piercing my ears without blowing my cover

[Jay Cee]

Just wanted to know if anyone here had both ears pierced, and managed to hide it or do so in a masculine fashion? I don't have long hair, so I can't hide it that way. I work in a sort of conservative environment (construction), so I'm trying to keep low profile about my cd'ing. I'm in my 40's, so it's not like I'm "young and hip", and could easily explain why I have holes in both my ears.

I'd happily do without the piercing, but the selection of clipons is pretty attrocious.

Thanks

Jessie

[AllieSF]

I used to work in the same industry, now semi retired and looking for work. I got both ears pierced and am worrying about the same thing. I worked in management and they are even more conservative than when working in the field with the other workers. If the right job opportunity comes along, I think that I would go without the earrings to work and wear earrings at night and/or weekends, until I decided to take the plunge. Even if holes closed up, I can always get them re-pierced later when I stop working again. Work and income are more important in my opinion.

[rata]

ive had both mine pierced since april 09 only one person said they noticed the holes. i did the nylon fishing line trick to keep them open while they heeled when i was at work and put the studs back in when i got home. Although you have to b careful not 2 damage the heeling when you switch. After 8 weeks they were heeled. once they are heeled they should not close up if you wear them after work ,weekends etc.

[christinek]

I work in a very professional environment and I got my right ear pierced 2 years ago, (had my left pierced twice back in the 90's) and no one cares. I wear studs all the time.

[Freddy12]

I'm not in this situation, but I think that few will notice. However, if someone who cares does notice, you could be in for a bunch of trouble. I would suggest using clip-ons for the present, and wait for retirement. I know one girl who used clip-ons and someone at work noticed that her earlobes were sort of dented after she spent a weekend enfemme. There IS some risk with having pierced ears.

[thechic]

had both ears pierced years ago no one seems to care about it.

[Alberta_Pat]

I drive truck for a living. I had both ears pierced last November shortly after my 55th birthday.

I had some "industrial" strength hoops put in 14 gauge stainless captive ball rings. I had exactly 3 people comment at work, none negatively.

My son saw them for the first time this summer. His comment was more negative than positive. I told him simply: "It was cheaper than a Porsche".

After that, nothing else was said about it.

As for working in the construction industry, you can always say that both Mike Holmes and Jim Caruk of HGTV have their ears pierced. I doubt that you will get any flack about it, or that it will last for more than a day on the jobsite if you do.

If you are good at what you do, then your co-workers will let it be.

[Loni]

most people will never say a thing, is there a company policy that says NO holes in your ears? if so then it is a wrong deal and a good lawyer will prove it to be wrong. there that is how i know the law side. as for the people just get a couple small sized real diamond studs not a problem as a lot of suits do this and have for some time.
go for it and never look back. if someone says anything take notes time place who said what...just let it go. and if it contune's then lat your HR dept know about the harassment. it will stop then. just do not let it be a deal and there will not be a problem.

.

[Tulip]

You could get one pierced at a time? If anyone comments, refer them to Harrison Ford. A couple years back he celebrated a birthday by getting an ear pierced.

Then after a while, when you know the first won't close up, get the other pierced. I doubt many people will notice the change.

[Chari]

Guys with earrings/studs has become more of a fashion statement, expressing YOUR individuality - similar to tattoos on gals! If you feel comfortable wearing small stud earrings - then do it! It is doubtful your company will tell you to remove the jewelry - especially if you are a valued employee! If they do, ask to see the company policy in writing that states women can wear ear jewelry, but men CAN NOT, as that would be a form of discrimination!

[Kathryn Martin]

Just wanted to know if anyone here had both ears pierced, and managed to hide it or do so in a masculine fashion? I don't have long hair, so I can't hide it that way. I work in a sort of conservative environment (construction), so I'm trying to keep low profile about my cd'ing. I'm in my 40's, so it's not like I'm "young and hip", and could easily explain why I have holes in both my ears.

I'd happily do without the piercing, but the selection of clipons is pretty attrocious.

Thanks



Jessie

I pierced my left ear 25 years ago and have always worn studs in it. About 4 months ago I pierced my right ear. At the time I took my left ear stud out in an attempt not to have people notice. No one did. I kept my left ear open (they tend to grow shut fast even if the hole was made a long time ago) and three weeks later I was tired of it and put studs in both ears. This is so accepted in male culture that no one noticed and I had to point it out to them:doh:

In today's day and age the really tough guys wear earrings. :D

Kathryn

[Barbara Jo]

I hate to be redudant but, in this day and age no one really cares about pirced ears even in a macho, blue collar enviorment. Just wear very smal studs

If anyone does queston why you did it, just say it was you wife's or gilfriend's idea and she really likes it.
You might say you like it also. Being very secure about your masculinity and not giving a damn what some may say about pierced ears is viewed as being very masculine in its self.

So, getting pierced ears is not blowing any sort of cover unlees you personally draw the wrong knid of attention to it by being obviously paranoid about it.

[PretzelGirl]

Part of it may be redefing what you think masculine is. There are a lot of men that have earrings and in particular, there are a lot of "manly" men that were thicker gauge things like hoops. So if you feel straight studs would get a lukewarm reception (I don't think they will), you could think about going with something that has a slightly bigger hole. I did this. The only drawback I have seen is that I really can't wear studs as they rattle around. But it isn't what I wanted anyway. I tend to wear "dangly" earrings and large hoops and they work well in slightly larger holes.

[Brenda Locke]

I have had both of ear's done since 07. I retired from one job and now work in retail. No one has ever said anything negative to me and I wear studs every day. In fact I have been complemented on some of my studs, I keep them simple and don't go In for the really big ones. Every once in a while I also wear small hoop earrings as a change of pace.
To put it simply No one seems to care if your ears are pierced or not these days. In a way it seems to be like Tatoo's, It really isn't a big deal these days. That's my 5 cents for what it's worth.

Hugs Brenda

[sandra-leigh]

"... looking for an earring lover who won't blow my cover, they're so hard to find...

... you may lose and you may win, but you'll never be this way again, so open up and put them in,
take it easy.."

[Kelly Blaine]

Hmmm! Since I have natural dimples on my ear lobe's and people have asked me if they are pierced, maybe I could do it.

[Cheryl T]

I have both ears pierced twice. I wear diamond studs all the time and add some hoops or something dangling when I dress. I make no attempt to hide them and no one has ever said anything about it. In fact, only recently have we been given the ok to wear them at work and now I see that I am definitely not alone...about 1/3 of the guys have at least one earring and most have each ear pierced.

[Jay Cee]

"... looking for an earring lover who won't blow my cover, they're so hard to find...

... you may lose and you may win, but you'll never be this way again, so open up and put them in,
take it easy.."

<groan>

:)

[Jamie001]

Why try to masculinize things that are feminine. Just say that you enjoy doing feminine things and be ok with it.

[Alice B]

I;ve had pierced ears for years, with no problems or negative comments. In today's world it does not matter what you do. Pierced ears are accepted and common.

[Karen__Starr]

I think the majority of people could care less. In a professional evironment you could get small ball or diamond (like) earrings. Look at 10 guage rather than say 14 guage which is more noticable. I did 10 guage with short hair then went to 14 guage with long hair.

[Chickhe]

Mike Homes has his done... so just say you are a big fan. So does Howie Mandell.

[Diane Elizabeth]

I went to work with indentations from clip ons once and received comments from one gal that asked if I had my ears pierced. Of course I didn't. She continued to hound me all day about the mark. She has been a pain in the neck always trying to irratate me. So, if I went in with either or both ears pierced I would have nothing but harrassment about looking fem (I do have long hair).

[sandra-leigh]

Look at 10 guage rather than say 14 guage which is more noticable. I did 10 guage with short hair then went to 14 guage with long hair.

Huh? The larger the guage number the smaller the hole. 10 guage is a large piercing, 14 guage is about the maximum that women usually get. Silver earrings are typically 18 guage, and gold might be as small as 22 guage but 20 more commonly. 16 guage would allow you brass hoops (but as brass tarnishes it tends to irritate ears.)

10 guage is approximately 1.59 times the diameter of 14 guage, and more than twice the area. You can see the difference visually at American_wire_guage

I used expanders to push my earrings to first 14 guage and then 12 because for the first while my holes were closing up fairly easily and if I used 18 guage dangles for a couple of weeks then I would have trouble going back to posts; by pushing to larger, I delayed the closing process. The third time I expanded to 12, my ears stopped closing up and I can now do 12 without triggering bleeding (but I no longer have reason to bother.)

[Hope]

I am a member of the clergy, I wear a pair of gold studs with my clergy black all the time. No one has ever said anything.

Put on the big girl panties and stop living the life other people expect you to live.

[Stephenie S]

Hope wrote:

Put on the big girl panties and stop living the life other people expect you to live.

Guys, listen to Hope. Then listen carefully to this. This SUCH a non-issue. The guilt and fear are ONLY in your own head. NOBODY cares! Nobody.

You feel ashamed of what you do and are fearful that someone will find out. In YOUR mind you associate ear piercing with crossdressing. But here's the honest to goodness truth: Nobody else does!!

Will people notice if you pierce your ears? Maybe. Some might. Not many, but some. Will they care? Nope. Will they rib you? Maybe. So what? Haven't you ever taken a ribbing before?

You see Morley Shaefer on TV with a earring in, right? Do you immediately assume he's a crossdresser? No you don't. Does any one else in America assume that he's a crossdresser? No they do not.

But you! You with your little secret, you automatically assume that if YOU pierce your ears EVERYONE will immediately know you are a crossdresser. You will have "blown your cover". Yeah, right. Get over yourself, hon.

The truth is that many men pierce their ears quite often these days. Straight men. Manly men.

Listen. Wear some manly earrings. Sports themes. Little footballs. Little Harley Davidson crosses. Heck, religious crosses.

Do I recommend piercing your ears? Yup, I sure do. Clip on earrings are SO uncomfortable. Very few will notice the discrete little studs they use for the original piercing. Very few will care one way or the other, and NO ONE will automatically "know" you are a crossdresser because of it.

So relax. Let's put this issue away.

Stephie

[Shadeauxmarie]

If anybody asks "Why are you wearing earrings in both your ears?"

Replies to consider:

I killed a man in prison for asking personal questions.
I'm bisexual, are you busy?
I'm gay, are you busy?
I'm channeling my dead mother.
It's cheaper than a Porsche.
I sailed the seven seas.

[Jorja]

Just to put you at ease, I own a construction company. You should see some of the people both male and female that work for me or apply for a job with me. Some of them have so many piercings it looks like they fell face first into a tackle box full of lures and hooks. As long as you can do the job, nobody cares weather you are male, female, have pierced ears, or wear clown shoes. Just don't wear something dangly or something that can get caught and ripped out and you will be ok.

[corynn]

Just wanted to know if anyone here had both ears pierced, and managed to hide it or do so in a masculine fashion? I don't have long hair, so I can't hide it that way. I work in a sort of conservative environment (construction), so I'm trying to keep low profile about my cd'ing. I'm in my 40's, so it's not like I'm "young and hip", and could easily explain why I have holes in both my ears.

I'd happily do without the piercing, but the selection of clipons is pretty attrocious.

Thanks

Jessie


Why hide it that's something perfectly normal for people in California I had them done and have had friends who had theirs done as well who cares what people think !!!!! wear something more like a 12 or 8 gauge when not dressed to look manly and then take them out to dress up and put some real pretty earings in when you hide it people wonder even more !!!!!!!! when you don't hide it it's not a big deal

[Angela Rose]

[QUOTE=jcameron;I'd happily do without the piercing, but the selection of clipons is pretty attrocious.

Thanks

Jessie[/QUOTE]
You can buy adapters which allow you to wear earrings made for pierced ears as clip ons

[Daenna Paz]

had both ears pierced years ago no one seems to care about it.

As did I ... for a Father's Day present to myself! ;^)

[Jay Cee]

Just to put you at ease, I own a construction company. You should see some of the people both male and female that work for me or apply for a job with me. Some of them have so many piercings it looks like they fell face first into a tackle box full of lures and hooks. As long as you can do the job, nobody cares weather you are male, female, have pierced ears, or wear clown shoes. Just don't wear something dangly or something that can get caught and ripped out and you will be ok.

Oh, they would care if I wore clown shoes. Unless they had steel toes and shanks, of course. :D

[NathalieX66]

I'm a pretty senior guy in a small family-owned corporate enviroment full of boring conservative "jock" types (company of 18 employees). Everyone knows both my ears are pierced, but I don't wear anything at work. The question has been asked to me on several occasions before. Do I care? No. ...neither do they.
Now the new twentysomething junior guy in my small company shows up everyday with either a pair of diamonds (cubic zirconia) or 3/4" hoops and my company president & VP son don't even flinch....now he's the hero, as of late.
Personally, I have no desire to make a statement since I often meet with clients. My job is to represent the company, not me. :)

After work, when I'm out & about, the metal goes back in. my fellow employees have seen me this way.

[ReineD]

My SO just wore small studs to work until the ear lobes healed. But she's in a liberal work environment. It's been a few years and now she only wears earrings when she dresses.

If you're concerned, you might just pierce one ear at a time. After a few months the hole won't close if you don't wear an earring during the day. Then you can pierce the other ear. Just be sure to wear an ear stud at night in the first ear.

[Sparkles]

My son-in-law is 37yrs and works in construction. He has holes in both ears and has for at least the 5 yrs I've known him. As far as I know there is nothing wrong with it anymore. Just make sure you have appropriate earrings for work. example:steel balls or very small hoops. Both I have seen, very popular for guys.

[Kerigirl2009]

I have had my left ear pierced for over 20 years and about 9 months ago I pierced my right ear ( my wife did not really like it) I chose silver stude for the start. Once the hole was established I seithched to small hoops. ( my wife actually prefers the hoops now compared to studs) I have had a couple negative comments about my ears pierced but I choose to ignore the ignorant and go on about my life. Just pierce them and be happy.

[Patty B.]

In my job situation, a guy got his ear pierced a couple of years ago and had to put up with a large amount of teasing, not all good natured. There are so many macho, know all types here while you could complain to corporate HR dont know how much good it would do. Kind of sad ear piercing can cause so much uproar in a manufacturing plant, less than 200 work here. Guess I'll wait a bit before any piercings.

[Heather1129]

I got both of mine done 6 years ago and again about 4 years ago. At my previous job I wore all four all the time, no problems, with a ponytail down to the middle of my back no less. Now at a new job, I got a hair cut and don't wear earrings to work, but I still wear them all the time when I'm not at work. Never had any negative experiences. Worst was one time in the grocery store some elderly "lady" was staring at me and giving me dirty looks. I told her to take a picture, it lasts longer:D Go for it, you'll love it and don't worry about it.

Heather

[RhondaLynn]

If anybody asks "Why are you wearing earrings in both your ears?"

Replies to consider:

I killed a man in prison for asking personal questions.
I'm bisexual, are you busy?
I'm gay, are you busy?
I'm channeling my dead mother.
It's cheaper than a Porsche.
I sailed the seven seas.

Or, one of my all-time favorites - "Earrings??? WHAT earrings?", looking around nervously, twitching, with that crazed look in my eyes, watching distant shadows. Shuts down the comments every time. (proofreading: substitute "pierced ears" for "earrings" as you see fit)

Okay actually (actually that was actually), I was just thinking over the weekend how I should've had my ears pierced back in the '80s when it seemed to be the craze - I've missed all these years of enjoying ear jewelry. I've had one pair of clip-ons for years - just found them a couple weeks ago & wore 'em, only to discover the earlobe-dent issue listed here. Yeah, I'm considering having mine pierced - I guess i'm past the age of consent.

I'm not much worried about acceptance at work - i'm not there for their acceptance - i have a job to do - my ears don't play any part in it.

[MsRachael]

I got my ears pierced earlier this year about 10 to 11 weeks I suppose. I got the small little diamonds and love them. I work at at plant with about 500 people I see daily and only a couple said anything and it was all positive. My boss thought it was funny and told everyone in our dept at the morning meeting, we all had a good laugh and now I wear them everyday! Like everybody else has been saying for the most part, just do it and be confident. If they ask why you got them, just either say "Because I wanted to do something different for a change" or "I dunno why do you like the car you drive or the shudders you put on your house or the color red, etc etc" Nobody really cares people just tend to look for a response. Whatever it is. Making a joke is easiest though. :D because it's all just enjoying yourself and the things you like anyway. Why live by someone elses standard?