This need for secrecy led to some creative ways to live a lifestyle that was typically frowned upon.
It was common to be physically attacked if it were found out that you were anything but straight. Many people lived in fear of losing their jobs, homes, families, and even their lives. This is a time where there were no legal or social protections for people who were apart of these communities. A different time, when it was not acceptable to be out as LGBTQIA+ publicly. To find out how an ear piercing could carry this kind of symbolism we need to look back to the 70’s and 80’s in America. It’s time to shed some light on what’s true and what’s myth with a little history lesson on how one specific piercing developed such recognition as a gay symbol. So, just in time for pride month, the team here at Amato decided to delve deeper into where this all started. In piercing studios around the country these questions are still asked today: “Does one side have any special meaning? You know….which ear is the gay ear?”ĭespite changing times and modern progress, many people still associate body piercings (particularly a single piercing in the earlobe) as a symbol of someones sexuality.
