Semicolon Tattoo Meaning 13 Reasons Why?
The punctuation represents Project Semicolon, an organization dedicated to mental health awareness and suicide prevention. The mark represents the idea that those struggling with mental illnesses will continue on, and that their fight is not the end of their story, but the beginning.
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What does a semicolon tattoo symbolize?
Editor’s Note: This post was published in 2015 for informational purposes only and was updated to reflect recent data in 2018. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, head over to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention to find immediate support.
– Punctuation helps you say exactly what you mean, but few think of it as more than a way to pause or end a sentence. But to thousands affected by suicide, the semicolon has become an important signifier of survival.
Thanks to Amy Bleuel, the often misunderstood symbol has morphed from a simple punctuation mark to a badge of pride for those who struggle with depression, suicide, addiction, anxiety, and self-injury. Bleuel, who died by suicide in 2017, started the nonprofit movement Project Semicolon in April 2013 to honor her father, who took his own life, and to give voice to her fight with mental illness.
The idea was to encourage anyone who has been through a similar experience to draw a semicolon on their body, photograph it, and share it on a given day to encourage love and to inspire. “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,” explains Project Semicolon’s website. Semicolon tattoos are everywhere: on wrists, behind ears, above ankle bones, and more. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration’s 2016 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 9.
8 million seriously thought about committing suicide. This is a separate number from those who have a mental illness, as the two are not always related. And that’s exactly what the semicolon tattoo is working to change—the stigma around suicide.
Just as the mark is a sign for readers to pause before continuing a sentence, participants have embraced the symbol as a reminder that their story isn’t over yet—and that they should tell it. The brave, honest accounts these tattoos have inspired brought a community together and endow members with the kind of pride that is capable of breaking down stigma.
- What’s more, the tattoo has encouraged people to demand recognition for and discussion about illnesses that often skate by under the radar because they are invisible;
- Ink has always been a conversation starter, and the semicolon emblem is no different;
It’s an opportunity for survivors, those who battle every day, and even supporters to talk to those unacquainted with suicide. .
Why did Clay want a semicolon tattoo?
SPOILERS AHEAD for 13 Reasons Why Season 2, Episodes 1-4. There are a lot of mysteries throughout 13 Reasons Why Season 2 — who is taking the polaroids of Bryce? Was Hannah telling the truth in all of her tapes? Who is threatening the students? But looming larger than all of them is a question that has been asked since the beginning of the show.
- How come all of these teenagers have a ton of tattoos? Adding to the pack, at the beginning of Season 2, Clay gets a tattoo on 13 Reasons Why that means something really personal to him;
- While his tattoo isn’t finished on the first visit — he faints part of the way through — the intention behind his tattoo is representative of a real movement dedicated to the prevention of suicide;
Project Semicolon, founded in 2013 , is a non-profit organization that uses a semicolon as a symbol to unite those who struggle with mental health issues and suicidal thoughts. The work of Project Semicolon is based on the belief that “suicide is preventable and everyone has a role to play in preventing suicide.
” Project Semicolon founder Amy Bleuel explained that the semicolon is symbolic of suicide because “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.
” Semicolon tattoos became a symbol of the movement, and supporters of the cause took to getting their own. That includes 13 Reasons Why executive producer Selena Gomez, who got a semicolon tattoo alongside cast members Alisha Boe and Tommy Dorfman, to commemorate the release of the first season and pay tribute to those who struggle with the issues portrayed on the show.
Clay’s semicolon tattoo is clearly a tribute to the people in his life who suffer from suicidal thoughts, depression, and self-harm — but chances are it’s mostly a tribute to Hannah. Season 2 begins a few months after the events of Season 1, showing Clay and Skye dating and follows them as they attempt to bond over getting ink.
When Clay decides to get a semicolon, it’s likely that he doesn’t tell Skye what it represents — or at least who he’s getting it for. Skye has been expressing some resentment over the fact that Clay still seems to be hung up on someone who isn’t alive and that Clay’s lingering thoughts about Hannah are affecting their relationship.
While the semicolon is a nice gesture of support towards those who have struggled with mental health issues, Clay is not short on reminders of Hannah’s existence. It seems that everywhere he turns, the image of Hannah is on the periphery of his vision — or right in front of him where Skye should be.
However, Clay’s lingering thoughts about Hannah don’t seem to be making him any more aware of what the real Hannah was struggling with. In an equally humorous and symbolic twist on the tattoo, however, Clay’s mid-tattoo fainting left him with only a comma tattoo.
The symbolism here seems to suggest that Clay is interested in taking actions to support those who deal with mental health issues — but implies that he may not be going about it the right way. While he’s trying to be understanding of Skye’s struggles with self-harm, he’s baffled by the fact that Skye doesn’t have an explanation for why she hurts herself and he gets upset when she doesn’t seek help from him during those moments.
Clay seems to believe that talking to him will be the solution for Skye’s impulses, when the situation is a lot more nuanced than that. The lesson Clay took from Hannah’s tapes seems to be that depression and suicide have a clear cause-and-effect relationship, because that fits into a hero-and-villain narrative where he’s the good guy and Bryce Walker is the bad guy.
However, mental health isn’t that simple. While he wants to be supportive of those suffering, he’s working with a limited view of what contributes to depression, self-harm, and suicide. Perhaps once Clay puts some more effort into learning how complex and wide-spread these subjects can be, he’ll be able to put the other half of that semi-colon on his body.
It’s important to support those struggling with mental health issues, but it’s even more important to properly understand, to the best of one’s ability, what others are going through. That’s what real support looks like. If you or someone you know are experiencing suicidal thoughts, call 911, or call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255..
Why does Selena Gomez have a semicolon tattoo?
Their matching semicolons represent mental health awareness and suicide prevention. ‘Project semicolon is a movement dedicated to presenting hope for those suffering from depression, thoughts of suicide, addiction, and self-injury,’ Boe wrote on Instagram.
What does a Lotus semicolon tattoo mean?
Lotus Outline Semicolon Tattoo It represents someone who wanted to end their life but chose not to.
What is the tattoo for mental illness?
The traditional semicolon tattoo originated with the Semicolon Project that was started by Amy Bleuel in 2013. Her mission was to encourage people living with mental illness and to give them hope.
What is the tattoo for mental health?
Semicolon – A semicolon tattoo through the lens of mental health is a symbol of solidarity between those of us who live and struggle with a mental illness or who have lost someone to suicide. “Semicolons are a very traditional, very popular mental health tattoo and they represent that it’s not the end,” explains Roman.
What tattoo did Clay Jensen get?
Beth Dubber/Netflix Season 2 of Netflix’s adaptation of 13 Reasons Why started off on a sentimental note thanks to a scene that shows the series’ protagonist, Clay Jensen (Dylan Minnette), getting inked with a tattoo of a semicolon. To some, it may seem like a subtle tribute to the commonly misused form of punctuation, but it actually has a deeper meaning. Grammatically speaking, semicolons are generally used to mark pauses in a sentence, and while you probably didn’t come here for a grammar lesson, suffice to say that you can use a semicolon in a sentence as an alternative to ending with a period.
Because of this, the symbol has become linked to mental health awareness and suicide prevention throughout the years; it’s an analogy for those who could have ended their lives but ultimately chose not to.
The concept was created by Amy Bleuel, founder of Project Semicolon , a nonprofit organization that encourages people to draw and/or permanently tattoo semicolons on their bodies to show support for those struggling with mental health issues such as depression, addiction, suicide, and self-harm.
Bleuel launched Project Semicolon in 2013, 10 years after losing her father to suicide. “I started it to honor my father,” she told USA TODAY back in 2015. “And to tell my story of my struggle with mental illness.
” According to The Washington Post , Bleuel had three semicolon tattoos of her own: One for her father, one for her best friend who was going through a tough time during the founding of Project Semicolon, and one for herself on her left arm. Bleuel committed suicide in March 2017 , though the community over at Project Semicolon is still committed to carrying on their founder’s legacy through educating the world about suicide prevention and eradicating the stigmas associated with mental illnesses.
Six years after its inception, Bleuel’s campaign has remained widely popular, and it even inspired 13 Reasons Why executive producer, Selena Gomez, to get a semicolon tattoo of her own along with two of the show’s cast members, Alisha Boe and Tommy Dorfman.
The three of them got matching semicolon tattoos last year as a way to celebrate the first season’s success, while also supporting the show’s overall message. “Today was a magical day. Another day to be grateful to be alive,” Dorfman wrote on Instagram. “Alisha, Selena, and I went together to get ; tattoos.
The ; symbol stands for an end of one thought and a beginning of another. Instead of a period, authors use the semicolon to continue a sentence. For us, it means a beginning of another chapter in life, in lieu of ending your life.
” Clay’s semicolon tattoo also features some meta-symbolism, considering he attempted to get the tattoo in Season 2’s first episode before fainting in the tattoo parlor and walking out with just a comma. After a long and emotionally traumatizing season, he was finally able to finish the tattoo off in the season finale, just after he and Hannah’s (Katherine Langford) parents teamed up to plan a funeral and a wake for his late friend.
Clay’s putting the finishing touches on his tattoo in episode 13 puts on permanent display the closure he was finally able to find in the months following Hannah’s death, as well as the beginning of a brand new chapter for himself and his new friends at Liberty High now that the legal case Hannah’s parents started against the school is over.
His tattoo may be merely the result of a talented makeup department, but the story behind it carries a powerful meaning that’s worth remembering as you make your way through the second season. Sign up here for our daily Thrillist email and subscribe here for our YouTube channel to get your fix of the best in food/drink/fun.
What’s with all the tattoos in 13 Reasons Why?
Y’all, we need to have a talk about 13 Reasons Why. No, no, not about the (very important) serious aspects of the show — we need to talk about the metric f*ck-ton of tattoos at Liberty High School. While watching the show, it seems like half of the sophomores and juniors walking the halls at school have tattoos, and not just one or two; these kids are rocking full sleeves, neck tattoos, and major body modifications.
We loved the show and appreciate how it’s inspiring audiences worldwide , but this was a major distraction. And it’s not just us; we’re talking hundreds of tweets from confused viewers all asking the same question: why the hell do these teenagers have so many tattoos? Someone tell me why half of the “highschool students” in 13 Reasons Why have neck tattoos — knucklehead (@fiastowe) April 13, 2017 Why does everyone in 13 reasons why have like 34 tattoos aren’t they like 16 — tessa🌙 (@tessapaisan) April 3, 2017 13 reasons why.
more like 13 reasons why ya shouldn’t get tattoos in high school — Karls 💕 (@KarlaaRuizz) April 3, 2017 At first, we thought that it might have been a budget issue — perhaps the actors playing these high school students are tatted and the studio didn’t have the budget to cover them all up? But then we found out that no, the costume department actively added tattoos to several actors on the show, including the ones who play Justin and Skye.
- So we’re left asking: what gives? We know that the show’s setting is Northern California , which adds to the confusion;
- In California, anyone under 18 must have a parent present to undergo body modifications, and even then many reputable artists will not tattoo minors;
Between the plethora of ill-advised tattoos and the fact that these kids are meant to be 15 to 18 years old, the abundance of body art among 13 Reasons Why ‘s high school student population left us scratching our heads. We have way more than 13 questions about the town of Crestmont’s tattoo situation: is there a rogue tattoo artist at the high school? Where do these kids get the money? Do their parents just roll with it? Why are none of the teachers questioning it?! Did this confusing aspect of the show distract you, too, like it did these confused folks? We need answers, Netflix! Please! Anyone else notice that almost all of the “teenagers” from 13 reasons why have a million tattoos? Aren’t they supposed to be juniors? — cassidy✌🏼️ (@bandstagramm) April 3, 2017 Watching @13ReasonsWhy and wondering where the fuck all these high school kids would have gotten such quality tattoos underage.
- — Moose (@SnoopMoose) April 3, 2017 so i’m watching 13 reasons why and my biggest question is why do all these high school kids have like multiple tattoos — nasty woman (@hephaestuselbow) April 3, 2017 These kids in 13 reasons why are sophomores and they’re driving around town and have full arm tattoos? pic;
twitter. com/d5kr0L9rLo — nicky♂ (@tropicocunt) April 5, 2017 I’m sure this has been tweeted by many, but why is every kid in #13ReasonsWhy covered in tattoos? Is that the new norm in high school? Crazy — Nick Martin (@nodirectioncasa) April 12, 2017 Speaking of @13ReasonsWhy , the parents should probably be more concerned about how/where all these minors are getting neck tattoos.
What does Medusa tattoo mean?
If you’ve scrolled on your FYP in the last few months, you might have seen ambiguous TikToks that reference the meaning of the Medusa tattoo. “A lot of people didn’t realize the meaning of a Medusa tattoo. If you do, I am so sorry you went through this too.
You are so strong,” said TikTok user @r. bree. xo, showing her inking of the Gorgon. Videos of people showing their Medusa tattoos on the app are racking up hundreds of thousands of views, as many hint towards a deeper meaning.
Most will know Medusa for her head of snakes instead of hair and the power to turn anyone who looks at her into stone. Many will also be familiar with her most famous tale from mythology—being beheaded by Perseus. After severing her head using a bronze shield to protect his eyes, Perseus used Medusa’s head to defeat his enemies in battle.
- Medusa became a sign of monstrous evil, but her backstory is far different;
- According to the main variation of her tale, Medusa was once a beautiful young woman;
- It was that beauty that caught the attention of sea god Poseidon, who is said to have raped her in Athena’s sacred temple;
Athena in response turned Medusa into the figure we recognize, with her snake curls and deathly stare. In the widely believed variation, the power put onto Medusa was a curse from Athena, who was furious at the tainting of her sacred temple. Other iterations of the myth however recognize it as a blessing, a way for Medusa to protect herself after being assaulted by Poseidon.
- According to The Met Museum, Medusa is portrayed in most Greek art as an “apotropaic symbol used to protect and ward off the negative,” representing a “dangerous threat meant to deter other dangerous threats, an image of evil to repel evil;
” In modern tales of Gorgon though, she is a symbol of female rage. She was even used in feminist theorist Hélène Cixous’s 1975 manifesto The Laugh of the Medusa. Similarly, the TikTok tattoos reference Medusa as a victim rather than a villain. She is seen as a symbol of power after sexual assault and combatting the culture of victim-blaming as a woman made into a monster for her own rape. 
Stock image of a Medusa head. Videos of people showing their Medusa tattoos on TikTok are racking up hundreds of thousands of views. Getty Images UPDATE 01/18/22 6:54 a. ET: This article was updated to include new videos and picture and to modify the headline..
What does Rihanna’s hip tattoo say?
If there’s anything we know about Rihanna , it’s that she’s big fan of tattoos and body art. In fact, the singer’s most recent piece of ink had the entire internet — or at least those of us who spend way too much time on it — in a frenzy thanks to its slightly awkward undertone.
Back in June when she was spotted out in New York City during a date night with her boyfriend A$AP Rocky, fans noticed that her new tattoo, a crown on her left ankle, was actually a cover up for what was previously there: a camouflage shark that she once got with Drake.
According to E! News, Rihanna went to New York City’s Bang Bang Tattoo in 2016 to get the shark as a reference to one of her dates with the rapper, during which her took her to an aquarium in Toronto and bought her a toy shark. (He reportedly has the same design on his arm.
What is Kylie Jenner’s tattoo?
The time of Stormi’s birth – Instagram Kylie Jenner inadvertently showed off a tattoo of the numbers “4:43” on the inside of her forearm on Instagram in July 2020. It represents the time that her daughter Stormi Webster was born on February 1, 2018.
Does Justin Bieber have a Selena tattoo?
Selena Gomez portrait – Perhaps Bieber’s most infamous tattoo is a portrait of ex-girlfriend Selena Gomez on his wrist, inspired by an Elle magazine photoshoot with added angel wings. He’s since attempted to have the face altered, but fans still know this tat’s true origins.
Does 3 butterflies tattoo mean?
Do Butterfly Tattoo Bring Good Luck? – Butterfly Tattoos are popular with both men and women. They symbolize transformation, rebirth, and freedom. The meaning behind the butterfly tattoo is that of good luck or fortune in some cultures while others believe it represents renewal after death.
Is there a symbol for depression?
First, Some Common Symbols of Depression – You might have seen rainstorm images, ravens, and skull or grim reaper symbols. Barren landscapes and faces of cliffs are popular, too. All of these are commonly associated with depression because they capture the essence of the darkness, despair, struggle, and thoughts of death that are hallmarks of major depression.
Other depression symbols depict hope and transcendence. Butterflies represent beautiful transformation and healing, while the semicolon indicates that depression is a pause in one’s life journey, not a final stop.
The anchor is another popular way to portray major depression; indeed, it’s a symbol of hope and strong, stalwart support or solid tethering to life despite the raging storm one is trying to endure. These symbols speak volumes. They’re not the only images people use to express depression, however.
Where should I get a semicolon tattoo?
Usually, the best placement for your semicolon tattoo is over your wrist. This idea will remind you that you have a story to tell, and that your journey is still not over. Remind yourself on a daily of how far you’ve come, and enjoy its spiritual connection.
Where should I get my semicolon tattoo?
Usually, the best placement for your semicolon tattoo is over your wrist. This idea will remind you that you have a story to tell, and that your journey is still not over. Remind yourself on a daily of how far you’ve come, and enjoy its spiritual connection.
Why is the semicolon a symbol of depression?
They are known for encouraging people to tattoo the punctuation mark semicolon (;) as a form of solidarity between people dealing with mental illness or the death of someone from suicide. Project Semicolon.
| Founded | 2013 |
|---|---|
| Focus | Achieving lower suicide rates in the U. and around the world |
| Location | Green Bay, Wisconsin |
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