Anonymous
Post 02/18/2025 08:05     Subject: Earrings on college age (and older) guys
Anonymous wrote:What do you think of earrings on late teenage boys and young adult men? I am gen x but probably going to sound like a boomer here! but I am not a fan of the aesthetic of earrings (both ears pierced) on men. But I know it is very popular with college age guys.

I ask because my college junior DS is thinking about getting his ears pierced and asked my opinion. I told him the truth which is that I’m just not into that aesthetic on guys (having both ears pierced. Ironically I could probably like just one ear pierced but that is because of what my old lady self is used to on men of my generation when they were younger!)

My other hesitation is that I do worry about employers judging him and it influencing their decisions. He said it is unlikely to matter in 2025 and if it did rule him out then the culture would probably not be a fit for him (he is not super alt at all, pretty average college guy style, but I know he means that the vibe would probably be too uptight or something if they excluded a guys for pierced ears).

Thoughts? Is this a non-issue these days with social judgement and/or employment?

If it matters he is in engineering, which I suppose could lead to employment in a range of types of settings.





One ear pierced was for gay men back when we didn't have Internet so heteros didn't know they were gay.

Now you know.
Anonymous
Post 02/18/2025 07:56     Subject: Earrings on college age (and older) guys
I tell him to consider what impression wearing earrings will give people about himself. What message is that sending out to the world? Would he be ok with the message? Posters can fill in the blank on how many different meanings that can be.
Anonymous
Post 02/17/2025 14:45     Subject: Earrings on college age (and older) guys
I'm not a fan of pierced ears on men either but oh well. Some pull it off better than others.

I did tell college DS that if he uses the money we send him for living expenses to pay for a tattoo he won't get more money from us--once he's working and covering his own expenses then he can get one (he's not dumb enough to get a cheap tattoo--his friends have gotten some pretty bad ones).
Anonymous
Post 02/17/2025 14:39     Subject: Re:Earrings on college age (and older) guys
I'm 56 and I remember when I was single, I used to think an earring was sexy on the right guy. Those guys generally weren't dating material for me or rather, I usually had my heart broken by those guys. They were usually the "players" back in the day.

Anonymous
Post 02/17/2025 14:33     Subject: Earrings on college age (and older) guys
I think there are some guys that like to look pretty. There's nothing wrong with wanting to wear fancy jewelry and get all dolled up. You should embrace who your son is.
Anonymous
Post 02/15/2025 22:16     Subject: Earrings on college age (and older) guys
Having been an employer in a small business for a few decades I think small studs are just fine. They indicate some individualism. It is really about good taste. If he were dressing in a coat and tie for a job in finance, just leave them out for the interview and first few weeks of employment to test the culture. I had my left done at 55 and added the right side at 75. I wear plain simple studs or very small rings.
Anonymous
Post 02/11/2025 06:37     Subject: Earrings on college age (and older) guys
I would agree with your son— if an employer doesn’t hire him because of earrings, then it isn’t a good fit anyway. It seems a sad way to live his life to constantly worry about what some hypothetical employer thinks. If you have good skills, they override earrings or tattoos.
Anonymous
Post 02/05/2025 14:12     Subject: Earrings on college age (and older) guys
Is he gay?
Anonymous
Post 02/02/2025 15:34     Subject: Earrings on college age (and older) guys
Anonymous wrote:What do you think of earrings on late teenage boys and young adult men? I am gen x but probably going to sound like a boomer here! but I am not a fan of the aesthetic of earrings (both ears pierced) on men. But I know it is very popular with college age guys.

I ask because my college junior DS is thinking about getting his ears pierced and asked my opinion. I told him the truth which is that I’m just not into that aesthetic on guys (having both ears pierced. Ironically I could probably like just one ear pierced but that is because of what my old lady self is used to on men of my generation when they were younger!)

My other hesitation is that I do worry about employers judging him and it influencing their decisions. He said it is unlikely to matter in 2025 and if it did rule him out then the culture would probably not be a fit for him (he is not super alt at all, pretty average college guy style, but I know he means that the vibe would probably be too uptight or something if they excluded a guys for pierced ears).

Thoughts? Is this a non-issue these days with social judgement and/or employment?

If it matters he is in engineering, which I suppose could lead to employment in a range of types of settings.





I don't think about it.
Anonymous
Post 02/02/2025 14:55     Subject: Earrings on college age (and older) guys
Anonymous wrote:As long as its not a ear gauge piercing, I can tolerate it. Those are repulsive, at least to me and probably to majority of humans.
,


+1
Anonymous
Post 02/02/2025 14:53     Subject: Earrings on college age (and older) guys
I had to check the date on this post because tons of Boomers were getting their ears pierced in the 80s. I didn't know it was back.

Gauges are gross. Earrings are fine
Anonymous
Post 02/02/2025 14:49     Subject: Earrings on college age (and older) guys
Anonymous wrote:Not previous poster but must ask what kind of racial privilege have you been protected by to believe its nonsense?


You sound brainwashed. Be gone!
Anonymous
Post 02/02/2025 14:49     Subject: Earrings on college age (and older) guys
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Here's the truth: anything "unusual-looking" has to be compensated for by above-average good looks, or above-average presentation skills, or above-average expertise in a professional setting. And sadly, by "unusual-looking", I mean all sorts of differences, including brown skin, non-Christian religious appurtenances, non-straight, etc. Anything that's not the regular white guy in conventional clothes.

Earrings on men aren't earth-shattering at all. If he wants them, he should get them! Life is too short to not be oneself. But at some point in his life, there will be a supervisor who "notices". And at that time, he'd better be above reproach in all the other ways.



What kind of DEI racist nonsense have you been brainwashed to believe?


The real world, my dear. A great, if harsh, instructor. You're lucky to have lived in a bubble so far.
Anonymous
Post 02/02/2025 14:45     Subject: Earrings on college age (and older) guys
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Here's the truth: anything "unusual-looking" has to be compensated for by above-average good looks, or above-average presentation skills, or above-average expertise in a professional setting. And sadly, by "unusual-looking", I mean all sorts of differences, including brown skin, non-Christian religious appurtenances, non-straight, etc. Anything that's not the regular white guy in conventional clothes.

Earrings on men aren't earth-shattering at all. If he wants them, he should get them! Life is too short to not be oneself. But at some point in his life, there will be a supervisor who "notices". And at that time, he'd better be above reproach in all the other ways.



What kind of DEI racist nonsense have you been brainwashed to believe?


PP is just being realistic. Get the job, then make changes once you're there and high performing.
Anonymous
Post 02/02/2025 14:42     Subject: Earrings on college age (and older) guys
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Here's the truth: anything "unusual-looking" has to be compensated for by above-average good looks, or above-average presentation skills, or above-average expertise in a professional setting. And sadly, by "unusual-looking", I mean all sorts of differences, including brown skin, non-Christian religious appurtenances, non-straight, etc. Anything that's not the regular white guy in conventional clothes.

Earrings on men aren't earth-shattering at all. If he wants them, he should get them! Life is too short to not be oneself. But at some point in his life, there will be a supervisor who "notices". And at that time, he'd better be above reproach in all the other ways.



What kind of DEI racist nonsense have you been brainwashed to believe?


Seriously. The PP is spewing diversity gap crap from the 1990s. Time to get out from under a rock.