Pop Culture dictionary
semicolon tattoo
[sem-i-koh-luhn ta-too]
What does a semicolon tattoo mean?
Content warning: This article deals with the sensitive topic of suicide. If you (or anyone you know) are having thoughts of suicide, please call the toll-free, 24/7 at 988 or 1-800-273-8255.聽
A semicolon tattoo is a tattoo of the semicolon punctuation mark (;), which is used as a message of affirmation and solidarity with those who have dealt with suicide, depression, addiction, and other mental health issues.
Where does semicolon tattoo come from?
The semicolon tattoo was popularized by Amy Bleuel. Having struggled with depression, addiction, and difficult personal circumstances, particularly after being raped and her father died by suicide, she wanted something to commemorate her survival. In 2013, she founded the faith-based nonprofit Project Semicolon, which chose a semicolon as a symbol because it鈥檚 鈥渦sed when an author could鈥檝e chosen to end their sentence, but chose not to. The author is you and the sentence is your life.鈥�
Project Semicolon is dedicated to the prevention of suicide through raising public awareness of depression and equipping communities and individuals with tools to promote mental health.
Examples of semicolon tattoo
Who uses semicolon tattoo?
People get semicolon tattoos to represent their own struggles with鈥攁nd victories over, ongoing as they can be鈥攕uicide, or to express solidarity for those experiencing mental health issues. Intended to be hopeful and inspirational, the tattoo is often subtle, in places such as behind the ear or on the wrist, though many have larger, more elaborate designs incorporating the semicolon punctuation mark. The semicolon tattoo also takes other symbolic, non-tattoo forms, printed, for example, on t-shirts or fashioned as pendants.
The mental health meaning of the semicolon tattoo received another boost of attention during the debut of the 2017 Netflix series 13 Reasons Why, based on a 2007 young adult novel by Jay Asher centering on the suicide of a high school student. Three of the people involved with the project got the semicolon tattoo, including actor Selena Gomez, who was an executive producer of the adaptation.
Separate from their mental health symbolism, semicolon tattoos are also used by people with Crohn鈥檚 disease to represent their community. The logic is that someone with Crohn鈥檚 disease or a similar condition might quite literally have a semi-colon, as part of the intestinal colon sometimes has to be removed to treat it.
There are also semicolon tattoos that have nothing to do with either Crohn鈥檚 disease or mental health issues, so it鈥檚 best not to assume anything about someone鈥檚 life based on their tattoo choice. They might just be passionate about semicolons.
Note
This is not meant to be a formal definition of semicolon tattoo like most terms we define on 亚洲网紅露点, but is rather an informal word summary that hopefully touches upon the key aspects of the meaning and usage of semicolon tattoo that will help our users expand their word mastery.