Should Men Wear Earrings?

[BondoBobCustomSaddles]

As I said before," Its your thing, do what you wanna do", however; food for thought, sometime ago I heard a comic or TV show host say, a tasteful tattoo somewhere on a woman is " cute" now, but ; in 40 or 50 years there are going to be a lot of Old Women with some really ugly sagging...tattoos walking around!

[wildrose]

Ray, you asked about a stigma attached to wearing an earring, and I'm going to be blunt: when I was in high school, what ear a man had the ring in denoted if he was gay or not (and I don't remember which was which, so I can't tell you that). Then it got so generalized that if you were a man and had an earring, you were "announcing" you were gay. Really! Nowadays, I think more guys have them, and it's not such an issue anymore. My husband has often said he'd like to get his ear pierced and I tell him "go for it!". His parents would have a fit though ;-)

[UKRay]

Funny how things have changed, isn't it.

Nowadays the 'gay' thing doesn't seem to apply over here in the UK, but I tend to believe that, in most places around the world, having an earring is not regarded as wholly 'respectable' (unless you work in 'media' LOL, or are big enough to defend your right to do as you please!).

Tattoos also seem to have their own (unfortunately mainly negative) cultural implications. I guess this is the same the world over - except, maybe, in New Zealand where I believe Maori tattoos are an important part of the cultural tradition. Do any other countries have a positive tattoo tradition?

I don't have an earring or tattoo, but have often wondered if my life would have been different if I'd made the decision to do so.

Ray

[woodandsteel]

This is up to each person to decide for himself. It's pretty commonplace and "normal" these days in the U.S., particularly in more urban or college-town settings. Tattoos are even more common, in my experience. I've worn a small hoop earring in each ear for the last 15 years (I'm 33), but never got any tattoos.

[hivemind]

The only stigma I've ever seen with tattoos is when someone has them in very visible locations - face, neck, hands. Basically anything that can't be covered up by a long-sleeved shirt. That seems to say one of a few different things:

1. Ex-con

2. Biker (lots of overlap with #1)

3. "white trash"

4. Exhibitionist

No major stigma for guys with earrings, although around here they're still initially thought of as a little "fruity". People with a lot of facial piercings or big gauges (the plugs) get a lot of funny looks, and around here you're working minimum wage, or for someone who knows you if you're carrying a lot of metal in your face.

I'm a white male, 37 years old, in upstate New York (farms and cows, not skyscrapers), and for reference, I have a good number of tattoos on my back from when I was in the Marines, but if you don't know me well you have no idea. Never had anything pierced - seemed like way too much of a liability in a scrap, and I still have my moments...

All that said, I really couldn't care less what people do - but old habits and prejudices die hard.

Edited November 13, 2010 by hivemind

[Billy P]

Back in the day when I got my ear pierced, the saying about being gay or not was left ear is right and right ear is wrong. I guess it meant if the right ear was pierced you were gay. I have 3 tattoos, one on each leg and one on my back. I didn't get any tats until in my mid 40's. Still say if it don't effect me I don't care. Billy P One last thing, I worked shutdown construction in Nuclear Power Plants for about 20 years. If you were gonna get a job, leave the earring out until after you were hired and showed them you knew how to do the work, in not you were not hired. Billy P.

Edited November 13, 2010 by Billy P

[UKRay]

So what sort of earring should be considered 'acceptable'?

I know a guy who wears a real feather, another who has a small silver ring and another who wears a small silver cone type earring. FYI: and in no particular order, one is gay, one is a police officer and the other is a well respected local business man!

Ray

[ferret]

So what sort of earring should be considered 'acceptable'?

Anything worn by a biker wearing colours (at least to anyone with any survival instinct).

[KatieG]

Well, as a girl, I can only offer my input....but I'm opinionated lol

Personally, I don't care if someone gets an earring or a tattoo. Unless it's my little brother, in which case, he's in for a world of explaining.

Back when I was in high school ( yikes was that really so long ago?!), one earring denoted that you preferred the company of other men - and it was different on each coast.

I personally find massive earrings and holes and distended lobes to be unappealing. I don't find them attractive. If I see a man wearing "pimp" earrings, it makes me roll my eyes and wonder why they wasted the money in looking stupid (same with those who wear their pants hanging off their rear end.)

I've never been much for non-ear piercings, it looks painful! And tongue-piercing cannot be sanitary... Multiple-ear piercings I don't mind (I have 3 per ear but usually only wear one per ear.), but, again, I'm not too keen on the oversized stuff. (ladies, it looks stupid on them as well.. if you can perfom gymnastics routines, your hoops are too large. If you can, in a pinch, use your earring as a plate or whisk, it is also too large. If it finds it's way into your cleavage without effort, your shirt is too low and it's too long.)

Tattoos can be very neat, if done well, and I think they should have a reason. For example, "this means alot to me" or "this was to remember something very important", not "I was drunk and my buddies thought it'd be funny to tattoo the evil monty python bunny on my bicep". My cousin wanted a tattoo as a kid and he, flower child that he is, told her that if she still wanted it when she was 21, that he would help her get it. She spent those years thinking about it, turning it over and over in her mind. Sure enough, she still wanted it, was certain, so he found her a safe reputable artist and now she's happy with her tattoo.

Were I to get a tattoo, I know exactly what I'd get... but I'm kind of afraid of needles.

I prefer tasteful tattoos over "zomg boobies", and I find the RIP with a crudely drawn face tattoos kind of creepy. I don't really want a dead person staring at me.

Some men can pull off the long earrings and long hair (I am a sucker for long hair on men, if it's well-kept), some can't. Some can pull off small studs with short hair, some can't. Some can't pull off earrings at all, some can. If it's not something you'll be proud of in 5, 10, or 30 years, you shouldn't do it.

I disagree with piercing small boys, unless it is religious. Yes, religious, not cultural. Girls it is mostly accepted, but I think that piercing babies is plain stupid. Too many chances for improper care. A baby can't tell you "mom my ear feels hot" or "dad this hurts". Heck, I got mine pierced at 6, and had to take care of them myself. (Wasn't allowed to get my second hole til high school. I earned it with good grades.)

I prefer men usually without jewelry, but I like the tasteful look. Something to draw my attention to his other features, or that compliments him well.

Really don't find body piercing attractive. >,<. Tho, I don't mind those tiny sparkly nose piercings some women get. Those are small and tasteful, the small sparkle usually accents their dimples when they smile, so it works well as an eyecatcher. But the oversized ones? I keep thinking "is that a bug on her.. oh no, it's a piercing... blech". Same with guys. I like a something accenting, something that sets them apart. Not something for the "don't stare...don't stare....don't stare...crap, I'm staring" factor.

./endrant lol

[JWGlover]

Most people tell me I was born 100 years too late. I am 33 year old geezer and I have never understood why a man or a teenager would ever want to get their ear pierced. I don't care if they do but it's just not my cup of tea. It always struck me funny that a young male would have it done to be different and set themselves apart from others but alot of other younger guys were doing it too so they're not really setting themselves apart.