What a Star on a House Really Means (And Why the Viral Rumor Was Wrong)

Late in 2020, a bizarre claim started making the rounds on social media: if a home displayed a five-pointed star, the owners were supposedly signaling they were “swingers.” The posts spread quickly—mostly because they sounded scandalous, not because they were backed by any real evidence.

For many homeowners, it was confusing. For others, it was genuinely uncomfortable. But historically speaking, the rumor doesn’t hold up. Not even close.

Where the Rumor Came From

The story didn’t come from a credible study, a documented tradition, or any verified cultural practice. When people looked into it, the trail pointed back to old internet chatter—an outdated message board-style claim that got recycled years later, stripped of context, and repackaged into a viral “fun fact.”

In other words: it was clickbait before clickbait had a name.