Group of moms make a pin-up calendar showing off their tattoos and piercings to fight against traditional stereotypes
- The Tattooed Hippie Pirate Mommas is a group of self-confessed 'non-traditional mothers' who've put together a calendar to help tackle peoples perceptions of what a mom should look like
- The movement was formed by Texas mom-of-two Stacy Willingham in 2011 as a group for 'anyone who is or loves a tattooed mom'
- It has since grown to include six group in the U.S., another two in the U.K. and more than 700 members online
- 'I think we're breaking a stereotype. Just because we have tattoos doesn't mean we can't raise amazing children,' said Willingham, who has 15 tattoos
|
The Tattooed Hippie Pirate Mommas movement was formed in July 2011 and describes itself as a group for ‘anyone who is or loves a tattooed mom.’
It was founded by Stacy Willingham, a mother of two from Denton, near Dallas.
Meet the mommas: Elin Adcock, left, is a
computer support professional and mom of three by day, while Brook Ray,
right, is mom to a two-year-girl, a chef and wine shop owner
Ashley Jones, left, is a mother of two and wife
to a former Marine, while Azure Hardy, right, is a senior at the
University of North Texas, majoring in Anthropology and a mom
From humble beginnings it has rapidly spread to include branches in San Antonio, Austin, Denver, California, Missouri, New York and is even going international with two branches launching soon in London.
‘I became a stay-at-home mom when I had kids. I was just really wanting to meet other moms, and I joined a local playgroup for moms with toddlers and babies,’ Willingham told SFGate.
‘The first meetup I went to I felt so out of place because I was the only one with tattoos and piercings, and the other moms seemed more reserved where my personality was a little more loud.’
As well as the groups in different locations, the Tattooed Hippie Pirate Mommas also has a thriving online presence on social media sites including Facebook and Meetup.com and now has over 700 members.
Skye Weatheread, left, runs the Taschen Library
in downtown Dallas and is a mom of two boys, while Stacy Willingham,
right, is the founder of Tattooed Hippie Pirate Mommas and a
professional writer, she is married with three kids
Lori Peniston, left, is an Interior
Designer/Artist and single mom to a three girl, while Stephanie Hopkins,
right, is the mom to two daughters and plays roller derby for North
Texas Derby Revolution under the name ‘E'wok O'Shame’
Willingham thinks the reason the group is gaining popularity, online and off, is because people understand her vision.
‘I think we're breaking a stereotype. Just because we have tattoos doesn't mean we can't raise amazing children,’ said Willingham, who has 15 tattoos.
In fact not all members are tattooed or pierced, but the one thing they do have in common is that they didn't feel comfortable in more traditional mommy groups.
Willingham says there are core values which set member of the Tattooed Hippie Pirate Mommas apart from other more traditional groups.
‘Members have to be open-minded and fearless. We are renegade women who aren’t afraid to speak our mind and are raising our children to help run the world,’ she told Mail Online.
Ashley Ellsworth, left, is a stay-at-home mom to
two boys and her fiancé, while Ashhlye Soto is a 22-year-old married
stay-at-home-mom to Eden, aged one
Anni Weir, left, is a married hairstylist with a
son, Noah, while Amanda Servis, right, is a hairstylist and single mom
to a son also called Noah. She did the majority of hair and makeup for
the girls who modeled for the calendar
The group does a lot of the same things any other moms playgroup do – going to the park, play dates, picnics, going to the mall, girls nights out – but they also have got together to have tattoo parties.
The members of the chapter in Denton recently put together a calendar to benefit multiple charities in their local area for the second year running.
As well as raising money for good causes, the calendar was also a good opportunity for the moms to meet up and enjoy some all-important ‘me’ time.
‘Most of us are stay at home moms who don’t often get the opportunity to dress up and feel beautiful,’ said Willingham.
‘At the photo session for the calendar I had moms coming up to me saying that they felt gorgeous and had had the best time.’
Amber Fergason, left, was one of the mommas from
the San Antonio group to take part, while Stephanie Meier, right, is a
hairstylist and single mom to daughter Wren, 2. She also did hair and
makeup for the girls in the calendar
Dawn Dreyer is a Dallasite, artist, DJ, social
butterfly and mother to a brilliant 12-year-old little lady. By day
she's a computer wiz, pushing parts & pixels, crunching numbers. In
her spare time she puts energy towards her love for music and arts. You
can see her grooving behind the turntables to her beloved DubStep, using
power tools to create her 3D projects, paint brush in hand before an
open canvas or dancing to her favorite tunes at music festivals
The calendar has a 1950s pinups theme and was very professionally done by Courts Griner Photography, it was shot on location with hair and makeup specialists to give it an authentic feel.
‘The project also has a wider aim to break down stereotypes and show that there are different types of moms that you might not see on a regular basis and that they are great parents too,’ said Willingham.
She admits that she and other members have experienced strangers telling them that they are setting a bad example for kids, but she strongly disagrees and argues that she and the other Tattooed Hippie Pirate Mommas are raising more open-minded and accepting children.
Combating bullying is a key issue for the group and their golden rule is that members must be respectful of others.
Pamela Navarro, left, is pregnant with her
second baby and is mom to daughter Tulsi, 2, while Samantha Osborn,
right, has six kids, five daughters and one son, aged between 13 and 11
month old
Chelsea Victorious, left, has a daughter,
Paisley, while Cat McAdoo Chronister, right, is a billing specialist.
She is married to Bill and has five kids. Twins Caryn and Anna are 19,
Joi is 18, Wesley is 15 and Atticus is 10 months
‘We don't like bullying, we don't like drama, we want to accept moms for who they are. That's kind of our motto,’ Willingham said. ‘We have each other's backs. We're like family, honestly.’
The group’s name also has meaning:
- Tattooed - people usually love art and are strong mentally; a little out of the box; aren't afraid to be different.
- Hippies - reject the mores of established society (as by dressing unconventionally or favoring communal living) and advocate a nonviolent ethic.
- Pirates - took their codes of loyalty very seriously, never turning their back on each other; they faced other pirates as a group, and their success depended on being a united front. They made their own rules and laws and did what they wanted.
- Mommas - the thing that brings them all together.
Chrissy Diaz, left, is a 33-year-old mom of
three who enjoys baking, knitting, not fitting in, and escaping to the
local rock club, while Michelle Henson, right, is a married mom of a
five-year-old, Jevin, with her husband, Jerrime. She has the tops of
both feet tattooed, with a blue ovarian cancer ribbon in memory of her
mother on one
