The semicolon tattoo – the pause of a sentence instead of an end – was popularized by Amy Bleuel, the founder of suicide charity organization Project Semicolon, who unfortunately lost her mental health battle in 2017 at the age of 31.

The semicolon tattoo, and now IGY6 meaning, is to reflect that the battle is not over, and that self-harm and suicidal ideation can be fought against by sufferers, their supporters, and by the wider community.

What do the colors in an IGY6 tattoo symbolize?

Many examples of IGY6 tattoo art use representative colors and terminology, even within larger or more detailed design ideas. These colors include:

• Teal. This is the color used for the semicolon and is linked to PTSD
• Black. This is the IGY part of the tattoo, and refers to the heavy hearts of those suffering, or who have lost loved ones due to suicide and PTSD.
• Red. The number 6 is usually colored red to symbolize the blood shed by sufferers.

You’ll also find that some IGY6 ink ideas will portray blue to represent police, either as part of the IGY lettering or as a background ‘thin blue line.‘ Many United States police officers come from a military or service background and identify the same issues in the course of their day to day work.

Why is the number 22 important in an IGY6 tattoo?

Another common component accompanying IGY6 ink is the number 22. It is another important symbolic part of the tattoo’s design and conveys the statistic that 22 ex military veterans every day lose their life to suicide resulting from depression and PTSD.

Are I Got Your 6 tattoos only for military?

No, IGY6 ink speaks strongly to military and veterans, but it is a tattoo concept and design meant to be used as an identifier for everyone suffering from depression and PTSD. It’s a means for people to recognize others that share the struggle of PTSD and serious mental health problems, not that they are returned servicemen.