‘This Is What a Mother Looks Like’—Tattooed Moms Redefine Motherhood

It's almost 2017 but we're still living in a society clouded with judgment and prejudice based on a person's physical appearance. People are still targets of discrimination for factors such as ethnicity, physique, and even self-expression. Time and time again, you hear stories of tattooed women being questioned about their capabilities as mothers based on their exposed skin supposedly being ‘ruined’ by tattoos.

‘Devoted’ – Photo by Celia Sanchez.

As a tattooed mother, photographer Celia Sanchez is all too familiar with these unpleasant encounters, and so she channeled this negativity into art. Devoted is a photo series depicting what some may call as ‘unconventional’ mothers in all their tattooed glory. Sanchez juxtaposed portraits of the women with photographs of them with their happy, well-adjusted children.

‘Devoted’ – Photo by Celia Sanchez.

“I was inspired to do the series after becoming a mother and me feeling like I didn't fit in with the other mothers at my children's daycare,” Sanchez tells we, recounting experiences she had in the past. “People would say ‘You don't look like a mom’ and I thought that was such a silly thing to say because what does a mom look like?”

“I thought it'd be great to show women who weren't sacrificing their personal style just because they've become mothers. I wanted to try and show people a different image to the word ‘Mother.’” In Devoted, Sanchez captures strong images of the bold women who don't let others define them as mothers through their tattoo sleeves, the shock of bright-coloured hair, and facial piercings.

‘Devoted’ – Photo by Celia Sanchez.


‘Devoted’ – Photo by Celia Sanchez.


‘Devoted’ – Photo by Celia Sanchez.


‘Devoted’ – Photo by Celia Sanchez.


‘Devoted’ – Photo by Celia Sanchez.


‘Devoted’ – Photo by Celia Sanchez.


‘Devoted’ – Photo by Celia Sanchez.

All photos featured here are from Devoted, a photo series by Celia Sanchez. See the rest of her works here.