Have you ever seen someone with a tattoo like this? It carries a huge message! Some tattoo studios make it for free!

Instagram, Pinterest and websites devoted to body art are where you can find, using the search word “semicolon,” a lot of tattoos showing tiny semicolons. They’re located in different places: behind the ears, on the wrists, between fingers and on forearms.

They are shown off by people of different ages. They hadn’t been tattooed by accident. They have a deep message, and can tell a lot about the person who decided to have it done. It absolutely does not indicate that a person is fascinated with punctuation marks or emoticons, but has a much stronger message.

The Semicolon Project was initiated by Amy Bleuel in 2013. This is the way in which the girl wanted to commemorate her father, who committed suicide. From that point forward, a tattooed semicolon has become a symbol for people who have had or still have depression, suicidal thoughts, or different types of emotional problems.

It is also a sign of people struggling with addictions and problems of self-harm. It indicates that someone managed to overcome a difficult period, or on the contrary – is still struggling to make their life better. The symbol is also a source of strength in moments of great despair.

Do you wonder why this specific punctuation mark was chosen? The answer is on the next page!