Hanky Code Green

Hanky Code Green

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Use of color-coded bandannas in the gay and BDSM communities

^ Andrews, Vincent (2010). The Leatherboy Handbook . The Nazca Plains Corp. ISBN 978-1-61098-046-3 .

^ Jump up to: a b Kacala, Alexander (April 25, 2019). "The Handkerchief Code, According to 'Bob Damron's Address Book' in 1980" . The Saint Foundation . The Saint . Retrieved March 30, 2021 .

^ Stryker, Susan ; Van Buskirk, Jim (1996). Gay by the Bay: A History of Queer Culture in the San Francisco Bay Area . San Francisco: Chronicle Books . p. 18. ISBN 0-8118-1187-5 .

^ Hsieh, Carina (2020-07-02). "What Is the Hanky Code?" . Cosmopolitan . Retrieved 2021-01-03 .

^ "Fifty Shades of Gay – The Hanky Code" . Ambush Magazine . 2019-04-23 . Retrieved 2021-01-03 .

^ Fischer, Hal (1977). Gay Semiotics ♂ . San Francisco: NFS Press. ISBN 0-917986-03-2 . Archived from the original on 2019-10-18 . Retrieved 2017-06-23 . In San Francisco, the signs began appearing around 1971. The Trading Post, a department store specializing in erotic merchandise, began promoting handkerchiefs in the store and printing cards with their meanings. The red and blue handkerchiefs and their significance were already in existence, and meanings were assigned to other colors as well.

^ Jones, Jordy (2017). The Mayor of Folsom Street, The Auto/Biography of "Daddy Alan" Selby aka Mr. S . Fair Page Media LLC. pp. 61–62. ISBN 978-0-9989098-0-6 .

^ Townsend, Larry (1983). The Leatherman's Handbook II . New York: Modernismo Publications. p. 26. ISBN 0-89237-010-6 .

^ Networks, Hornet (2022-02-11). "We're Loving the Push to Revive the Hanky Code for a New Queer Population" . Hornet . Retrieved 2022-02-18 .

^ Reilly, Andrew; Saethre, Eirik J. (2013-10-01). "The hankie code revisited: From function to fashion". Critical Studies in Men's Fashion . 1 : 69–78. doi : 10.1386/csmf.1.1.69_1 .

^ Jump up to: a b Filice, Eric; Raffoul, Amanda; Meyer, Samantha B.; Neiterman, Elena (2019-07-05). "The Impact of Social Media on Body Image Perceptions and Bodily Practices among Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex with Men: A Critical Review of the Literature and Extension of Theory". Sex Roles . 82 (7–8): 387–410. doi : 10.1007/s11199-019-01063-7 . ISSN 1573-2762 . S2CID 198629523 .

The handkerchief code (also known as the hanky code , the bandana code , and flagging [1] ) is a system of color-coded cloth handkerchief or bandanas for non-verbally communicating one's interests in sexual activities and fetishes . The color of the handkerchief identifies a particular activity, and the pocket it is worn in (left or right) identifies the wearer's preferred role in that activity. Wearing a handkerchief on the left side of the body typically indicates one is a "top" (considered active in the act/fetish indicated by the color of the handkerchief), while wearing it on the right side of the body would indicate one is a "bottom" (considered passive in it). For example, a dark blue handkerchief indicates an interest in anal sex , and wearing it in the left pocket indicates a preference for being the insertive partner. The code was most widely used in the 1970s in the United States, Canada, Australia, and Europe, by gay and bisexual men seeking casual sex , or BDSM practitioners.

The wearing of colored bandanas around the neck as a practical accessory was common in the mid- and late-nineteenth century among cowboys , steam railroad engineers , and miners in the Western United States . It is thought that the wearing of bandanas by gay men originated in San Francisco after the Gold Rush , when, because of a shortage of women, men dancing with each other in square dances developed a code wherein the man wearing the blue bandana took the male part in the square dance, and the man wearing the red bandana took the female part (these bandanas were usually worn around the arm or hanging from the belt or in the back pocket of one's jeans ). [2]

The modern hanky code is often reported to have started in New York City around 1970, when a journalist for the Village Voice joked that instead of simply wearing a set of keys on one side or the other (then a common code to indicate whether someone was a "top" or a "bottom"), it would be more efficient to subtly announce their particular sexual focus by wearing different colored handkerchiefs. [3] [4] [5] Other sources attribute the expansion of the original red–blue system into today's code to marketing efforts around 1971 by The Trading Post, a San Francisco department store for erotic merchandise, promoting handkerchiefs by printing cards listing the meanings of various colors. [6]

Alan Selby , founder of Mr. S Leather in San Francisco, claimed that he created the first hanky code with his business partners at Leather 'n' Things in 1972, when their bandana supplier inadvertently doubled their order and the expanded code would help them sell the extra colors they had received. [7]

Around 1980, Bob Damron's Address Book published a yearly chart for the meaning of each colored handkerchief. [2]

There was no single authoritative standard for the code. This table is drawn from Larry Townsend 's The Leatherman's Handbook II (the 1983 second edition; the 1972 first edition did not include this list) and is generally considered authoritative. Implicit in this list is the concept of left/right polarity, left as usual indicating the top, dominant, or active partner; right the bottom, submissive, or passive partner. Townsend noted that discussion with a prospective partner was still important because, people may wear a given color "only because the idea of the hankie turns them on" or "may not even know what it means". [8]

The longer lists found on the web are more elaborate and the many color codes in them are less often used in practice, although some of these colors are offered for sale at LGBT stores along with free cards listing their meanings.

The hanky code has recently undergone a revival and while the use of handkerchiefs may not be as prevalent, the hanky colours are a common consideration in the choice of leather and fetish gear colour. [9] It should not, however, always be assumed this is the case and is best used as a conversation starter rather than a certain indication of sexual preferences.

The hanky code was a semiotic system of sexual advertising popular among the gay leather community of the United States [10] and cruising scene more broadly. Social networking services may have replaced the use of hankies in cruising areas by digitizing the process. By using online platforms, men who have sex with men (MSM) can eliminate harassment and violence that they may face in public. [11] Social networking services for MSM also allow for sub-groups, and for people to list fetishes, and what they are looking for, which is where the replacement of the need for hankies may have come from. [11]

Look up handkerchief code in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Handkerchief code .

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Aka “handkerchief code” or “bandanna code” or “flagging.”
While “hanky code” can go by many names (including handkerchief code, bandanna code, or flagging), the term refers to a system of signaling your interest in certain sexual interests and fetishes by wearing or tucking a bandanna of a certain color into your left or right pocket and is commonly used by the gay male community and the BDSM community, according to certified sex-addiction therapist Christene Lozano, LMFT at Meraki Counseling .
“It originated during a time when open discussions about sexuality (especially between two men) were illegal, as was being gay,” explains Kryss Shane , leading LGBTQ+ expert. The term itself came from a writer from The Village Voice , who wrote about the system in early 1971, adds Shane.
As for the use of hanky code in the BDSM community, it was after the gay community had popularized the code that it became popular among BDSM practitioners, explains Lozano. Hanky code “was found by many to be an easier way to nonverbally communicate one’s sexual interests and kinks, especially in bars,” Lozano adds.
Different colors have different meanings, as does the side of your pants you wear the bandanna or scarf on. Wearing it on your left would indicate a more active role, while wearing it on the right would indicate your preference for a more passive or receptive role, explains Shane.
Also commonly called “hanky code,” it refers to “a color-coded system for gay men to show their sexual actions and interests to other gay men in a discreet way that those outside the community do not typically recognize,” says Shane.
Each color has a different meaning, with some of the popular colors in the 60+ color list including black for heavy S&M, dark blue for anal sex, light blue for oral sex, gray for bondage, red for fisting, and yellow for watersports or peeing, explains Lozano.
For more on hanky code, the Saint Foundation , an LGBTQ+ nonprofit that works to preserve important LGBTQ+ memorabilia and history, has a great in-depth explainer here .
Because of the hanky code’s origin within the gay male community as a discreet signaling system, a cis hetero woman using hanky code for reasons other than BDSM is not appropriate and is considered cultural appropriation. “While there is a lot of room in the LGBTQ+ community for cishet women (who are not signaling for BDSM), this is not a place for that,” Shane explains.
Even if your intentions are good, participating in hanky code as a cishet woman not looking for BDSM is problematic and not okay. “This is not a fashion trend or a signal that you are affirming LGBTQ+ love or that you are sex positive,” explains Shane, adding, “[Hanky code] is a language for a people who were (and some still are) unable to speak due to society’s unacceptance.”
If you would like to show your support for gay rights, there are many ways of doing so without appropriating hanky code. Look into LGBTQ+ owned companies and brands or consider donating your time and money to one of the many equality-based organizations instead, suggests Shane.
You’re free to participate in the sexual acts and fetishes named by hanky code on your own as a BDSM practitioner (or not—as Lozano points out, some colors indicated in hanky code aren’t necessarily considered BDSM-type activities only, such as rim jobs or toe-sucking), but participating in the flagging system itself is disrespectful given its history.
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The Hanky Code is a longstanding tradition and means of communication within the LGBT community, most common in the gay male community. It is also known as flagging . The hanky code is a color-coded system in which an individual wears a specific colored handkerchief in their back pocket(s) to inform others of their sexual interests and roles.
According to Larry Townsend ‘s The Leatherman ‘s Handbook II (the 1983 second edition; the 1972 first edition did not include this list), which is generally considered authoritative, the hanky code is as shown in the table below. As well, placing a hanky in the left pocket indicates the wearer’s alignment with a top / dominant role, while a hanky in the right pocket indicates the wearer’s alignment with a bottom / submissive role. Townsend noted that discussion with a prospective partner is still important because people may wear a given color “only because the idea of the hankie turns them on” or “may not even know what it means”.
The longer lists found elsewhere on the Internet are more elaborate and the many color codes in them are less often used in practice, although some of these colors are offered for sale at LGBT stores along with free cards listing their meanings.
The wearing of colored bandanas around the neck as a practical accessory was common in the mid- and late-nineteenth century among cowboys, steam railroad engineers, and miners in the Western United States. It is thought that the wearing of bandanas by gay men originated in San Francisco after the Gold Rush, when, because of a shortage of women, men dancing with each other in square dances developed a code wherein the man wearing the blue bandana took the male part in the square dance, and the man wearing the red bandana took the female part (these bandanas were usually worn around the arm or hanging from the belt or in the back pocket of one’s jeans).
The modern hanky code is often reported to have started in New York City around 1970, when a journalist for the Village Voice joked that instead of simply wearing a set of keys on one side or the other (then a common code to indicate whether someone was a “top” or a “bottom”), it would be more efficient to subtly announce their particular sexual focus by wearing different colored handkerchiefs. Other sources attribute the expansion of the original red–blue system into today’s code to marketing efforts around 1971 by The Trading Post, a San Francisco department store for erotic merchandise, promoting handkerchiefs by printing cards listing the meanings of various colors.
Alan Selby , founder of Mr. S Leather in San Francisco, claimed that he created the first hanky code with his business partners at Leather ‘n’ Things in 1972, when their bandana supplier inadvertently doubled their order and the expanded code would help them sell the extra colors they had received.
With the advent of the internet, people were better able to connect and explore, express and discover new or existing fetishes. The hanky code expanded to encompass these fetishes, communicating interests through new colors and even new fabrics, such as leather or lace. The color system has also expanded beyond hankies to other accessories. It is not uncommon to have harnesses, singlets, or leather articles in a color derived from the hanky code to indicate a desired fetish or sexual interest.
The Hanky Code is a prime example of a theory in sociology called Symbolic Interaction (SI). Symbolic Interaction is defined by applying meaning and value to people, places or things. It is a counterpart of instincts where we are born knowing certain information. SI is learned through experiences. For example, we are not born with the knowledge that Gucci is a high-end brand. Similarly, we are not born with the knowledge that red can symbolize fisting .
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