Which ears the gay ear

Piercings have roots in world history as well, with evidence of King Tut having worn earrings. Today’s internet discourse reflects a more inclusive and nuanced perspective on which ear is the gay ear: Robbie (Normal) on X (Twitter) captures a contemporary view by asserting, “either ear is the gay ear if you're gay.”. The simple answer is that the right ear is the so-called “gay ear.” However, the history of how this came to be is fraught with mistruths.

And so the “gay piercing” was born – more than any. A notable example is the “gay ear.” The suggestion is that if a man had a specific ear pierced, it would indicate his sexual orientation. Emma Yarger has 3 lobe piercings and a helix piercing on their left ear. 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.

While home, I considered how I performed for others and how I truly wanted to present. On my third date with my boyfriend, I gave him a piercing. The simple answer is that the right ear is the so-called “gay ear.” However, the history of how this came to be is fraught with mistruths.

“One dude recalls that in dudes, right ear meant gay, both ears meant bi and left ear meant straight. 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.”.

Robbie (Normal) on X (Twitter) captures a contemporary view by asserting, “either ear is the gay ear if you're gay.” It’s significant because it emphasizes how ear piercings related to sexual orientation are outdated and irrelevant–a sign that societal norms are shifting away from traditional views. Well, if you were a heterosexual guy and you wanted to pierce an ear, it always had to be the left ear because the right ear was the gay ear.

While piercings are now relatively mainstream, they remain a way for individuals to disrupt normative expectations. I gave Emma their lobe triples, bringing them to 8 piercings total. As a Depop seller might put it, my ears were an old pair of Y2K jeans just waiting to be bedazzled. The “gay” ear refers to when men pierced their right earlobe in the s to show the world they were gay.

Image courtesy of Alex Chun. Our gay ancestors came up with coded signals to tell others that you’re safe, supportive, or maybe even DTF, depending on the context. A notable example is the “gay ear.” The suggestion is that if a man had a specific ear pierced, it would indicate his sexual orientation. When the pandemic sent me off campus, I returned to my childhood bedroom full of existential questions about my identity.

However, as contemporary Western society began to develop, piercings fell out of fashion for men. As time went on, earrings as a whole became more popular, and even some straight men opted to pierce their right ear. Our gay ancestors came up with coded signals to tell others that you’re safe, supportive, or maybe even DTF, depending on the context.

Queer people have a history with piercings. I love to over-accessorize, and piercings allowed me to adorn myself in more ways. Excessive piercings began to symbolize rebellion and were regarded as taboo. And while it is now clearly understood that a piercing is not a legitimate indicator of sexuality or gender identity, it seems that throughout history, piercings have been linked to queerness in contemporary Western culture.

According to this outdated belief, wearing an earring in the right ear signified being gay, while the left ear was considered straight. Nine months later when I came back to campus, I had seven piercings. Some people's love language is touch, while others prefer words of affirmation or acts of service.

On my right ear, I have two lobe piercings, two helix piercings and a rook piercing. For so long, piercings also have been that. Around the s, people began to catch on that a right-ear earring was effectively a code for being gay. They say that piercings have allowed them to construct their aesthetic in a way that is entirely in their control.

It felt strangely euphemistic at the time. Piercings were also a way for me to rebel against the gender binary and heteropatriarchal norms that harshly dictate gender performance and expression. At the same time, the left ear is straight. Here are more facts from Pride Palace about the “gay” ear.