What does the nautical star tattoo represent?

Answer 1

Nautical StarsSailors have long used nautical stars as symbols of protection and guidance.

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• A friend of mine who is a marine told me that a star is a symbol of protection. He has them tattooed on his shoulders.

• Back in the day when being gay wasnt the thing to do, butch females would get the tattoo on the inside of their wrists so they could cover it up with a watch during the day and at night they could take off the watch and other dykes would know. Just a version of one of the meanings that i have heard.

• Nautical Star tattoos are very commonly used in the gay world to denote homosexuality. They are often placed in a location that can be easily concealed. For example, one could have the star tattoed on his/her wrist, allowing them to hide it (with a watch or long-sleeved shirt) by day, and reveal it at night at the bar/club.

• The nautical stars were originally used by sailors to help guide their way as they sailed through the night. They relied upon the stars to protect them and bring them home safely. A lot of soldiers get nautical stars for the same reason: protection.

• They symbolize protection, guidance, loyalty, and honor. They can also symbolize prestige or a higher rank in the military.

• There are two meanings of the "STAR" tattoo. First is the protection and guidance meaning and second is being affiliated with the gay community. I know some people don't like the idea that the star can be affiliated with the gay community but that is what the meaning is with-in many gay communities and I know of at least 8 people who have them and got them for that meaning.

• Back in the day sailors would tattoo nautical stars on them because they relied on the stars to take them home. So in that case the star would be a symbol of guidance. Now as time has passed the nautical stars represent the direction of ones life. If it's pointed upward they have a higher outlook on life and so on.

• The meaning of the Nautical star is to create your own path, but use the stars as a guide when you are lost or scared.

• I have a Nautical Star on my wrist. The reason I got mine was to honor my lesbian sisters who used to tatoo their wrist with a "star" as a secret code to all other lesbians that had to hide their gay identity back in the 30's, 40's and 50's and who in the 60's and 70's had the courage to bring us out of the fear of our closets into our happy open lives today. That is why me and a lot of my other lesbian sisters today wear the "star" today. If you want to read more about the origins of the "Nautical Star" in the gay community the pick up the book titled "Boots of Leather, Slippers of Gold: The History of a Lesbian Community" by Elizabeth Lapovsky Kennedy. Here's the passage (with some pieces dropped) from "Boots of Leather, Slippers of Gold: The History of a Lesbian Community" by Elizabeth Lapovsky Kennedy and Madeilne D. Davis copyright 1993 p. 189. talking about the 1940's and 1950's): "...During this same time period, the cultural push to be identified as lesbians- or at least different- all the time was so powerful that it generated a new form of identification among the tough bar lesbians: a star tattoo on the top of the wrist, which was usually covered by a watch. This was the first symbol of community identity that did not rely on butch-fem imagery. We can trace this phenomenon back to an evening of revelry in the late 1950's, when a few butches trooped over to "Dirty Dick's" tattoo parlor on Chippewa Street and had the tiny blue five-pointed star put on their wrists. Later, some of the fems of this group also go the idea one night and did it...The comunity views the tattoo as a definite mark of identification..."the Buffalo police knew [that] the people that had the stars on their wrist were lesbians and they had their names and so forth. That it was an identity thing with the gay community, with the lesbian community". The fact that the star tattoo was created by those who were firmly into roles, in fact by the group that was considered the butchy butches and their fems, suggest that the force to assert lesbian identity was strong enough to break through the existing traditions of boldness based in butch-fem roles. The stars presage the methods of identity created by gay liberation. In fact, the mark has become something of a tradition in local circles and has seen a revival since the 1970s."

• Many people have different meanings, but I have my nautical star to remind me to always follow my dreams, also to protect me and guide me through out life.

• I am in the United States Army, an MP who searched towns and villages for Al Quida and insurgents. I was in Iraq for a year. I have a red and black nautical star on my wrist. The reason I got it was because when I was out there, I felt it was a guide to guide me home to my family safely. I got it so that it would remind me that I am going to make it to see my son grow up. I am not gay, it doesn't matter what you believe it represents, it means something different for everyone. Out in the desert, I would look up at the stars and think about home. So anyone can think what they want to, that is what it means to me.

• I have two black and red nautical stars on each elbow. I am in the Navy and I know of quite a few people who have nautical stars. Sailors where some of the first people to bring back the art of tattooing which they picked up from indigenious tribes in the pacific. Also if you ever look at a map you will notice nautical stars somewhere on it. I believe it originated with sailors because they where constantly using the charts and noticed the symbol of the nautical star.

• I have been in the tattoo and piercing industry for 29+ years and I can tell you this: The Nautical Star is just that "A NAUTICAL STAR!" My hats off to those who know that it is a symbol representing the guidance of a return to safe port!

• This "gay symbol" is a load of hooey that someone made up VERY recently. The nautical star tattoo has been around nearly as long as tattooing itself. The late Celts (or early Irish, depending on your view of World History) were said to have been the first to have the tattoos, although evidence of it being used on ships in Spain has been found pre-dating the Irish claim. As a Marine, it's a very commonplace symbol amongst us if we have been part of a Boat Raid company, red for port, green for starboard on varying parts of the body. On ship, I saw about a million different variations on the Sailors I was was serving with, obviously harking back to the sailor roots.

• The five point star, not necessarily the nautical star, was a Pagan symbol. It is the way Venus moves across the night sky. Venus was a Pagan goddess. As a political smear campain, the catholic church pronounced it a pentagram and a symbol of the devil. The same way it changed other pagan gods to devil symbols like Posideons trident to a devils pitchfork.

• I guess the nautical star or general star could mean whatever concept you could possibly imagine. To me it reminds me of solidarity. I had never heard of the lesbian history but I guess it just reaffirms my idea of my nautical star. Gays have always been a part of the struggle the freedom of expression and action in America.

• The nautical star is on some of the Mormon temples. On the plaques they have telling the meaning of some of the things on the temple it says the star means holyness.

• I believe that the Nautical Star derived from the Druze Star. Almost the exact same concept, except they split the star segments down the middle and added color. I'm sure the sailor thing is correct, and truthfully no one should care what past people whom have had these tattoos believe its translated to. If you get a tattoo that feels right, think of in your head what you believe it to be. But anyway back to the Druze Star and the link to that of a nautical star. The Druze Star is in 5 segments with the colors green (top), red (right), yellow (lower right), white (lower left), and blue (left). Green is the mind, the male principle. Red is the soul, or the female principle. Yellow is the word, the mediator between divine and material. White is manifested will or actualization, and Blue is will, the realm of possiblity. I believe this has something to do with the creation of the nautical star, or I could be wrong. Just an assumption. Maybe someone just drew a star one day and decided to put 2 different colors in it who knows for sure?

• It was used by OLD sailors and the symbol represents North on a map. It is the North Star the sailors would use it as a baring to get home. (As for punk rock, we use it because we can and because Sailor Jerry made the coolest tattoos who started putting them on everyone.)

• The nautical star is a navigating device used by sailors, and travelers. It has also become a symbol of the sea, and of all forms of navigation.

• The Nautical Star is an Irish symbol for good health. It was first brought into practice by the Pagans that inhabitaed Iriland in the 1700's. The Nautical star can still be found hanging in any pagan based hospital.

• I've been told that the nautical star is a symbol for anti-racism.

• Nautical stars are often called vegan stars cause vegans sometimes get them tattood on their body.

• TO ME THEIR ARE FIVE POINTS THAT A STAR CONTAINS FROM TOP TO BOTTOM TO LEFT TO RIGHT TO THE LAST POINT MEANS TO ME (1)ONE LOVE (2) ONE LIFE (3)ONE DESTINY(4)ONE HEART(5)ONE SOUL.This was pass on to my family for generations whom all have had the five point star tattoo and this was it's meaning to my family.

• Stars are one of the first symbols in human history, therefore it is bound to have a thousand meanings to a thousand different cultures. Sailors, Lesbians, Christians, Jews, Mormons, Pagans, punk rock kids, Native Americans, 35 countries have stars on their flags INCLUDING THE USA. With the hammer and sickle it represents communism, with palm leaves it's scientology, with the crescent moon it's Islam, when you were in kindergarden you got a little star on your homework.

Answer 2

Nautical Star HistoryNautical stars were first tattooed on early sailors because they relied on the stars to find their way, therefore they always had a star to be with them and always knew where they were going in their own lives and at sea. It was kind of a sense of security and guidance.

Here is more input:

• I believe the design you are all talking about is the traditional design for the face of a ship's compass. The 4 longest points indicate the cardinal directions, N, S, E & W. Between these are shorter points for NE, SE, SW, and NW. 8 additional points indicate NNE, ENE, etc.

• People who have nautical star tattoos have said it is: a symbol to follow your dreams, a remembrance star, something to let everyone know that you rely on the stars to guide you in the specific path you choose, or representing love.

• Back in the day when being gay wasnt the thing to do, butch females would get the tattoo on the inside of their wrists so they could cover it up with a watch during the day and at night they could take off the watch and other dykes would know.

• The bit about the nautical star being used as a signal for butch lesbians to find other lesbians in the 40's-60's is true. It fell out of favor in the late 60's with the advent of feminism, when lesbians became more openly visible. It was typically hidden under a watchband.

• It was used for navigation back in the day now people say its for sense of direction in your life it has nothing to do with anarchy or the pentogram and whoever said that they are an "avid" punk rocker needs to smack themselves very hard in the face.

• Back in the day the sailors had it tattooed on them, much like they would an anchor. The nautical star is a symbol of guidance. The sailors rely on the stars for navigation, hence "follow the stars." Nowadays, people like to say "follow your dreams."

• First of all the star represents navigation in the Navy. That is where its original meaning came from. Now days it is a representation of OC = Orange County, CA. Straight edge is a black X not a Nautical Star and straight edge ended along time ago here in Huntington Beach, CA. The gang anyways. Alot of people still say they are straight edge (followers) meaning that they do not do drugs, smoke or have sex. Not that they are in a gang. I also had a Mexican guy come up to me in Santa Ana and ask me where I did 2 years at. I have 2 nautical stars on my shoulders since 1995 not 2000 when MTV put them out and they became trendy so I assume in the Mexican community that it represents doing 1 year for each star. I do not know about the whole lesbian thing. That sounds like a gimmick. I believe dykes have Dolphins tatted on them not stars.

• The nautical star may be a fad, however there is a real reason it was created to mean what it does. Regardless, it doesn't matter what it really means now, right? Sailors apparently started it, then only lesbians got them, the emo kida had 'em circa 1985, then it went out of fashion, blah blah blah. I have 2 1.5 inch black and dark pink stars tattooed on my lower stomach, on both sides of my hips. I got them because I had a wristband with the exact star on it for about 2 years, and it was my favorite. I love stars too! Don't get me wrong, I'm not a lesbian, I'm not a sailor, and I'm not a hardcore punk chick. I'm not straight edge either. You can compare and contrast the real meaning of the nautical maritime star, but I believe there is no real meaning. Just like the swactica, the cross, and even the middle finger. They were all started somehow, sometime, no one knows for sure. It all comes down to personal interpretation. Whatever you feel is right.

Answer 3

A star used to navigate a ship. You locate the star, locate that star on a navagation chart, and bada-bing, you know where you're at! The North Star is the most common "nautical star". YOU NEED TWO STARS TO GET A CELLESTIAL BEARING, NOT JUST ONE.

Answer 4

See the closely related questions linked to the right. I see this is a much debated subject but as not a soul has came to a answer I will for you..... It is easy to see that in different society's it's got a different meaning for punks its anarchy, dreams ect. But for some, in the olden days it was other things to do with lesbions or something to do with soldiers, following dreams so meany answers to one question I could not start to answer!!!!!!!! Just like the pentagram not one of these answers is right not one is rong. It is a matter of opinion.

Answer 5

Nautical Star Symbolism

• I always thought of the 'nautical star' as just a 'nautical star'- something having to do with navigating the seas. Perhaps other cultures have adapted it as their own symbol for signaling their sexual preference or anything else - but then wouldn't it be called a 'lesbian star'?

• It stands for guidance and hope.

• It has been brought to my attention that the Blood Gang symbol is the five point star, which mine are not.

• I also heard that each point on the star has a meaning, and that they are Life, Liberty, Peace, Juctice, and Freedom.

• This is a much debated subject. It is easy to see that in different societies and sub-cultures it has different meanings. For punks it's anarchy, dreams etc. Just like the pentagram, not one answer is right not one is rong. It is a matter of opinion.

• The stars stand for port and starboard; yet more naval related ink. In non-nautical terms left and right. Don't get lost.

• TO ME THEIR ARE FIVE POINTS THAT A STAR CONTAINS FROM TOP TO BOTTOM TO LEFT TO RIGHT TO THE LAST POINT MEANS TO ME (1)ONE LOVE (2) ONE LIFE (3)ONE DESTINY (4) ONE HEART (5) ONE SOUL. This was passed on to my family for generations whom all have had a five point star tattoo.

• The five pointed version represents Polaris, the North Star. Once spotted, anyone trying to navigate could figure out what direction to travel in. Sailors get this tattoo to help them get home safely. The four pointed version, as seen on a map, represents the four directions: north, south, east, and west. The 8 pointed version is used on maps and represents a compass with the four directions, as well as their cooresponding diagonals.

• The nautical star stands as an omen of safe-passage. : SMT 1st Mate, Ocean Warrior

The north star, which sailors used to navigate.

Answer 6

It's a tattoo that sailors used to get. Usually represents good luck or finding their way on a long journey.