[net.motss] left ear/right ear earring confusion

gerber@mit-athena.UUCP (Andrew Samuel Gerber) (04/21/85)

Many years ago, any guy with an earring was either gay  or  a  misplaced
sea  pirate. (I'm speaking of 10 years ago, for me, that was a long time
ago,  I  was  only  9).   Nowdays,  many  straight  (and  gay  men)  are
getting/have gotten their ears pierced.

Now the question is --- which ear means what?

When  gay  men first started getting their ears pierced, someone with an
earring in the left ear was "dominant", someone with an earring  in  the
right  ear  was  "submissive". (This may be different according to local
customs, etc.  I'm speaking of the east coast, New York and Boston  sort
of  area.)   Then, the straight people (who so often follow gay styles),
started getting their ears pierced (the men, that is).  Now, of  course,
men  aren't "submissive".  So they got their left ears pierced.  So what
do we have now?  A lot of GAY men with  their  LEFT  and/or  RIGHT  ears
pierced.   A lot of STRAIGHT men with their LEFT ears pierced.  And some
STRAIGHT  men  with  their  RIGHT  ears  pierced,  because   they   were
misinformed/stupid/just  liked it that way.  (And that's what I think is
REALLY important -- you should just get whichever ear pierced  that  you
want).

So,  any  adult  who  is  worrying  about the sexual persuasion of their
children by looking at what ear they have pierced is:

A) Stupid,  and
B) Doesn't know their children very well.

If  you  think your son/daughter is gay, ASK THEM!  Don't try to look at
what they wear/what they act like, etc.   If  you  can't  talk  to  your
children,  can't  be  supportive  of  them,  then  it's really not worth
talking at all.

Anyway, that's my piece.  I know I'll never get my ears pierced for  the
simple  reason  that they stick out enough already, I don't want to draw
any more attention to them.

     Andrew S. Gerber -*- Student Consultant -*- Project Athena -*- MIT
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