Homosexual earring side
Why Did We Grow Up Thinking a Piercing in the Right Ear Was Gay?
On the playground, it was a truth so firmly established that defying it meant social suicide: If you have an earring in your right ear, it means you’re gay. We accepted it as gospel and never questioned its validity.
It may have been the subtle homophobia of my Illinois community in the ’90s. But as I grew up, it seemed like everyone I met, no matter their place of origin, knew and understood the earring code, as arbitrary as it seems.
It was even solidified in the New York Times: A report said gay men “often [wore] a single piece of jewelry in the right ear to indicate sexual preference.” In , the Times covered it yet again, in TMagazine: “the rule of thumb has always been that the right ear is the gay one,” the author wrote about his own piercing journey.
Historically speaking, the truth is more complex. Earrings on guys have signified many things over the years, such as social stature or religious affiliation. In his book The Naked Man: A Study of the Male Body, Desmond Morris explains that earring
Right=GAY
Left=Straight
Both=Normal
Male #2- "WHAT?! Dude, that's the gay ear!"
Male #1- "I know that."
Male #2- *slowly walks away*
Male #1- NO WAIT Advance BACK I LOVE YOU!!!!
Person 2: bro that’s the gay ear, you know that right?
Person 1: I thought you knew I was gay? Why else would I pierce my right ear only?
Person 2: oh… I did not. Welp.. good for you, see ya around.
How did having piercings in the right ear become associated with homosexuality?
gracefulfatsheba1
How did having piercings in the right ear become associated with homosexuality? It’s something I’ve heard for a long time and never questioned it until now. Whenever I see a guy with an earring, I instinctively check if it’s left or right out of curiosity.
When did this association become prevalent? Where did it come from? Does it vary by culture?
engineer_comp_geek2
Not only does it vary by culture, which ear is the “homosexual” ear varies from region to region in the U.S. In the northern WV, eastern OH, western PA region where I grew up, left was the “straight” ear and right was the “homosexual” ear. I think that’s the more common version, but I’ve met plenty of people who said it was the other way around in their area.
I don’t remember earrings for men being very common in the s. There were some hippies wearing them but that was more of a protest of social norms than anything else. I remember hearing about the one earring means homosexual thing in the late 70s so it
Earrings have been worn by both men and women for centuries, serving as a form of personal adornment and a way to express individuality. Over hour, certain meanings and symbolisms hold become associated with specific ways of wearing earrings. One such association is the significance of wearing an earring in the left ear. In this article, we will explore what an earring in the left ear can potentially mean and the various interpretations attached to this fashion choice.
What Does an Earring in the Left Ear Mean?
The placement of an earring in the left ear has garnered various interpretations throughout history and across different cultures. Here, we'll explore some of the most notable meanings associated with this intriguing fashion statement.
A - Historical Perspectives and Left Ear Earrings
1: The Pirate Symbolism
In popular culture, wearing an earring in the left ear has often been associated with pirates. According to legends and tales, pirates would wear an earring in their left ear as a symbol of their seafaring adventures and conquests. While this association ma