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Why should the RAF change it's regulations? Tattoos, in my opinion are unsightly. When someone in uniform is showing an armful of tattoos then that is even worse. Just because society has decided that tattoos are more acceptable does not mean that the RAF should change. .....We need to stop changing to suit people; the rules are there, and if you cannot comply with them then do not join. It's your choice after all.
When I first joined it was an offence to be gay. If you were subsequently found to be homosexual you were court martialled and discharged with a criminal offence recorded against you, despite it not being a criminal offence in civvy street.
Female officers were given the choice of terminating either their service or their pregnancies.
Female officers were offered PVR on marriage, but male officers not.
"Why should we change?" you ask. Is it that you are only comfortable around people that look and sound like you?, or perhaps you would be content if some arbitrary rule was applied that disadvantaged you?
It would seem that tattoos and piercings have joined the list of "must-haves" for the insecure and impressionable, along with cigarettes, beards, top-knots, designer baby names and gym steroids. But to be honest, without this bunch your Armed Forces wouldn't add up to a hill of beans.
What counts is what they can give and labelling them all to fit in with a set of stereotyped pre-conceptions is not a terribly effective way of sorting the wheat from the chaff.