A Yuma, Arizona, tattoo artist is catching heat for inking a 9-year-old girl with an American flag.
But the co-owner of Black Onyx Empire Tattoo, who goes by the mononym Sosa, said he did everything he could to discourage the parents, who brought the little girl from out of state to his shop last year hoping to get a tattoo of Donald Trump on her neck.
Instead of the usual $80 fee, he charged them $500 hoping to “scare” them away,” he said. But the parents, and their little girl, were determined.
Sosa said he was at least able to talk them out of the Trump stamp, telling the girl if she still wanted the president-elect a year later to be engraved on her body for eternity, he would do it.
Last week, the little girl, now 10, returned to the parlor and said she had changed her mind about the Trump ink. She did request a touch-up of her flag tattoo. Sosa shared the story on Instagram and was met with a torrent of disapproval.
“I’m getting a lot of hate from it,” he told the CBS affiliate in Yuma. My employees are getting hate from it. My business, I’m getting so many bad reviews on Google,” said Sosa.
He said his normal cut-off age is 15. He made an exception after reviewing the girl’s circumstances.
The family had emigrated from Turkey and told him getting tattoos was a tradition in their culture.
“They were just very grateful to be here in the United States,” Sosa said. “They were just being grateful. They said they saw Donald Trump as a hero.”
But the internet wasn’t hearing it.
“I’m heavily tattooed and I believe anyone involved in this should be prosecuted and put in jail,” responded one Instagram follower.
Added another: “You shoulda talked yourself out of even entertaining the thought. You can’t control the parents but you can control your own actions and should have refused service.
But Sosa broke no law. Most U.S. states ban tattoos for people under 18, but Arizona allows them for any age as long as the parents are present and consent.
Ben Shaw, of the Alliance of Professional Tattooists, said Arizona is one of the least regulated states for tattoo artists, who aren’t required to hold a license to practice.
“It is one of the most frustrating things about our career field and in Arizona where it has no regulations,” Shaw said.
Shaw said Sosa should’ve declined the business, saying just because it’s legal doesn’t mean it’s ethical.
“It can give us professionals a bad reputation. If you see a 10-year-old child with a professional tattoo and they say they got it at a tattoo shop, that degrades us as a whole,” Shaw said.
Social media users largely agreed.
“Please no. As an artist, be the bigger person and don’t do this to a 9 year old,” said one commenter. “Then call child services.”
But Sosa said he believes he made the right choice, all things considered.
“She was going to get it done regardless,” he told the New York Post. “She said it didn’t matter if I did it or someone else did it, she was going to get it done.”
“And I thought, ‘You know what, in a sterile, clean environment…’” he said, adding he was afraid another artist might give her the Trump neck stamp.
It wasn’t all bad for Sosa. Some users did agree with his decision.
“This is sillyyyyy why are people hating on the kid getting a tattoo cuz like she consented she wanted it and parents said yup. If it’s legal it’s cool! Kid didn’t even pay for it, she can pay and cover it up later if she outgrows it. Tattoo guy rocks for talking her out of a NECK tattoo where it would have president trump too?? What the heck that’s a really good call to talk her into a place where she can easily hide it if need be!! She’s a kid that definitely needed that direction and it came out great too 🥹”
