Bajoran earrings: does the ear matter?

[mlbach]

I noticed on the TNG episode "Ensign Ro" that she wore her earring on her left ear. Almost every other character seems to wear theirs on the right ear. Is there any significance to whichever ear it is worn on, or is it just personal preference?

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

In the 1980's, a man with his right ear pierced was supposedly gay.

That's all I got.

 

[Nerys Myk]

I noticed on the TNG episode "Ensign Ro" that she wore her earring on her left ear. Almost every other character seems to wear theirs on the right ear. Is there any significance to whichever ear it is worn on, or is it just personal preference?

Right ears are Orthodox and left ears are Reformed.

 

[mlbach]

Sounds like a good explanation, except I have a hard time thinking of Kira as Orthodox

 

[Nerys Myk]

Sounds like a good explanation, except I have a hard time thinking of Kira as Orthodox

More so than Ro, that's for sure.

 

[DonIago]

Ro intentionally wore hers on the "wrong" ear because she was religious to some degree but also had a major chip on her shoulder.

 

[mlbach]

Kira was the one with the major chip on her shoulder. Ro only had an ensign chip.

 

[kkt]

Kira was the one with the major chip on her shoulder. Ro only had an ensign chip.

Well played!

 

[tomalak301]

Maybe it had something to do with one's Pagh?

 

[mlbach]

Aha! Ro wore her earring on the left so no one would grab that ear to check her Pagh?

 

[Farscape One]

When members of the Bajorans religious order grabbed an ear, wasn't it usually the right ear they grabbed?

 

[mlbach]

I could be mistaken, but my memory is that they grab the left ear with the right hand.
That would be so Ro--"Hey, &$@%!, leave my Pagh alone!" (without having to say a word).

 

[Prax]

Because Ro worshiped the Pagh Wraith

 

[USS Triumphant]

She was lookin' for the man that shot her Pagh.

 

[Nyotarules]

Ro liked being a rebel, the novels paint her as an agnostic/atheist

 

[mlbach]

Apparently there is no reason given in canon. Here's an idea: Ro made a vow that she would wear the earring on the wrong ear until she is no longer in exile from her homeland.

 

[Kor]

Sounds like a good explanation, except I have a hard time thinking of Kira as Orthodox

When it came to Bajoran spiritual/religious practice, I think she was quite orthodox.

Kor

 

[Prax]

Kira even got upset over reformed preaching...and don't even get her started on eschatology.

 

[mlbach]

I've been keeping track and so far Ro is the only one I've seen with the earring on the left ear.

 

[Nyotarules]

Kira even got upset of reformed preaching...and don't even get her started on eschatology.

Kira was a fundamentalist, (nothing wrong with that in certain circumstances) when the fake Emissary wanted to go back to a caste based society, she never publicly protested the idea, she went along with it, even going as far as trying her hand at being an artist like her caste dictated.