Our body, as some consider it, is a canvas filled with scars and tattoos, each artistic element with a story of its own to tell. Tattoos are creative body modifications that can be temporary or permanent and are used to express oneself or something nonverbally.
Although there are millions and millions of thought-provoking tattoos, have you ever come across a tiny semicolon etched on someone’s wrist, finger, back, or any other part of their body and asked yourself, “What does a semicolon tattoo mean?”
1. What Does a Semicolon Tattoo Mean?
The semicolon tattoo represents assurance and a promise of mutual support with those who have dealt with depression, suicide, and other mental illnesses.
This adorable little tattoo of the orthographic punctuation on the wrist, behind the ear, or various other places on the body successfully instills curiosity among people, eventually initiating many must-have conversations regarding mental health and proving itself to be an effective suicide awareness medium.
2. What is Project Semicolon?
Amy Bleuel, a mental health advocate who strived to make a change and provide a voice to millions of silent cries of struggle across the world, was herself a victim of a number of deep scars throughout her life.
After her father died and what seemed like an unending nightmare of a series of events such as abuse, rape, and other such intense personal struggles, Amy Bleul found herself holding onto mere strands of hope for survival but at the end of the day, she did survive.
She realized was still holding on to something, and that realization made her want to respect herself for still standing and not giving up.
In 2013, Amy Bleuel founded Project Semicolon, which started off with people drawing semicolons on themselves, taking a photo, and sharing it online. Soon, people were opting for a more permanent way of honoring the battle that their loved ones or themselves had to fight every day via these semicolon tattoos.
Impressed with the poignant meaning behind the tattoos, many survivors, or friends and families of mental health survivors, choose to enshrine their struggles with the semi-colon tattoos.
We woefully lost Amy Bleul, the visionary behind this solemn and admirable semicolon movement, to an alleged suicide in 2017.
It was unanimously agreed that ultimately she won as she succeeded in instilling hope and confidence in many mental health survivors around the world by showing them that they aren’t alone and that the world will stand shoulder to shoulder with them in their struggles.
2.1 Why a Semicolon “;”?
A semicolon stands as a connection between two clauses in a single sentence, and the semicolon tattoo represents the connection between victim and survivor in every single warrior among us.
This orthographic punctuation is chosen to be worn as a badge of victory over the clutches of depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, and other such mental health struggles that millions of people go through every waking moment.
Amy Bleuel decided to commemorate her struggle and victory over the vicious cycles of depression and self-harm with a semicolon tattoo, stating “A semicolon is used when an author could’ve chosen to end their sentence but chose not to. The author is you and the sentence is your life.”
Although semicolon tattoos bear a poignant meaning, not everyone is comfortable letting others know about their internal conflicts, struggles, and other mental health issues.
Many survivors even feel exposed, but still would like to have something personal as a constant reminder of how they were able to overcome their darkest times, thereby choosing the semicolon tattoos, just in a more unexpected and discreet place.
The semicolon design, with its minimalist size and subtlety, proved to be a popular tattoo choice and the perfect punctuation mark to be etched on the skin to raise awareness for suicide prevention, acting as an oxymoron with its ability to not draw too much attention while expressing a “louder-than-words” opinion about mental health.
These days, where the unnecessary and unfortunate taboo surrounding mental health issues and their awareness is slowly being dissolved owing to many survivors breaking their silence and humanity coming together to stand up for each other and recognize others’ difficulties as well as one’s own struggles, this meaningful semicolon tattoo has become a popular tattoo choice among body art enthusiasts.
These suicide awareness tattoos can be inked in a variety of ways, ranging from matching tattoos to a symbol representing Christian faith, and can be inked in various places owing to their subtle design and various other little artistic additions that make them more meaningful.
Here is a list of 7 popular semicolon tattoo design choices that are a rising trend among people.
3. 7 Special Types of Semicolon Tattoos and Their Significance
3.1 Semicolon Cross Tattoo
The north star that sparkled in the sky on Christmas day, indicating the birth of Jesus Christ, instilled hope, love, and courage in the Magi to hold on and keep moving, similar to the semicolon tattoo.
This semicolon accompanied by a cross instills hope in people. It also is a powerful reminder of Christ’s sacrifice and constant presence among them.
The semicolon tattoo movement shares many similarities with the values of the Christian faith, such as love, love for neighbor, hope while going through a storm, and many more. making this semicolon crosses a positive and faith-filled tattoo choice.
3.2 Semicolon Butterfly Tattoo
Every caterpillar needs to undergo a painful transformation and pass through painful places before blooming into a full-fledged, bright butterfly, and a semicolon tattoo embellished with a butterfly reminds all the beautiful survivors out there of the light at the end of the tunnel.
The butterfly is called Psyche in Greek, representing the soul, rebirth, transformation, and new beginnings; hence, adding this soulful insect to the pithy punctuation mark makes this tattoo choice emphatic.
3.3 Lotus Semicolon Tattoo
Owing to their quality of being intact and clean despite having their origin in muddy and muddled grounds, lotuses are a universal symbol of purity and strength.
Most people get a semicolon tattoo to remind them of their triumph over adversity, of rising above their circumstances, untouched and strong.
3.4 Lifeline Semicolon Tattoo
The lifeline semicolon tattoo is another popular semicolon tattoo design for respecting and honoring a person’s struggles and survival.
The lifeline semicolon tattoo reminds survivors and mental health warriors of their heartbeat, the pulsation of their hearts indicating a reason for their existence.
3.5 Semicolon Cat Tattoo
The cat is a well-known and beloved pet of many around the world, and this regal animal, apart from being a symbol of dignity, freedom, and independence, is also said to represent the wandering spirit of anticipation for a better tomorrow and guardian angels in many cultures.
The semicolon cat tattoo is a cute and simple tattoo that reminds you that you can always get back up after a fall.
3.6 Rainbow Semicolon Tattoo
A rainbow semicolon tattoo usually involves a splatter of color against the punctuation in black ink. This tattoo is especially popular among the LGBTQ+ community, serving as a constant reminder to them that one day they will find the treasure at the end of the rainbow and will live in a world free from discrimination and prejudice.
This colorful tattoo represents the serenity after a storm, imploring those who are barely holding on to some tiny sapling of hope in a deeply depressed and suicidal state to hold on for a little longer, promising them a better tomorrow.
3.7 Semicolon Tattoo With a Flower
This floral semicolon tattoo denotes your desire to break free from the shackles of anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues; you want to make it to the other side of the road.
Although they possess a countless number of varied meanings and symbolisms, flowers are usually used to denote pleasure, joy, and hope, making them the perfect accompaniment to the noble suicide awareness tattoo.
4. 5 Popular Locations to Get a Semicolon Tattoo
There are various locations on your body that one can choose to get tattooed on; what is considered to be the ideal placement of a tattoo on your body is very subjective and purely depends on one’s choice.
Although the place to be etched on depends on individual preference, there are a few popular places that are a common choice among many tattoo lovers.
Here is a curated list of well-favored places that most people choose to get a semicolon tattoo on.
4.1 On Your Wrist
Those who regard their suicide awareness tattoo as a chattel for a much-needed dose of self-assurance and affirmation get these tattoos on their wrists.
The wrists were considered to be zones that emit spiritual strength, making them exceptional regions for the placement of the semicolon tattoos.
Because it is easily visible to oneself, the wrist is usually an ideal location for tattoo placement. And it also proves to be an ideal spot for a tattoo to raise awareness against self-harm and self-injury.
Those who choose this place usually do so owing to the convenience of it being an easy location to cover up either for work or for other personal reasons.
4.2 Behind the Ear
The cozy spot just behind the ears is also a popular spot to have the semicolon etched.
This location is hidden from the non-observant eye, making it a favorite choice for a survivor who wishes to honor their struggle but is not comfortable sharing the stories of their dark times with others.
4.3 On the Thumb
Although the finger is considered a sensitive location, most mental health warriors prefer to get the semicolon tattooed on this painful location to honor their painful past.
The semicolon tattoo is a small tattoo that voices the worthy notion of raising awareness against various mental health struggles, and choosing the finger, which is a small but defined part of your body, to be the canvas for this tattoo is apt and appropriate.
4.4 On the Ankles
Because of the aesthetic value of an ankle tattoo, semicolon tattoos on the ankles are also very popular. They add a very subtle and delicate artistic distinction to the solemn semicolon tattoo.
4.5 On the Back of the Neck
Most tattoo enthusiasts consider this a safe spot and an attractive location for some pretty body art. This location gives control to the bearer of the tattoo as to whether they want to conceal their meaningful inked art or flaunt this badge of honor.
The semicolon tattoos on the necks of the survivors signify their ongoing stories and work as a perfect conversation starter.
5. The Significance of Mental Health
Mental health is a very sensitive and delicate issue to be callous or casual about. We often don’t realize that mere few-syllable words can literally shake a person’s psyche to its core.
No matter how brave and joyful a person may seem, we are all sensitive human beings with the capability of thinking, feeling, and experiencing various experiences, making us all equally vulnerable to mental health struggles.
In today’s quick-paced world, it is very easy to overlook the underlying struggles of an individual, and this individual might as well be one of our friends, a family member, a colleague, or our own selves as well.
The preciousness of those near us is often realized, unfortunately, only after it’s too late, and therefore, it is very important to break the damaging stigma around mental health and mental illness by raising necessary awareness about it.
6. FAQs
6.1 Can Anybody Get a Semicolon Tattoo?
Yes, Absolutely. The semicolon tattoo delivers the universal message of hope and love, two qualities gatekept by none and hence chosen by all those who wish to stand in solidarity with survivors of mental health issues, depression, and abuse.
6.2 Are Semicolon Tattoos Cliche?
The semicolon tattoo represents the noble cause of suicide prevention and is therefore not considered a cliche by many.
6.3 What Should I do When Someone I know Has a Semicolon Tattoo?
Having a semicolon tattoo may not always mean that they are battling an underlying mental issue. Usually, it is considered best not to bring up the subject to them before they approach you about it, but it is recommended to stay extra attentive to them, educate yourselves properly, and seek advice from a qualified source.
6.4 Do Semicolons in Tattoos Represent Luck?
Semicolon tattoos represent hope, victory, and strength, and when accompanied by a few other designs, such as a cat, they can also represent luck.
6.5 What Can I Add to My Semicolon Tattoo to Make it Special?
The beauty of the semicolon design, apart from the noble meaning behind it, is its subtlety and minimalism; adding any design to it would make it special. Many popular choices include butterflies, flowers, cats, and other related, meaningful designs.
7. Bottom Line
Amy Bleul laid the foundation for an awe-inspiring and much-needed movement called Project Semicolon; she initiated conversations that needed to be talked about and opened room for more conversations that were similar; she instilled hope in many survivors; and she probed humanity to be there for each other.
As Amy so beautifully explained, a survivor is the author of their life, and they could’ve chosen to end with a period, but instead chose to adorn it with the beautiful yet meaningful punctuation called the semicolon.
Take a pause, and remember you are the author of your life, and the sentence is your life. Choose to hold on, cause at the end of the tunnel there is a bright light awaiting your arrival, and this becomes the answer to the question, “What does a semicolon tattoo mean?”
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Last Updated on by somya909