Gay earring left or right

The idea of a "gay earring" based on which ear it's worn in is a stereotype that became popular in the s and s. In fact, a recent survey by a major fashion retailer found that over 70% of men wear earrings simply because they like the way they look, with no deeper meaning attached. In the end the male earring lost its sexual significance altogether, and simply became a generalized way of annoying middle-aged, latter-day puritans.

Quinn Myers is a staff writer at MEL. He reports on internet culture, technology, health, masculinity and the communities that flourish within. This guide dives into the roots and relevance of this subtle yet significant fashion statement in the LGBTQ+ community. Whether you wear one in your right ear, left ear, or both, it has nothing to do with sexual orientation.

Read more for the truth behind the complicated history of the gay ear concept. While it’s now thought of as a myth that an earring in the left ear means “straight” and one in the right means “gay,” it is true that over the milennia, people have used jewelry to signal certain things. According to this outdated belief, wearing an earring in the right ear signified being gay, while the left ear was considered straight.

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. Find men's jewelry trends here!. 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.

The term “gay ear” refers to the outdated belief that a man wearing an earring in a specific ear — usually the left — signals that he is gay. This idea circulated heavily in Western culture in the s and ’80s, especially in the U.S., when homosexuality was still largely stigmatized and coded signs were used for identification.

In fact, a recent survey by a major fashion retailer found that over 70% of men wear earrings simply because they like the way they look, with no deeper meaning attached. What does Generation Z think of the whole gay code? Some time after that, of course, I made peace with the fact that I am gay. Whether you wear one in your right ear, left ear, or both, it has nothing to do with sexual orientation.

Historically speaking, the truth is more complex. In his book The Naked Man: A Study of the Male BodyDesmond 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 Western world, earrings, so long a purely female adornment, have recently been seen on increasing numbers of male ears.

In the Elizabethan era, earrings were quite fashionable for men, he writes. More Stories from MEL. The idea of a "gay earring" based on which ear it's worn in is a stereotype that became popular in the s and s. 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.

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. At one point in American history, there was supposedly an encoded message about sexuality contained a man’s choice of the left or right side, but today, having an earring on either side means only that you have a hole in your ear. Which ear is the gay ear, left or right earring?

A man in the U. If it were in my right ear, that would mean I was gay. Read more for the truth behind the complicated history of the gay ear concept. And in the 20th century, people got confused about which ear meant what: In the Western world, earrings, so long a purely female adornment, have recently been seen on increasing numbers of male ears. Ever wondered why some choose to wear an earring on a specific side?

This guide dives into the roots and relevance of this subtle yet significant fashion statement in the LGBTQ+ community. The problem was that nobody could remember which was supposed to be which. Earrings on guys have signified many things over the years, such as social stature or religious affiliation. Which ear is the gay ear, left or right earring? Ever wondered why some choose to wear an earring on a specific side?

Find men's jewelry trends here!. According to this outdated belief, wearing an earring in the right ear signified being gay, while the left ear was considered straight. The ‘gay earring side’ isn’t just about style—it’s steeped in a rich history of identity and self-expression. A man wears an earring in whichever ear he pleases. The ‘gay earring side’ isn’t just about style—it’s steeped in a rich history of identity and self-expression.

We accepted it as gospel and never questioned its validity.