the Supreme Court case ruling over the rights of trans women. Meaning someone’s “legal sex is defined by birth and not affected by any Gender Recognition certificate they have received” – effectively stripping rights away from the entire trans community.
I’m a queer person, with many trans friends, and I just felt so angry – especially seeing the tweet she posted where she is smoking a cigar and boasting about winning. It was just a reality check of how malicious this woman is.
I started thinking, “Oh thank god I never got a Harry Potter tattoo,” and how many there must be in the world. I just knew that if I had a Harry Potter tattoo, I’d be able to cover it myself, and knowing that some people wouldn’t have the ability to cover it for free, and cover-ups or laser treatments are so expensive. I wanted to help people who would be stuck with a symbol of this horrible franchise.
The donation idea came after, I was thinking people would probably want to pay something towards it, so I figured it makes more sense to start a GoFundMe. So even if people didn’t have a cover-up they needed done, they could still donate and show support.
Was there a particular moment or statement from J.K. Rowling that pushed you to take this step?
The Supreme Court ruling did it. I knew (obviously) that she was a notorious TERF (trans exclusionary radical feminist). However, I think realising that she’s using her profits directly from Harry Potter, and using her position of power and influence given to her by this series to attack the trans community, was a reality check of how bad things have got.
Most Harry Potter fans I knew as a kid were the outcasts like me, and we found comfort in these books. And the idea that she is using her profits from this very community, from kids who feel different, to hurt that very same community is so twisted.
Do you find people are getting their Harry Potter cover-ups for similar reasons?
Every person I have tattooed so far has wanted the cover-up for this reason, and a lot of the session is spent discussing our disappointment over such a beloved childhood memory turning sour. How sad it is that we can’t enjoy something that used to be so important to us anymore. We talk about our experiences with Harry Potter and why we liked it. We often have the same conversation about whether we would still read the books/watch the movies. Which I am still undecided on, so it’s interesting to hear other people’s opinions.
Most cover-up clients are queer and trans so it’s nice to see that the community themselves are benefitting. I’m glad that, as far as I know, no one has taken advantage of this project just to get a free tattoo.
What kinds of Harry Potter tattoos have people asked you to cover up?
Mostly Deathly Hallows. I’m limited to what I can do as a cover-up, due to size/ blackness/ placement. So Deathly Hallows is the easiest to cover, and the one I am seeing the most. I’ve had a few quotes and a snitch at one point.
Sadly, a lot of people have large blackout Hogwarts castles, or large colour tattoos, and there isn’t anything I can do to help there. I’m offering blastovers which would help hide some of the design, but most people want it fully gone, understandably.
What kinds of designs are people choosing to cover their tattoos with?
It’s a range; I am limited to what I can do, with this being a self-funded project. So, a lot of people go with what I recommend would be the simplest way to cover it. As I have to do these tattoos late in the evening, I don’t have time to do a massive detailed piece. It’s a lot of black, I’ve done a dinosaur skeleton, some witches, a witch burning at the stake, and a big flower. It varies.
How does covering the tattoo make people feel after?
Everyone has been very grateful and has donated to the GoFundMe. It’s hard to say accurately, as after a tattoo session people are so exhausted and glad to not be in pain anymore, so it’s hard to get a read of their emotions. I really hope everyone is happy with them!
Do you plan to continue offering this service indefinitely, or is it a time-limited project?
I’m not sure yet, I’m limited to how many I can do at a time. As I also need to make money myself and I can’t do a cover-up on a day I’m not tattooing a paying client as I still have to pay rent for my day in the studio. So I have a long wait list, and the rate of emails I’m getting has slowed a lot.
I’m also going on maternity leave in October, so I won’t be able to continue for a while. But it’s something I hope to always come back to being able to do.
Helena is based in Brighton at The Blackhouse Tattoo. Make sure you check out Helena on Instagram and read more tattoo stories on our blog.
The post Meet the tattoo artist providing free cover-ups for Harry Potter tattoos appeared first on Things&Ink.
No Comments