Which ear means your gay

Square-shaped studs are popular earrings for men, as are more traditional single stones.

On the plus side, stud earrings come in a huge range of designs. If the mono earring has always been a conversation starter, then we have to address other ways style has elicited controversy, too. At the same time, the left ear is straight.

As time went on, earrings as a whole became more popular, and even some straight men opted to pierce their right ear.

But once your piercing has healed, there's a whole world of exciting earring types out there!

3 Gay Earring Types

Here are the three main types of earrings (along with their pros and cons):

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Studs - As you probably know, a stud is an earring with a straight post.

A study conducted by the advertising insights agency Bigeye revealed that 51 percent of Gen Z agree that traditional gender roles and binary gender labels are outdated, with 56 percent of millennials believing the same. Earrings have evolved into powerful symbols of style and self-expression, allowing individuals to convey their personality through jewelry choices and piercing placement.

This practice emerged in response to the need for discreet communication within the LGBTQ+ community, especially in societies where being openly gay was dangerous.

In the 1980s, the myth solidified further. Wearing one on the right indicated the wearer was a bottom.

Should You Get a Gay Earring?

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Now that piercings have become much more mainstream, getting a piercing in the "gay ear" isn't the clear indicator that it once was.

Some have a traditional ring-like look. But when you've just gotten a piercing, there are some important steps to take to make sure it heals nicely and doesn't get infected.

First, make sure that you wash your hands before touching the piercing, as this will help cut down on the number of bacteria it's exposed to. What I think is missing with this generation is that no one has enough context.

In fact, most royals were adorned in as many gems and as much gold as women - if not more, depending on the occasion - making the sight of guys wearing pearls today, for instance, more a reflection of where we've come from than where we're headed. Sailors frequently wore earrings, believing they would serve as protection against drowning at sea.

It's not quite clear how the earring became adopted by the gay community as a code.

Back then, open discussions about sexual orientation weren’t as accepted, which is why various subtle cues were created for discreet communication, including the Hanky Code (wearing colored handkerchiefs in the back pocket), keys on a belt loop, colored bandanas/armbands, and gay ear piercings.

Today's POV: What the Internet Thinks of Which Ear Is the Gay Ear

Despite its unclear origins and the lack of universal agreement, the "gay ear" concept still echoes as an informal part of gay culture–at least historically.

It was once even more vogue, and still is, to have multiple piercings in one ear. Since earrings were largely considered to be mainstream for women by the 1960s, earrings weren't a useful code for lesbians.

But during the 1990s, ear piercings became more associated with general rebellion and punk rock culture. And in the "Café Disco" episode of "The Office," Kelly can be seen piercing Andy in a cutaway as he asks: "Are you sure that's not the gay ear?"

But in the book "Sexuality and Gender in Postcommunist Eastern Europe and Russia," editors Edmond J.

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. Some people, however, continue to rewrite the rules, using style as a way to reclaim lost time when flamboyance and exuberance were frowned upon and conformity (or passing) was the only way to get by.

"I wear [an earring] specifically on my right ear because I'm a proud queer person and I want the history of what it means to have your right ear pierced to be a symbol of power, not weirdness or mystery."

Phillip Salem, a real estate agent and longtime New Yorker, has lived in a bubble for 15 years.

And just like with hoop earrings, dangling earrings might not be acceptable at all jobs or events.

Most experienced piercers recommend that you start out with studs. They’re maximalist yet clean, perfect for both everyday wear and going-out looks. 

Dangly Statement Earrings: The single dangly earring trend has surged in popularity, thanks in large part to Harry Styles's iconic appearance at the Met Gala, where he sported a dangling pearl earring.

A potential con is their somewhat casual look -- depending on the situations you usually find yourself in, hoop earrings may not be viewed as appropriate.

Dangles - This is a pretty uncommon look. In other words, if you walk up to a young adult on the street and ask them who they are, they'll probably just tell you.