Although ear piercing had been common among sailors for decades, it wasn’t until the late 1960s that the practise became popularity among men, mostly as a result of the hippie and gay subcultures. As part of the LGBT “culture and code” to anonymously identify oneself to the group, a RIGHT-side piercing has traditionally been used to identify a guy as homosexual.
Some people believe that having two piercings shows that you are bisexual, but this is not the case. Dual piercings do not indicate sexual preference, and the left side is often recognised as belonging to heterosexuals or straight people. These norms have been questioned in recent years, but the dominant viewpoint still holds sway.
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What Piercing in Your Ear Is Considered Gay?
Having an earring in your right ear is a visual cue that you identify as gay. We accepted it at face value and never questioned its legitimacy.
It may have been the subtle homophobia of the 1990s Illinois community. The earring code may seem arbitrary, but as the gays got older it seemed like everyone they met, no matter where they were from, recognised and understood it.
Just What is this Mysterious Gay Ear?
Pierced ears are now commonplace across all demographics, from adults to toddlers, and it seems that a minimum of two holes is required for any meaningful ornamentation. In major urban centres like New York and Los Angeles, even a pierced nose is not particularly noticeable. It’s only a matter of time before piercing becomes commonplace in areas of the body that are covered up when people are out in public.
Ancient stereotypes associated pierced ears with foreigners, gipsies, and even pirates. Many more American women got their ears pierced in the 1960s, a time when social mores were shifting in many ways. Somewhere Along the Line, a Gay Signal Disappeared.
Close on their heels came gay males, who signalled their orientation with a single earring in their right ear. David Menkes, a New Yorker with multiple piercings, said, “In a world where you can’t dress flamboyantly, that’s a highly discrete message.” Earrings used to be a clear sign of a man’s sexual orientation, but nowadays even heterosexual guys wear them, and usually in both ears.
What Ear Do Gay Americans Use Most Often?
In America, the right ear is often called a gay ear because that’s the ear most frequently pierced by gay men to show the world that they’re homosexual. It’s possible that a heterosexual who pierces his right ear will be misunderstood as piercing his homosexual ear. The non-gay person gets an ear piercing in his/her left ear to prove it.
A History of the Gay Ear
However, many individuals still associate sexuality with the act of piercing a part of one’s body, despite the advances in medical science and the passage of time. If you want to grasp the meaning of piercings, you need to look back at America in the ’70s and ’80s. Coming out as part of the LGBTQIA community was not cool at the time. Those who fit this description lacked any real social or legal protections at the time. Many individuals feared for their loved ones, their livelihoods, their properties, and even their personal safety.
Why is it That Having Your Right Ear Pierced Is Associated With Being Gay?
The right ear was once widely understood to be a signifier of homosexuality. It was one of those rumours that spread quickly because people didn’t bother to verify its veracity. Due to its overwhelming persuasiveness, it rapidly gained adherents across the nation.
To fully appreciate why the entire right ear is the gay earthing, a brief excursion back in time is required. Traditional meanings of earrings did not always centre on sexuality. It was a symbol of religious faith for some, and of economic status for others. Earring-adorned large lobes were a symbol of compassion, wisdom, and love throughout Buddha’s day, as explained by the leader. Earrings were a common form of protection for sailors during the era of sea travel and pirates.
