What side is gay for earrings

If you are wondering which side is what side is gay for earrings gay piercing left or right, then, to make a long story short, getting pierced in your right ear meant you were gay. There is a rich history of jewelry being used to show off wealth, nobility, or status. In the 20th century, it was used to show off sexual preference. A man would wear a single earring in his right ear to say he was a gay man.

Men with both earrings are now widely accepted in every society, and choosing earrings that are highly compatible with your personality is encouraged. However, there are still some considerations to keep in mind when it comes to men wearing earrings. In Western fashion, it is generally acceptable for men to wear an earring in each ear. However, it is important to consider the individual style of the man when selecting earrings. Simple studs in a dark color can give a low-key and reserved look, while gold hoops can be a bit more extravagant.

What side is gay for earrings

We accepted it as gospel and never questioned its validity. 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. 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 earrings have indicated wisdom and compassion in the stretched earlobes of the Buddha, while pirates wore them in the belief it would protect them from drowning. In the Elizabethan era, earrings were quite fashionable for men, he writes. In the Western world, earrings, so long a purely female adornment, have recently been seen on increasing numbers of male ears. At first it was assumed that the wearers were all effeminate homosexuals, but it soon became clear the the habit was spreading to the more avant-garde of the young heterosexuals. This led to some confusion and stories began to circulate that there was a secret code, that to wear an earring in a pierced left ear was homosexual, and in a pierced right ear was rebel heterosexual. The problem was that nobody could remember which was supposed to be which. In the end the male earring lost its sexual significance altogether, and simply became a generalized way of annoying middle-aged, latter-day puritans. Another guy got two piercings in his right ear in college, to which we all remarked that that he wanted everyone to know that he was a power bottom — which he is. A man in the U.

It may give the impression of being flamboyant, lax, immature, untrustworthy, or unaware of the expectations of their job. Do black earrings look good on guys?

These days, seldom does a trend stick around for longer than a few weeks before a neologism replaces the one before it, permeating the halls of TikTok or Instagram and causing all of us to second-guess what was once considered mainstream — only to then swap a coveted wardrobe staple for the latest passing fad. Still, certain exceptions prevail. Even today, one of the most unshakeable cultural signifiers has been the "mono" piercing — more precisely, and befuddling, on which ear it's placed and what it says about your sexuality. Pre-Y2K and beyond , it's been socially understood that wearing one earring on the right ear means someone is gay; the left, straight. Despite recent data and celebrities supporting otherwise, the demagogic proverb "Left is right and right is wrong" has been a whisper placed upon gay and straight men and their piercers for decades. No one really seems to know where the adage originated. Or which side means what.

Sorry, the content of this store can't be seen by a younger audience. Come back when you're older. Have you ever heard the term "gay ear"? When people talked about the gay ear, they referred to a specific ear being pierced on a man. This trend didn't include women in the gay ear fad because, in most Western cultures since the s, it has generally been a cultural norm for females to have their ears pierced. Keep in mind that this performative measure was originally used to discriminate against men based on their perceived social class, not sexuality. Initially, the only men who had pierced ears were usually sailors. But it wasn't until the late s that people attributed a man who had his ear pierced to being gay. Now, men have pierced ears for endless reasons. With piercings no longer serving as any sort of identifier to occupation or sexual orientation, pierced ears are relatively common among all genders.

What side is gay for earrings

Culture is a funny old thing. Gay men and women had to come up with ways to signal to each other so that they could form communities and relationships without being harassed. However, whether or not this was ever actually widely used in the global queer community is disputed, and nowadays the notion of it has its own horrible homophobic dog whistle attached. Read on to find out.

Jane clayton

So, what is to be made — in — of being told what to wear where? The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Despite trends becoming more fluid — the gap between gender-neutral styles in fashion and beauty narrowing — Salem knows the journey endures. Customize Select the topics that interest you:. A article in The New York Times perpetuating the stereotype seemed to solidify the historical hearsay as the widely known style taboo many can't quit today. Any piercing during that time, Scully insists, would have been an act of defiance anyway — pre- or postpunk era. Another guy got two piercings in his right ear in college, to which we all remarked that that he wanted everyone to know that he was a power bottom — which he is. In the years before the internet, it was much harder to connect to anyone. While there were out gay people around this time, it was a lot less common and acceptable as it is now.

In the world of earrings, there has long been a fascination with the placement and symbolism associated with them. One question that often comes up is, "Which side is the gay ear? Traditionally, a right-side piercing identified a man as gay, serving as a part of LGBT "culture and code" to secretly identify oneself to the community.

Read more on www. There were no protections for homosexuals and they were often physically attacked just for being who they were. Pre-Y2K and beyond , it's been socially understood that wearing one earring on the right ear means someone is gay; the left, straight. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. In some professional settings, men wearing earrings can be seen as unprofessional. That's why we don't lock Queerty articles behind a paywall. Are earrings a sin? Any piercing during that time, Scully insists, would have been an act of defiance anyway — pre- or postpunk era. Is 3 ear piercings too much? Wow…awesome article. Some years back, wearing a single earring or stud in the right ear was affiliated with homosexuality, but that has been disputed over time. Which side do straight guys wear earrings? No one really seems to know where the adage originated.