What side is gay for earrings

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, what side is gay for earrings. However, it is important to consider the individual style of the man when selecting earrings.

If you are wondering which side is the 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. Join us in unpacking this old gay stereotype and ask the question: do we still need it? Since ancient times, people have been getting body piercings to show status or caste.

What side is gay for earrings

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. It is, however, a uniquely American conundrum. Lyst, a company that tracks online shoppers' behavior, claims searches for men's earrings are up by percent since last year see: Lil Nas X, Jared Leto, Harry Styles, Bad Bunny. No longer is it that big of a deal that a cisgender, occasionally heterosexual man wears jewelry — not even those flashy beaded bracelets. It was once even more vogue, and still is, to have multiple piercings in one ear. Yet further findings, like the fact that "mono earring" queries are popular, suggest many are curious about different types of piercings , specifically embellishing one ear only — proof that a single earring, and which lobe it lives on , can say everything or nothing at all. The concept of men wearing jewelry is an old one, dating back thousands of years. In fact, most royals were adorned in as many gems and as much gold as women — if not more, depending on the occasion — making the sight of guys wearing pearls today, for instance, more a reflection of where we've come from than where we're headed. But the whole "gay ear" thing has always been ironic, considering its ever-changing position throughout history.

And, though influential, he doesn't expect designers like Kim Jones of Dior or Alessandro Michele at Gucci to push the rest of the world over the edge. A lot of people don't know why they're dressed the way they are.

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.

Sometimes we feel misunderstood, and sometimes we misjudge others. As a result, we might long for a way of putting symbols or signals out there so people can get a sense of who we are at a glance. Yet, one can see the down side of that too. One pitfall of wearing jewelry or other items with clear symbolism is that different people interpret some of these symbols differently. As one example, there is some confusion about the symbolism of a man wearing an earring in the left ear. There were other reasons also. For example, sailors tended toward the single earring as a way to uphold centuries-old superstitions about earrings keeping them from drowning at sea. While women almost always pierce both ears, it was somewhat common for the few men who did wear earrings to wear one in just one ear.

What side is gay for earrings

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.

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What does Generation Z think of the whole gay code? Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. By the 90s many were getting both ears pierced and the subject hardly ever came up. We accepted it as gospel and never questioned its validity. So now I know why I had such a poor sex life at that time in my life. Terms Privacy Policy. There is no specific side that straight guys should wear earrings on. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. Gay men picked up on this fashion of communication. But when Harry Styles does it. Which side do straight guys wear earrings? There is a wide range of options available to suit different tastes and preferences. Today at am. 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. More Stories from MEL.

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.

On current rotation, Scully posits, is the septum piercing : equal parts rejection and an invitation, rooted in pleasure and pain. Joshooeerr Maybe the ear code was once widely understood in the US, but around the rest of the world it seems to have been mainly a source of confusion. If a sailor had an earring in the right ear, he was from Europe or more Eastern hemisphere and had sailed around The South African Cape. Close Privacy Overview This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. There was a saying around the playground that was so popular everyone seemed to know it. Do not sell my personal information. No one really seems to know where the adage originated. However, it is important to consider the individual style of the man when selecting earrings. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Recent cultural forecasts are spot on with their predictions, too. Considering this, is it okay for men to wear an earring in both ears? Latest on Queerty.