Why the modern man or woman stretches their ears
I have always been intrigued by the social behaviors of humans. I love people watching. Sometimes it gets me wondering why people choose to express themselves in certain ways. The question today is, "Why do people stretch their ears?" The following is meant to refer to society as a whole. (I know there are many varied reasons why an individual may want to stretch their ears.)
History has shown us that ear stretching was initially used to show that an individual belonged to a group or a tribe. It was accepted by the group and they were marked as being "one of us". When someone did not have stretched ears they were considered to be an outsider or someone who did not belong to the tribe.
The Modern Day Ear Stretcher
Fast forward to the modern day practice of ear stretching and you will see quite the opposite. People seem to be trying to break out of the mold and express their individuality. Maybe they want to steer away from their current "Tribe" and join a new "Tribe" that better understands their beliefs and ideas. It seems that the individual is expressing who they are or want to become. The person who was once accepted as part of the tribe is now shown to be the "weird one" or "outcast."
20 - 30 years ago ear stretching your ears seemed to be very different from what it is today. Body modifications like stretched ears were rarely seen (except in traditional tribes). In the Western culture they were mostly seen in groups like punks or goths. Nowadays it continues to be on the rise. Ear stretching is growing in popularity with both men and women and it does not seem to be confined to any one type of group. It is truly an artistic accessory to add to the look or style of each individual.
The point of no return
There is a point in stretching your ears that is known as the "point of no return." In a lot of cases, when the ear is stretched above 10mm (00 gauge for ears), it is not able to properly heal and will never go back to what it was before. Below this "point of no return" seems to be what is more accepted these days. This was not the case in the 80's or 90's.
It seems that the higher the ear is stretched past the 10mm mark (00 gauge for ears), the more one might receive judgmental looks or opinionated remarks. Comments like "That is disgusting.", "Can I stick my finger through your hole?", or "Didn't that hurt?" If you have stretched ears, these comments and questions are all too familiar. It's just the way our society is. Perhaps in another 10-20 years it will be a nonissue.
The New Tribe
No matter for what reasons people decide to stretch their ears, one thing is for sure. The art's popularity is growing. The New Modern Era Ear Stretching "Tribe" is growing. The tribe is expanding around the world and immensely diverse individuals are finding common ground through the art of ear stretching.
What's Your Story?
I am taking a survey to hear your story. Please comment below and tell me your story of why you stretch your ears.
85 comments
I saw them on a girl who I was 13yrs old and was just completely amazed and mesmerized by how beautiful it made her look. And even more amazed by the fact that I could see through her ear to the other side. I did a lot of research to what they meant in certain tribes and I loved the fact that in males the bigger the expansion the lore of a warrior/fighter they are considered and in females the bigger the expansion the more beautiful she is regarded.
I was raised by very strict older people so at 13 I was not even allowed to Hot Topic (which back in 2003 was the only place you could purchase an ear expansion kit without owning a credit card to buy them online)
As soon as I moved out of their place at the age of 15 I went straight to HT and bought my kit.
I’m 27 now and have expanded them to 1 1/2". I love them, they are a part of me. I identify myself with them. I’ve had them for almost half of my life. I always get asked “what if you regret it?” (I doubt I will) but if I do get tired of them I can always get the excess cut off and sown and have my ear restored back to normal so, who really cares!?
When my mom died, I was 10 and it took a toll on me. Self harm took over along with anxiety and I was later diagnosed with bipolar disorder. I started looking into stretching around 14 and immediately took a liking to it. I started working my way up and as soon as I got to 5/8s I stopped because that was the size for me. Been there ever since. They built my confidence when I had none. I love being able to wear plugs or tunnels that fit my personality and what my mood is at the time.
I’ve wanted to stretch my ears for about 10 or 11 years. I’ve always thought it was so cool looking, and I always have loved the beautiful jewelry you can wear. As it has become more popular over those 10 years, I love the jewelry even more. I just always thought it was such a unique and different concept. A really rad way to express yourself. I personally have never wanted to go above 00 though. Explaining to my mom how I can still size down from there is hilarious. But, yeah, I like the way it looks, and I like how it is still not a complete norm in society.
I stream my ears because I want to. it’s a form of expression that I find to be beautiful. I love my streamed ears and I am glad I did it
I had always been intrigued by body modification but lived in a household w stricter parents. My dad wigged out when I got second lobe piercings at 16. As soon as I turned 18 and went off to college was when my personal body mod journey began. I started stretching my ears myself. I got my 20th piercing for my 20th birthday and have had several more since but could never commit to the forever idea of a tattoo. I am stretched to 7/16ths. I love them. I don’t forsee myself ever wanting them to close up but I don’t want to go any larger either. I love the shock value when people ask if they’re gauged & I show them I can put my pinky thru them, but I also love that they can be concealed when I wear my cubic zirconia studs (old ladies compliment me on them all the time. I think, ‘if you only knew’ and chuckle). My gauged lobes are one of the few body mod piercings I’ve left in since I’ve had children. They remind me of the wild free spirit I am inside even though I appear as a 31yo medical professional w a conservative husband & 3 kids from the outside. Circumstances & responsibilities change but always remember who you are and oddly enough, my ears help do that for me.