Why are tattoos and piercings not accepted in employment?

http://www.workingworld.com/articles/tattoos-and-piercings-in-the-workplace

Tattoos and piercings are not accepted in a workplace, simply because they want their employees (who represent them) to look professional. It is not illegal for a company to not hire you because you have tattoos and piercings, so they have the authority if willing so to ask you to cover and remove all piercings and tattoos. If they fire you upon refusal, nothing can be done. It is how our society has developed that the public views tattoos as signs of either gang members, bikers, celebrities, athletes or other criminals. Since people have seen, tattoos on the wrongly accused it is only foreseeable that companies don't want people looking like clowns, when on the job. One thing they can't do is fire you because of them, even if they are covered and piercings removed. Although the alternative is not hiring you in the first place. But as times are changing, policies are allowing employees to have tattoos and piercings in the working world. Soon, in the near future maybe it will be a law for no discrimination, and equal rights for an individual with tattoos or piercings. They will have an equal right to obtain the job just like every other candidate, and cannot be judged due to their body appearances. Maybe in the near future ...