Is it gay to have one earring

I gave her my standard reply. Hungary deepened its repression of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people on March 18 as the parliament passed a draconian law that will outlaw Pride . In , the Times covered it yet again, in T Magazine: “the rule of thumb has always been that the right ear is the gay one,” the author wrote about his own piercing journey.

. Troy, a graphic designer spotted at a gay bar, called his single earring a “female repellent” and said that he chose to pierce his right ear — the “gay” ear, according to the historical trope — to indicate his queer sexuality. Historically speaking, the truth is more complex. When my dad first saw my new earring, he rolled his eyes and laughed.

According to this outdated belief, wearing an earring in the right ear signified being gay, while the left ear was considered straight. The reason I wanted to find a rock to go hide under during my conversation with the young lady is that her mother, a good friend of mine, happens to be gay. Find men's jewelry trends here!. You might recall hearing that if a man wore an earring on the right ear, that meant he was gay.

Earrings on guys have signified many things over the years, such as social stature or religious affiliation. When I was an eighteen-year-old freshman at Mizzou, way back in , I decided to flaunt my newfound independence from my parents by getting an ear pierced. They have the same hopes, fears, and dreams that straight people have.

On the playground, it was a truth so firmly established that defying it meant social suicide: If you have an earring in your right ear, it means you’re gay. Kids at school often ask me why I have an earring, and hoping to enlighten them, I always say that boys can have earrings, too. This report documents the range of abuses against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students in secondary school.

She pressed further. When my mom saw it, she said she could have saved me the ten bucks and done it herself. Having had the pleasure of getting to know many gay and lesbian people, I now know that homosexuality is not a choice. Which ear is the gay ear? At the same time, the left ear is straight. Most historians agree that there is evidence of homosexual activity and same-sex love, whether such relationships were accepted or persecuted, in every documented culture.

Sexual orientation refers to an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions to men, women, or both sexes. Over the years, my views on homosexuality have changed. Learn the significance behind a man wearing an earring on the left 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.

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. The look isn’t confined to celebrities.

I was never the least bit racist, but for reasons that only sound like weak excuses now, I never felt bad about telling gay jokes or repeating homophobic slurs when I was a young man. I reluctantly admitted that I was, in fact, aware of the symbolism. What a rebel I was! Sexual orientation is a component of identity that includes sexual and emotional attraction to another person and the behavior and/or social affiliation that may result from this attraction.

A conversation I had last week with a former student who is now in middle school caused me to re-think my answer. I have many friends who are gay, and I have even officiated same-sex weddings for several of them—while wearing my left earring. Then I looked for a rock to go hide under. Read more for the truth behind the complicated history of the gay ear concept. The ugly truth is that when I got my ear pierced all those years ago, I was homophobic.

My choice to pierce my left ear was deliberate. I also know that gay people are just people. 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. Which ear is the gay ear, left or right earring? Per one meme, the earring is in favor among “gays, musicians, artists, goths, skaters, and bisexuals,” or, as one earring-wearer phrased it, “creative souls in Bushwick and the East Village.” Like the skinny mustache, it’s an accessory that plays.

She favored the safety pin, ice cube, and raw potato method—which, in hindsight, would have given me much more street cred than a trip to a boutique. 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 the s and s, there was a saying recited by men that helped them decide which ear to pierce. It details widespread bullying and . Then they inevitably ask why I only have one ear pierced.

We accepted it as gospel and never questioned its validity. They deserve better from people like me who claim to be their allies. The eye-opening revelation I had last week is that when people such as my former student see an earring in my left ear, they think I believe that a pierced right ear and homosexuality is wrong. While rock stars were most likely to sport the single earring in the ’s, it became more common among gay people.