Started dating this guy, he's sweet as pie or a piece of candy and treats me like I'm an angel. He will do ANYTHING to make me happy and I feel something very strong for him that I haven't felt with any other man I've dated before or since. Like my heart was ready to find him.

However, my mom does not like him, and for one simple fact: he has hand/forearm tattoos and huge stretched ears. Now, don't get it twisted-i myself have a half sleeve tattoo and multiple facial piercings but my mom is flipping out, especially when he went to shake her hand-that's the first thing she noticed and she made a face. He was his sweet goofy self but I know he threw her off her game. They aren't small tattoos-one covers the entire back of his hand, the other is smaller but it's still there. She thinks I'm dating him to shock her (I'm not) and is constantly asking me if I'm happy, if I know exactly what I'm doing or just flat out saying "You know you'll have to break up with him, the family won't accept it."

He manages a restaurant in a nearby city so no one cares and it doesn't matter to me so long as he has a job and can care for himself, which he is clearly doing since he lives on his own.

My mom has already mentioned "what's he going to do when he's 40 with those?" Look awesome and like an even hotter DILF mom, obviously 😂 but she is already asking what's wrong with me, what are people going to think, how am I going to bring him to formal events, etc, etc. She's also maintained that "oh he would be so perfect without all the self mutilation!" As she calls it.

I don't care and for me it increased his appeal, I just don't know how to get my mom to lay off and stop judging him and talking about him/his physical appearance so much. It's really disheartening, especially since I chose him looking the way he does, I obviously find him attractive and he's going to be around for awhile (or so I feel and hope).

I know my mom can be close minded, it's just frustrating to not have her see the beautiful person he is on the inside and only focus on something so unimportant.

Has anyone else dealt with this?