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Gamoe · Jan 10, 2005, 12:23 AM

Okay. My friends and I are having some trouble agreeing on this. As far as ear piercings are concerned, which signifies that the individual is gay: the right or left side? Some people swear that it is the left, others swear that it is the right. And yet others claim that it depends on where you live or that it no longer matters. I have found pages supporting all of these positions. What do you say, and who is in the right?

tooki · Jan 10, 2005, 01:03 AM

In most of the western world, it's been OK for any guy to get his left ear pierced, without it meaning anything, for many, many years. In some places with longer traditions of ear piercing (like the mountain villages of Switzerland), the right ear is sometimes customary.

Regardless, the attempt in the gay community decades ago to use earrings to convey meaning ultimately failed because the meanings were opposite in NY and San Francisco, rendering them meaningless.

Nowadays, gay and straight boys alike frequently just get both ears pierced, or if they only want a non-even number of earrings, then it's pretty much invariably the left that has more earrings than the right.

But no, earrings no longer convey sexuality, and in practice it's unlikely that they ever really did.

tooki

Apple Pro Underwear · Jan 10, 2005, 12:13 PM

if you have both nipples pierced with pink feathers on one and a "proud to be gay" keychain on the other � then it means you are gay

ThisGuy · Jan 10, 2005, 12:23 PM

what does a frenum piercing indicate?

OreoCookie · Jan 10, 2005, 12:32 PM

Ambassador Sovol: What is it with their fixation on our ears?

T'Pol: I think they're jealous.

nforcer · Jan 10, 2005, 12:44 PM

Originally posted by OreoCookie:
Ambassador Sovol: What is it with their fixation on our ears?

T'Pol: I think they're jealous.

CaseCom · Jan 10, 2005, 01:24 PM

When I was in high school, word was that right ear meant gay, left ear not gay. This thinking seemed to be promoted mostly by heteros who wanted a pierced ear but were worried about being labeled gay. ("See? Left ear! NOT GAY!")

Once I graduated from high school and got out into the wider world, suddenly no one cared anymore.

jcadam · Jan 10, 2005, 03:09 PM

Left ear buccaneer, Right ear queer.

That is the rule.

Both ears is a sure sign of a homosexual.

A boy scout troop leader with both ears pierced is definitely a beast to be feared.

Gamoe · 03:21 PM

Thank you, tooki-- That was a most complete and seemingly well researched answer. Now I wonder what side was considered what in S.F. and NYC. I'm willing to bet that left meant gay in S.F. and right meant gay in NYC.-- because I have an older friend in S.F. who swears it's so in S.F.

In my city, like in CaseCom's, the consensus seems to be "right is gay", but as was stated, this seems to be rapidly losing its significance.

Anyway, Thanks for the info-- It's been very illuminating and educational!

Edit: Oh and jcadam, you should see how many guys have both ears pierced, and of the ones I've known personally, none are gay. Seems like things are changing.

ajprice · Jan 10, 2005, 03:19 PM

OK, so is this guy gay or not?

Gamoe · Jan 10, 2005, 03:22 PM

Originally posted by ajprice:
OK, so is this guy gay or not?

No, that guy is crazy-- And should be careful not to bump into things!

jcadam · Jan 10, 2005, 03:23 PM

Originally posted by ajprice:
OK, so is this guy gay or not?

It doesn't matter. Noone would have sex with him.

ThisGuy · Jan 10, 2005, 03:23 PM

who cares? i'd do him. he looks like he'd be a very generous lover.

ajprice · Jan 10, 2005, 03:25 PM

ThisGuy likes this guy! woo hoo, we have a match!

ThisGuy · Jan 10, 2005, 03:29 PM

Originally posted by ajprice:
ThisGuy likes this guy! woo hoo, we have a match!

look at those eyes. he looks to be such a sweet soul.

Boondoggle · Jan 10, 2005, 03:38 PM

Originally posted by ajprice:
OK, so is this guy gay or not?

Lost a fight with a staple gun? Caught in an explosion at the fish hook factory?

tooki · Jan 10, 2005, 05:06 PM

Originally posted by Gabriel Morales:
Thank you, tooki-- That was a most complete and seemingly well researched answer. Now I wonder what side was considered what in S.F. and NYC. I'm willing to bet that left meant gay in S.F. and right meant gay in NYC.-- because I have an older friend in S.F. who swears it's so in S.F

Well, my understanding was that left vs right was supposed to mean top vs bottom or something like that, something about what sexual practices you like (much the way the leather community uses colored handkerchiefs nowadays), with the assumption that you're gay. But it didn't work out, and probably hippie hetero guys didn't like that, and so it ended up meaning nothing at all.

tooki

Spheric Harlot · Jan 10, 2005, 05:29 PM

Originally posted by jcadam:
Left ear buccaneer, Right ear queer.

That is the rule.

Both ears is a sure sign of a homosexual.

A boy scout troop leader with both ears pierced is definitely a beast to be feared.

I'd think you've been in Germany long enough to grow up, just a little.

Then again, you probably never leave base, do you?

(which would be a pity, since the Kartoffel in Ladenburg, which appears to be a favorite with many Americans, is a really great restaurant. Used to go there with my dad all the time.)

Link · Jan 10, 2005, 05:38 PM

Good riddance. Why can't gay people use something more obvious than an earing to try and symbolize that ****?

Superchicken · Jan 10, 2005, 05:40 PM

No no no, it's not metal in your left or right ear that makes you gay... it's a penis in your...

kmkkid · Jan 10, 2005, 05:45 PM

Originally posted by Link:
Good riddance. Why can't gay people use something more obvious than an earing to try and symbolize that ****?

I'd rather punch a homophobic in the face to symbolize that I'm gay. Unfortunately there are laws against that

Chris

Spheric Harlot · Jan 10, 2005, 05:56 PM

Originally posted by Superchicken:
No no no, it's not metal in your left or right ear that makes you gay... it's a penis in your...

...mind.

Tell us more, please.

We're all waiting.

wdlove · Jan 10, 2005, 08:54 PM

I have no idea.

fireside · Jan 10, 2005, 09:58 PM

Originally posted by Superchicken:
No no no, it's not metal in your left or right ear that makes you gay... it's a penis in your...

see what if a girl reads this? are they gay now?

Axo1ot1 · Jan 10, 2005, 10:04 PM

Originally posted by kmkkid:
I'd rather punch a homophobic in the face to symbolize that I'm gay. Unfortunately there are laws against that

Chris

Does that qualify as a hate-hate-crime?

spatterson · Jan 10, 2005, 11:11 PM

Originally posted by kmkkid:
I'd rather punch a homophobic in the face to symbolize that I'm gay. Unfortunately there are laws against that

HAHA, yeah that would be an entertaining thing to do! But we have to realize that we are better than that.

I have my left lobe pierced, but really anymore there is no definition that if you wear it on the right your str8 and if you wear it on the left your gay. Check out tooki's post, it explains it all.