What ear is the gay ear

You know….

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.

What ear is the gay ear

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.

We used this earring fashion sense, hankies in the pocket, tight particularly in the crotch jeans, the wearing of keys on the belt line and a few other clues, that we were encountering a gay person.

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.

Last Updated: September 20, Fact Checked. There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 29, times. While a left ear piercing is usually regarded as a symbol of spirituality, cultural identity, and self-expression, some people believe it reveals information about your personality and sexual preferences, too. Thanks for reading our article! Skip to Content.

What ear is the gay ear

Pride is always something to shout about. Picnics, parades and festivals will take place throughout June and over the summer months, a colour explosion of progressive pride flags and fashion marking the occasion. In the s I wore a ring depicting a buckle, suggesting our love was fastened by choice, not law.

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Earrings on guys have signified many things over the years, such as social stature or religious affiliation. It was only worn by rock stars and tattoo artists. Wow…awesome article. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. My style eventually morphed with him. Today at am. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. But the question is, why did gay men decide to pierce their ears? Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Coleman and Theo Sandfort discuss the fact that straight Russian men would often mark their first sexual act with women by piercing their right ear as a way to ward off unwanted advances from gay men. It's a hot take on a generation who don't really need an ear piercing to talk for them, who weren't similarly reared on fashion as a conduit to freedom. Now, what happens when it becomes unacceptable to tell people? Eyebrows , noses, tongues, nipples , and belly buttons would soon become even louder ways to make a statement. 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.

Classes can only go so far in teaching real-world vocabulary, however. Throughout my immersion in the Deaf community, I feel like I have been collecting these signs and developing my own personal understanding of what they represent.

Nor was it about a limp wrist or gaydar. What does Generation Z think of the whole gay code? No longer is it that big of a deal that a cisgender, occasionally heterosexual man wears jewelry — not even those flashy beaded bracelets. 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. If it were in my right ear, that would mean I was gay. Today's isms, like no-makeup makeup and tantouring, don't force us to relive the best of the worst; rather, they remind us that the journey of defining a "personal" style is as finite as doing the dishes: you're never really done. Subscribe to our newsletter to indulge in daily entertainment news, cultural trends, and visual delights. We decided that it depended what side of the Mississippi, you were on. Around the late s, it became common for men to secretly communicate their sexuality by wearing an earring in their right ear. Once Monthly Annually. Nowadays, the original phrase is no longer as prevalent but it still might come up from time to time with boys getting a piercing in the right ear.