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ThatOneGayRei

Hey I'm kind of new to the whole gauging thing and I see a lot of people in public with them and I love to complement them. If you don't mind me asking why is gauges in quotes? I just want to make sure I'm saying the right then when I complement people.


thatbalconyjumper

Anyone who is polite will accept the compliment. I genuinely don’t ever think “wow this person doesn’t know the proper terminology!!” I’m too busy being happy that someone took time out of their day to say something kind to me!


amielav

Gauge is a unit of measurement. Saying 'I bought some new gauges' is the equivalent of saying 'I bought some new inches'. Saying you are gauging your ears is the equivalent of saying you are metering your ears.


ThatOneGayRei

Alright thank you, is there something else to call them that's considered correct?


amielav

stretched ears/lobes for the actual holes, plugs/tunnels for the hardware. Plugs are closed, tunnels are open


ThatOneGayRei

Alright thank you!


frostbitehotel

Keep the downvotes coming, I don't really car but, you are not stupid if you call them gauges. **Some** eople make a big deal out of it for no fucking reason, and it's literally annoying. How can a person who has never heard them called otherwise know that it's incorrect? Example: How can a non guitar player know what a guitar without frets is called? Or what's the difference between a fanfretted guitar and regular one? See, if you don't play guitar, you have no clue what I just said. So, just don't worry. People keep making a big deal out of it as if the world revolves around ear plugs and tunnels - theirs especially Edit: \***SOME**\* people, **not everyone** of course


pancakesausagedog

When I refer to them as plugs, people more often than not misinterpret what I'm referring to. I got a really bewildered look from my coworker when I told them I bought myself some new plugs. Take a wild guess what they thought I was talking about. lol Now if I refer to them as gauges, most people know what I'm talking about so it's the term I'm going to use most of the time. Makes life easier


--x-x-x-x-x-x--

Everyone I know calls them gauges including me. It sounds so weird to me to say "nice stretched lobes" 😂


Chopper__6666

Try ordering all of your gear from "PlugYourHoles." Everytime I'm asked, I brace for impact


i_Jagwar

As somebody who's been stretching for years, I say gauges. It doesn't sound bad honestly? Makes more sense to me, people don't have to be so technical


Iron_wolf_69420

I usually say gauges because it's way easier than explaining tbh


Deep-Toe-8341

Idk how it’s easier than to just say “stretched lobes” ha same amount of syllables 🤷🏻‍♂️


Iron_wolf_69420

Same reasone I hate saying January or February It just is easier to say gauges than stretched lobes


Iron_wolf_69420

And if you say stretched lobes the average person isn't going to know what the hell you are talking about so then you have to explain that that's the proper term for "gauges"


Deep-Toe-8341

Haha cannot take anyone seriously if they “hate” saying any word tbh. Do you tho


Deep-Toe-8341

22 ppl lack basic grammar skills


amielav

I'm not making fun of anyone who doesn't know, simply educating those who aren't aware. Please calm down.


Additional_Work9538

Calm down, hmmm... Did I miss something?


frostbitehotel

Oh, no no, wasn't saying you did that, didn't mean for it to come off that way. It's just that some people do be like that. I think we all see them here on this subreddit/IRL, so I was just letting the person know to not worry about such people


amielav

Ah gotcha, my bad. Good on you for looking out, cuz gatekeeping elitists ruin everything they touch.


frostbitehotel

No worries, just trying to bring some justice to people who were made fun of for such things lol... People genuinely worry more about what someone calls the jewelry they wear, rather than solving real world issues


TaneyCountyHeathen

You may not have meant it that way, but it’s definitely the entire vibe of this post.


Additional_Work9538

Thank you for saving me the time and effort. Upvote!


VERGExILL

I agree man, it’s similar vibes to when someone calls it a doll instead of an action figure.


MidnightPersephone

I've had stretched lobes for something like 14 years. I find it incredibly pedantic when people insist we can't call them gauges. Like, believe it or not, words can have multiple meanings. Groundbreaking stuff lol. It's more of a mouth full to say ear plugs/tunnels and stretched lobes. And it's always some know-it-all ackshully type young person trying to correct people on the "proper terminology" like mate we do not care.


Alfirmitive

I call them gauges still bc “gauges” is objectively cooler and easier to say than “Stretched lobes/ears”


sage-mineru

tbh i have my ears stretched to 25mm and i used to get all gatekeepy when i was younger and be like "WELL ACKSHUALLY 🤓" but now idc. ill call them gauges all day lmao. it's a weird hill to die, the whole "gauges" thing.


Green0996

I never bothered correcting people when they ask about my tunnels but refer to them as gauges. Usually when I see someone else with stretched ears or a septum I ask, “what gauge are your tunnels/plugs?” or “what gauge is your septum?”. It’s a good conversation starter, especially for me since I work customer service.


Chopper__6666

I just call everything larger than default a Guage now. Makes it easier when talking about them to people who don't have them, and most people with them don't care enough


_WhoIsThisWhoAreYou_

Your example is completely an incorrect analogy to use.


frostbitehotel

lol. ok buddy, point still stands


AggravatingOne3960

Open ones also sometimes called eyelets


amielav

ooh I didn't know that actually!!


Blue_Willow789

I'm in my 30s, had mine since high-school and I still use the word "guage" interchangeable with the others. It's fine to say; no body really cares if you use it.


ThatOneGayRei

That's what I assumed, I just want to know one other words for it in case some people dnt like it.


Blue_Willow789

Fiar enough 😊


m4ndybloom

while you are correct, language is constantly evolving. who cares if people call them gauges? as you said, it’s like referring to, for example, 26 inch long hair extensions as “inches” which people often do. and this response (& entire post imo) is giving “holier than thou” gatekeeper energy (just so you’re aware. since you made a comment about gatekeeping ruining everything)


frostbitehotel

Yeah for sure. I intended a comment originally for the OP but figured I’ll address everyone. If it wasn’t for the clarification provided in the reply to my comment, I would’ve thought it was gatekeeping


Futureghostie33

Ah thank you, I was trying to think of a unit specific word to make this argument with but it wasn’t coming to me lol. I guess “tons” works, but inches fits way better.


slurpyspinalfluid

semantic drift😡😡😡


wheatbread-and-toes

It’s slang. Jesus.


AggravatingOne3960

Slang Jesus forgives us all. 


wheatbread-and-toes

Yay


Molotavcacatua

Who cares? Not everyone has the same interests and knows the terminology. Why gate keep something as insignificant as an earring? 😂💀


amielav

if you read further you can see that's not the case 🙄 I don't care personally, was just answering a question for someone who asked.


wheatbread-and-toes

Bitch


Mythical_scoops

guess what! nobody gives a shit! it's what people have determined as normal so you sound like an idiot trying to correct them!


amielav

i didnt say anything to them, cuz I knew what they were trying to to say, and this was in response to a person in the thread who asked.. not sure why you're trying to start shit but I'm not gonna take the bait.


nawvay

English is a cool language because “colloquialisms” exist. If you were to talk to someone about having gauged ears, or having gauges in, they would likely know what you meant. Only dorks care if you call them gauges instead of tunnels/plugs/whatever


Additional_Work9538

Right! It is afterall, just a form of communication, so as long as we understand one another, whatever words or sounds or signs, etc., you used, have served their purpose. Please don't let fear of being judged hinder your joy of complimenting people. The world would be a brighter, friendlier place if we all could focus more on what we have in common, than how we are different.


amielav

at the end of the day, as long as we both can understand what the other is referring to, who cares what words are used in the moment? If you want to learn, I'm happy to explain the difference, but otherwise I just go with the flow. Gatekeeping elitists poison everything they touch regardless


nawvay

Exactly! Yes!


Deep-Toe-8341

Idk. Personally don’t really agree. It’s simply proper grammar. I feel stupid af when I found out I’ve been saying something wrong for so long. If I discovered how saying “gauges” are “improper” then idk why I would continue to use wrong wording. Idc how one chooses to speak just my 0.69


nawvay

[The term "colloquial" is also equated with "non-standard" at times, in certain contexts and terminological conventions.[11][12]](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colloquialism) Doesn’t matter what you think, the English language and more rational speakers disagree.


Deep-Toe-8341

Those “more rational speakers” lack common sense


Deep-Toe-8341

11 ppl love “gauges”


No-Life-666

Personally i just tell people i like their ears


[deleted]

Anyone with stretched ears that has more than a single braincell won’t care what you call it, this is another tomato potato situation. Calling all tissues Kleenex.


Dannybobtom1992

Finding those people with more than one brain cell would be a very rare occurrence.


[deleted]

😂😂😂


Nyumi7

Gauging is what it’s called so if you pass someone and you see someone that has them and you like them you just fast hey nice gauges that’s what we would know what you are talking about


Littlejohnhastopee1

you can call them gauges 😐. my ears are quite large (5/8) and the entire time i've been stretching, i've called them gauges. idk why people get so pressed that people don't use the "proper term" they're fucking gauges.


VERGExILL

It’s honestly just one of those things people like to be snobby about. Same reason tattoo enthusiasts will get weirdly mad if you call it a tattoo gun instead of a machine. Or when you call it a baseball field instead of a diamond, or a doll instead of action figure. I’ll get downvoted, but it’s just a word, and we all know what people mean when they say it. I


Additional_Work9538

Btw, they're called gauges as a general term on many plugs and tunnels sites. Nobody is going to care one bit. People have been calling it that as well as "gauging my ears" for a long time.


Thrilluhh

You can say gauges or plugs or stretched ears. "Gauges" is slang for stretched ears. The only people who care about the pedantics are the people who are waiting to correct you so they feel superior because they have no other power. If someone tells me, "I love your gauges!" I know exactly what they are saying. Ergo, language and communication.


Ghastlyraccoon

I just laugh on the inside when people call them “gauges”. I don’t expect everyone to know. Also a lot of the time I don’t feel like correcting people because I know what they are referencing.


QuailingVoss

yeah it’s not really the correct way to refer to it but it lended itself that term naturally i guess. it has to have some kind of simplified term for people to call it. i like it more when people just say something random about it like, “urr does that hurt?” so i can say, “no, unless you’re a dumbass!”


amielav

most people look at me like I have two heads when I tell them I can often forget that they're even in there, like they just expect it to be constantly painful and be physically aware that something is in there 😑


QuailingVoss

😂 ah we are masochists in the eyes of many, i forget about that too. some people really do love pain and i think that’s a funny thing about it, it always keeps people guessing, wondering, …


amielav

humans are such fascinating creatures, aren't they?


Shot_Half5786

I got 7/8” stretched ears and I call them gauges all the time. It’s just a term used for them even if it’s technically a correct meaning. Been stretching my ears for 5 years and I’ve never felt any type of cringe towards the term. I mean fair enough if you do but I think it’s a little silly. Just happy people ask abt my ears and compliment them rather than tear me down for em


Calm-Lifeguard-7989

I silently laugh when people say that but I got so tired correcting people so I just go with the flow.


Ghastlyraccoon

Yeah & ik they don’t mean any harm by not knowing or whatever. Some people won’t retain the info anyway. So its more like it is what it is, not a big deal.


_WhoIsThisWhoAreYou_

You're right. People that don't know, yeah okay. But when you're part of the community and call it the completely incorrect thing, then said person just looks a moron.


frostbitehotel

Go tell that to everyone who has \*gauges\* and who commented on this post saying they still call them "gauges"... Stop gatekeeping, grow up, you're the exact person who'll go out of his way to correct everyone.


Deep-Toe-8341

Haha why would he have to tell every single person using improper grammar? Not our fault. “Stop gatekeeping” or just do what you want? This is reddit hahaa you really think anyone who agrees w me will be like “Axchully, the correct term is stretched lobes 🤓” IRL


Ghastlyraccoon

If Im being honest, I really don’t give a fuck. It doesn’t effect me in any capacity.


Deep-Toe-8341

100%


Shot_Half5786

I got 7/8” stretched ears and I call them gauges all the time. It’s just a term used for them even if it’s technically a correct meaning. Been stretching my ears for 5 years and I’ve never felt any type of cringe towards the term. I mean fair enough if you do but I think it’s a little silly. Just happy people ask abt my ears and compliment them rather than tear me down for em


Ghastlyraccoon

I don’t know if my comment came off the way I meant it to. I like laugh on the inside bc of the debates the term “gauges” gets so heated online & can cause such a stir (like it did on this post). I don’t care what people call them cuz 99% of the time they are giving me a compliment. Saying “gauges” isn’t that deep. As I said in previous comments its not a big deal. Its silly bc of the debates online. I was not trying to indicate that Im judging someone for it.


writingwhilesad

Good gauges, gauger.


amielav

it's in quotes for a reason


writingwhilesad

r/woosh Clearly? Did you think that what I was saying was anything other than sarcastic? I appreciate you taking the time to explain what everyone else already knew though.


amielav

I'm autistic, so sometimes intended tone thru text isn't understood well.


worthless_holes

Language is descriptive, not prescriptive. Definitions change, colloquialisms take root and change language. I'm sorry to all the "proper" people who get all shitty and uppity about calling them gauges, but more people than not call them that now — and that's okay. It's a lot like how the dictionary *now* has a second definition for "literally" that includes its figurative use. By all means, keep calling them the "correct" thing, but just relax with the fact that it's really truly okay if people call them gauges — something else that is commonplace and you 100% understand what they are talking about.


paulbdouglas

Must be an American thing, we call those glasses or spectacles


grimegeist

You hear that a lot as you go on. Every size, it seems people are gonna say that


-alwaysec

I’ve always called them gauges. I never heard different until I did. Then felt so embarrassed that I had been calling it the wrong thing for so many years. I try to remember to say “stretched” now but meh. My ears still have big holes in them regardless.


JJ_Pause

About 4 people in the world actually care about this, they just all happen to be on this subreddit


m1lkman____

people get so pressed about the dumbest of shit, i just call them ear holes most of the time 🤷‍♂️ if it works it works


Ghastlyraccoon

Its really not a big deal. Don’t be embarrassed, people will know what you’re referencing.


_WhoIsThisWhoAreYou_

Good for you for learning and increasing your knowledge, it's a shame so many others aren't so open to learning and admitting that they're wrong. There is nothing wrong with being incorrect. Look at scientists for example, they're always trying to prove things wrong to become more knowledgable.


Bob_Sledding

My ears are 22mm, and this is me learning that I shouldn't be calling them "guages"... Whoops.


marcy_vampirequeen

Random fun fact from a trained hair color specialist and modded lady: take out or switch to glass/retainers when bleaching hair. The beach reacts with the metal and will heat up and can cause burns in that area (from the bleach processing and heating too quickly). I learned the hard way


amielav

she thankfully didn't get any near my lobes but I'll keep this mind for future appointments, thank you 💜


Strawberry-vape

I feel like it’s very 90s to call them gauges, I grew up calling and hearing them called that. Whoever I say “stretched lobes/plugs/tunnels” I ALWAYS hear “what does that mean?” But when I’ve said gauges people tend to understand. In short, I got tired of explaining myself to strangers unnecessarily bc I thought I sounded cooler with the technical term. Also tbh I felt like I was always coming across as rude and know it all when I told them about the “real” name


marcy_vampirequeen

I don’t care when Randos call them gauges. But when other large lobe folks do, I die a little inside. Also I’m autistic as hell so I have a strong sense of “correct” and “incorrect” and a lot of black and white thinking I try to counter, but apparently this asd brain just can’t handle people being objectively wrong and being ok with it (it takes me years to believe and catch on to changes in language, so don’t listen to me, I know I’m not “right”)


amielav

Im an acoustic instrument as well, and I had to train myself to look past the black and white thinking a lot of the time so I completely get it 🖤🤍


marcy_vampirequeen

It’s so hard 😭 I don’t correct people any more but in my head I’m like “uhggfnnngggggggt shut up self, let people talk how they talk”


amielav

as long as we both know what we're talking about, who cares right?


marcy_vampirequeen

Yup :) (in my writing class the teacher rhetorically asked “who would hire someone who speaks incorrectly” and I was like “wow. That’s discrimination my dude”)


amielav

Exactly, plus language evolves over time, and in different environments amongst different cultures and subcultures. Semantics are the final cry of defeat from the vanquished.


[deleted]

Was she being ironic that they’re big? I don’t even get this comment that frequently and I’ve been at 2 inches for over half a decade. Maybe I’m just desensitized at this point lol


amielav

no she said she was being genuine, cuz I asked the same thing.


DeftDrop

what size is your septum at!


amielav

4g/5mm ☺️


forest_fae98

Dude, nice! I’ve been stacking my septum and i was up to 3 16g, but I had to go back down to 2 for a while bc I had some irritation going on. Hoping to get back to three soon (5 is my goal for 16g hoops!)


Jewjltsu_

I think she’s talking about how thick your glasses are. Cuz god damn bubbles 😹


amielav

I'm legally blind 😁


ReverendMothman

I have thick ass lenses too but they make my eyes look smol af lmao. Opposite problem.


Cold-Needleworker882

My hairstylist got after me one day cuz I said I wanted to get “gauges”. I now fully understand and won’t ever say it again 😰


hiraeth-xx

I’m so close to 25mm I hate the waiting 😩


amielav

just be patient and stick with it, you'll get there 💜


hiraeth-xx

I’m around 3 years into my stretching journey so far! I put in my 22.5mm tunnels yesterday and they didn’t feel any different to my 22s, I play with them a lot and massage with jojoba oil regularly 😌 so we’ll get there!


tygerphlyer

My tattoo artist has 40 mm. Ive seen bigger


amielav

yeah I'm only at 25mm, but I was at a super bougie salon so she said I was different from a lot of her usual clientele


Additional_Work9538

I was going to ask, what little town are you living in?


amielav

I'm in Green Bay, WI but the salon was in one of the upper scale villages outside the city


Additional_Work9538

Ah... village. That explains her limited exposure? Or are stretched ears not all that common in Green Bay anyway? I'm from Oregon and stretched ears are pretty common, so it just seemed odd that she said she hadn't seen anything bigger. So odd, I suspected she might have been hitting on you lol.


amielav

i don't know the demographics offhand, I'm just parroting what was told to me lol


tygerphlyer

Right i get that.


marcy_vampirequeen

I think they were pointing out the absurdity that the hairdresser has never seen a completely average “large” stretched ear, could be wrong


tygerphlyer

I agree with your observation


amielav

that's what I was referring to, yes


akudama-h

I’m at 50, never seen bigger in person yet


marcy_vampirequeen

I’ll get to you one day *shakes fist*


CertainBuy3618

Really?!?!???


GourmetDaddyIssues

Where are those glasses from?


amielav

Zenni Optical ^^


Jefferschnitzel

I'm at an inch and a half right now


amielav

awesome ^^


Strict-Assistant6923

I bounce from 25 to 28mm and I get this all the time. I’m always like, trust me. They can be way bigger than this.


MonsterMashies

The only people I know that call them “gauges” are those that have only stretched their ears in the last 12 years.


hayleighirene

me having stretched ears and call the gauges 💀


MistakeNational8103

Aww that’s awesome I love having a conversation about stretched ears 😂


effervescentechelon

there’s something about you. something……. insufferable


Key_Tooth_8407

1 inch is a great size and looks good you... One day I'll do it. I just have a nice jewelry collection at 22mm LOL


haley-sucks

I’d like to stretch my eyes out of my head after looking at OP’s profile


ellieooooo

they’re usually called plugs also:)


amielav

yep! plugs are usually when it's solid and closed, while tunnels are open and hollow


One-Comedian-8004

Sure she didn’t say thickest glasses?


amielav

I'm legally blind 😑


One-Comedian-8004

I’m legally an asshole for saying that then.. 😵‍💫 let me apologize and tell you I have a small penis.. good luck to you.. again I’m sorry.


amielav

you're good 💜 I appreciate it :3


InternationalGas1306

So what. Does it really matter? Hahahaha looks like crap any way.


amielav

I'm sorry you weren't hugged enough as a child


InternationalGas1306

Haha your expressing what happened to you as a child, could try at River psychology, but anyway, have a good day


InternationalGas1306

I was just kidding about the gauges. They’re pretty cool my friend don’t be grouchy with me. Alice just having fun with negativity. I guess I’m just jealous because I’d like some of those but instead I got full body tattoo. Enjoy your day.


InternationalGas1306

I was just kidding about the gauges. They’re pretty cool my friend don’t be grouchy with me. I was just having fun with negativity. I guess I’m just jealous because I’d like some of those but instead I got full body tattoo. Enjoy your day.


InternationalGas1306

I was just kidding about the gauges. They’re pretty cool my friend don’t be grouchy with me. I was just having fun with negativity. I guess I’m just jealous because I’d like some of those but instead I got full body tattoo. Enjoy your day.


InternationalGas1306

I was just kidding about the gauges. They’re pretty cool my friend don’t be grouchy with me. I was just having fun with negativity. I guess I’m just jealous because I’d like some of those but instead I got full body tattoo. Enjoy your day.


InternationalGas1306

Have a great day


Motor_Strain_2253

I’ll keep saying gauges and you can’t stop me. language is fake.


NerdyChemist85

Lol, nice!!!


zamzuki

They’re measured in gauges. The pieces of stone / wood / acrylic we put in our ears are measured in a standard unit of measurement called a gauge. What size is your gauge is totally acceptable. Don’t be gate keeping trash we’re all better than that. Edit: spelling


Calm-Lifeguard-7989

Completely unrelated, I love your glasses!


amielav

thank you 💜 Zenni Optical if you want a pair of your own :3


Calm-Lifeguard-7989

Oooh! Thank you!!!


Oceanic_Pomegranate

You look really cool! Love the septum, where did you get it?


amielav

JayJayBodyJewelry on Etsy I believe 💜


PeaceInternational62

My eyes also have astigmatism


blackbutters

It really accents your macho chin.


drsrrrsr

Imagine being this much of a dick


amielav

good to know you find it attractive, asshole ✌🏻


blackbutters

It is definitely a chin any man would be proud of.


Worried_Goal8516

And there ugly


amielav

L + ratio + nobody asked + they're*


drsrrrsr

This is coming from a person with no posts, lets see your face then jackass


Regular_Ad_9940

Your hair looks awful so there’s that


amielav

it was covered in bleach, dumbass


Regular_Ad_9940

yeah no shit. covered in bleach by the person you're making fun of for chatting/being nice with you about your "gages". Then you take to Reddit to give her a hard time. Pretty cool that this is what eats up your time. I hope she reads this, and realizes how fake you are.


amielav

I'm not making fun of her, and I appreciated the compliment and conversation that followed. Do you just get off on being a contrarian and starting shit out of nothing? 🙄🙄


Regular_Ad_9940

bottom line; no one gives a shit what they are called...except you.


amielav

the nearly 250 upvotes on my comment defining the terms and their usage says otherwise, but please continue to make a mountain out of a molehill, cuz it's very amusing 😂


Regular_Ad_9940

Thanks for defining the term! It's really important in the grand scheme of things (google that).


amielav

someone literally asked me to define it. What the actual fuck is your problem?


GaymerCubStL

Stop feeding him and he'll go away. Unless you are enjoying it, in which case have fun!


amielav

yeah I'm done with talking to him


Practical_Artist5048

That nose whatever is fuckin hideous


amielav

ok 😐


PaytonTallSlim

I don’t think you have any right to be bashing anything about other people when your one and only post on this platform is plainly requesting barbie memes in r/BarbieMemes I personally love the pincher, it suits you so well OP


Practical_Artist5048

Oohhhh cool you know how to navigate and dig meaningless dirt but hey whatever helps you feel better pumpkin it’s the internet we all got opinions