Whimsy Tattoo brings inclusive tattooing to the Golden Triangle
The shop markets itself as sensory-friendly, and inclusive to women, the neurodiverse, BIPOC, and LGBTQIA+ communities.
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Whimsy Tattoo is creating a space where everyone, including women, neurodiverse people, the BIPOC, and LGBTQIA+ community- feel welcome and safe.
Getting a tattoo can be an intimidating experience—the pain, the noise, and the environment.
For marginalized groups, walking into a tattoo shop can feel even more overwhelming.
Aspen Robinson, a Whimsy Tattoo client described what it was like for them to walk into a normal tattoo shop.
“Just immediately felt like this rush of anxiety and just not feeling comfortable in the space whatsoever,” Robinson said.
Whimsy Tattoo in Columbus is trying to do something different from other shops.
They are offering a sensory-friendly, inclusive environment.
Robinson described how different it felt to walk into Whimsy Tattoo.
“And then whenever I walk in here I am immediately just kind of like, put at ease,” Robinson said. “It’s so comforting, and then you almost have to remind yourself that you’re in a tattoo shop.”
Loud music, bright lights, and even the attitude of some shops can make the experience overwhelming for those with sensory issues.
Whimsy tattoo apprentice Lucie Wade said the goal is to create a space where everyone can feel relaxed—even in the midst of pain.
“It’s important to have them relaxed and as calm as possible, as comfortable as possible because inevitably they are going to be in physical pain,” Wade said. “So we want to try to reduce the amount of stress that goes into that.”
Shop owner Bella Wala, said fostering a safe space centering around art and community is the goal.
“It’s very special to me that not only do people want my art on them permanently,” Wala said. “But I also get a sense of community and a sense of like-minded people. So it’s really just the art that brings us together.”
Wala said her shop markets directly to historically marginalized groups, providing them with a safe space to get tattooed.
“I feel like I’ve never worked at a shop that markets directly towards those people, like the people who need to feel a sense of belonging,” Wala said.
For Robinson, that sense of belonging means everything.
“It makes me feel like there is a part of us, of the queer community and people with other like neurodivergence, kind of speaking out and kind of cementing ourselves in the Golden Triangle,” Robinson said.
Whimsy Tattoo offers unlimited free-of-charge breaks during every tattoo session, making sure every client feels in control of their experience.
