'It is frowned upon to be a proud Australian': Girl covers her Southern Cross tattoo with flowers because people think she's a racist
- Young woman identified as 'Emily' was concerned her tattoo was racist
- She had the Southern Cross - from the Australian flag - on her foot
- But she was worried the symbol was now associated with racism
- She's had the tattoo covered up and hidden with a flower design
A young woman has gone to the extreme lengths of hiding her Southern Cross tattoos with a cover-up because it's seen as racist.
Identified only as 'Emily', the woman has had a flower pattern tattooed over her Australian flag-themed one on her foot to disguise it.
She said before that, she'd taken to hiding it beneath a sock because she was ashamed people would see it, particularly around people from different backgrounds.
Emily, who has had her Southern Cross tattoo covered up so she isn't judged as a racist
Emily said it was a shame that it was frowned upon to be a 'proud Australian'
Mid-way through receiving her new ink to cover up her Southern Cross
'It is frowned upon to be a proud Australian and I don't like that at all because we all should be allowed to be proud of where we live.
'I definitely think it's become racist to have a Southern Cross, which is terrible, because that's our flag.'
But despite feeling she should be allowed to show it and be proud, Emily said she'd had enough.
'I'm sick of being judged for it and I'm sick of being made out to be something that I'm not.'
The tattooist who inked her cover-up agreed it was a shame to do so.
Although they had been 'fairly popular' about 20 years ago - but not any more.
At present, cover-ups of Southern Crosses were more common, she said.
The subject of Australian identity will be discussed on Thursday night on ABC2.
Emily chose a flower pattern to cover up the stars of the Southern Cross on her foot
Her tattoo artist said although Southern Cross tattoos had once been popular, they weren't any more
The finished cover-up adorning Emily's left foot, which strategically hides her older tattoo
Emily's tattoo artist said Southern Cross tattoo cover-ups were becoming more common
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