WAUKEE, Iowa — Warrior Tattoo Studio in Waukee is picking up the tattoo gun and inking customers for a cause.
The shop is holding a flash tattoo event today from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. At flash events, customers can choose a design to get tattooed from an assortment of pre-produced drawings, often revolving around a certain theme.
The goal of the event is to raise awareness and funds in support of abortion rights following the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
Artists will only accept walk-ins and will mostly give tattoos inspired by women's empowerment.
"Being a tattoo artist and having that body autonomy and allowing people to kind of do whatever they want to do with their body, I just continue that one with anything else," Tattoo artist Halle Haas said. "I think people should be able to choose."
As a father and as owner of a mostly female-staffed business, shop owner John Hintz said raising awareness for women's rights is important to him.
Hintz also said that as a Republican and a veteran, hosting an event supporting a woman's right to choose might be confusing to some, but he believes in freedom above all.
"I enlisted in the military and I fought for my country and the main reason I did it was for freedom," Hintz said. "I loved being in a free country. I thought that was the greatest thing and it seems like this is logical."
Tattoos will cost between $100 and $200. Money raised during the event will go to Planned Parenthood and the Iowa Abortion Access Fund.
The goal is to raise $10,000.