Right earring gay

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a "gay earring" based on which ear it's worn in is a stereotype that became popular in the s and s. According to this outdated belief, wearing an earring in the right ear signified being gay, while the left ear was considered straight. 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 It’s significant because it emphasizes how ear piercings related to sexual orientation are outdated and irrelevant–a sign that societal norms are shifting away from traditional views.

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. We accepted it as gospel and never questioned its validity. It may have been the subtle homophobia of my Illinois community in the ’90s.

Which Ear Is the Gay Ear? In the s and s, the idea of a “gay ear”—more especially, the right ear—was established as a social norm. It became chic for gay men to discreetly display their sexual orientation by wearing a single earring in their right ear. The notion of the ‘right ear rule,’ in which heterosexual men pierce only their right ear and homosexual men pierce only their left ear, may have originated in the s.

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.

is both ears pierced gay

What a rebel I was! When my dad first saw my new earring, he rolled his eyes and laughed. When my mom saw it, she said she could have saved me the ten bucks and done it herself. 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. 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.

Then they inevitably ask why I only have one ear pierced. A conversation I had last week with a former student who is now in middle school caused me to re-think my answer. I gave her my standard reply. She pressed further. I reluctantly admitted that I was, in fact, aware of the symbolism. Then I looked for a rock to go hide under. In the s and s, there was a saying recited by men that helped them decide which ear to pierce.

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. 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.

I have many friends who are gay, and I have even officiated same-sex weddings for several of them—while wearing my left earring. 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 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.

Over the years, my views on homosexuality have changed. Having had the pleasure of getting to know many gay and lesbian people, I now know that homosexuality is not a choice. I also know that gay people are just people. They have the same hopes, fears, and dreams that straight people have. They deserve better from people like me who claim to be their allies.

The day after talking to my former student, I removed my earring. The choice between getting a new piece of jewelry or saving lives is an easy one to make. To my gay and lesbian friends, I would like to apologize for my past insensitivity. I am grateful to have so many good friends, both gay and straight, who accept me for who I am, and I want you to know that I accept and love all of you, too.

To my former student who respectfully and justifiably called me out for my hypocrisy, thank you for challenging me. Thank you for making me think about how a decision I made nearly thirty years ago still affects people today. And most importantly, thank you for helping me see the difference between right and wrong.

Travis Naughton.