Handkerchief code
Encyclopedia
Handkerchief code or hanky code (also known as bandana code and flagging) is color-coded system, employed usually among the gay
male casual-sex
seekers or BDSM
practitioners in the leather subculture
in the United States, Canada and Europe, to indicate preferred fetishes, what kind of sex they are seeking, and whether they are a top/dominant or bottom/submissive. The hanky code was widely used in the 1970s by gay and bisexual men, and grew from there to include all genders and orientations.
Today, wearing color-coded handkerchief
s (bandana
s), usually in the back pocket or around the belt loop, is the manner in which communication of desires and fetishes is achieved. Wearing a handkerchief on the left side of the body typically indicates one is a "Top" (one considered active in the practice of the fetish indicated by the color of the handkerchief), while wearing it on the right side of the body would indicate one is a "bottom" (one considered passive in the practice of the fetish indicated by the color of the handkerchief). This left-right reality is taken from the earlier practice of tops wearing their keys on the left belt loop and bottoms on the right to indicate being a member of the leather subculture. In the past bandanas might be worn tied around the neck (with the knot positioned on either the left or right side); around the ankle (when wearing boots or when undressed); or on other parts of the body.
There is no universally understood color code, and regional codes vary widely. There is general agreement upon the colors for more common practices, particularly those with an intuitive relation between the color and the practice, such as yellow for urolagnia
; brown for coprophilia
; and black for SM, but no absolute consensus for more common practices.
s, steam railroad engineer
s, and miner
s 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 dance
s 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
). There is also another theory that the modern Hanky Code started in New York City in late 1970 or early 1971 when a journalist for the Village Voice joked that instead of simply wearing keys 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 hankies.
The long, elaborate lists such as that in the next table and most found on the web, are more imaginative and the many color codes in them are less often used in practice, although most of the colors in longer lists are offered as bandanas for sale at almost all LGBT leather stores along with free color code cards listing their meanings.
The following table is derived from the color code cards provided free by LGBT leather stores. The left/right distinction indicates a desire to be the top or bottom respectively. It can also signal whether, in various fetishes, one desires to be the active or passive participant in the act, though which is which is more ambiguous depending on the act's nature. Due to regional differences, not all of these may be correct for all locations.
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
male casual-sex
Casual sex
Casual sex or hooking up refers to certain types of human sexual activity outside the context of a romantic relationship. The term is not always used consistently: some use it to refer to any extramarital sex, some use it to refer to sex in a casual relationship, whereas others reserve its use for...
seekers or BDSM
BDSM
BDSM is an erotic preference and a form of sexual expression involving the consensual use of restraint, intense sensory stimulation, and fantasy power role-play. The compound acronym BDSM is derived from the terms bondage and discipline , dominance and submission , and sadism and masochism...
practitioners in the leather subculture
Leather subculture
The leather subculture denotes practices and styles of dress organized around sexual activities. Wearing leather garments is one way that participants in this culture self-consciously distinguish themselves from mainstream sexual cultures...
in the United States, Canada and Europe, to indicate preferred fetishes, what kind of sex they are seeking, and whether they are a top/dominant or bottom/submissive. The hanky code was widely used in the 1970s by gay and bisexual men, and grew from there to include all genders and orientations.
Today, wearing color-coded handkerchief
Handkerchief
A handkerchief , also called a handkercher or hanky, is a form of a kerchief, typically a hemmed square of thin fabric that can be carried in the pocket or purse, and which is intended for personal hygiene purposes such as wiping one's hands or face, or blowing one's nose...
s (bandana
Bandana
Bandana can refer to:*Another name for a kerchief*Bandana *Bandana *Bandana, Kentucky, a small town in the United States*Y Bandana, a Welsh alternative rock band.**Y Bandana , their self-titled debut album....
s), usually in the back pocket or around the belt loop, is the manner in which communication of desires and fetishes is achieved. Wearing a handkerchief on the left side of the body typically indicates one is a "Top" (one considered active in the practice of the fetish indicated by the color of the handkerchief), while wearing it on the right side of the body would indicate one is a "bottom" (one considered passive in the practice of the fetish indicated by the color of the handkerchief). This left-right reality is taken from the earlier practice of tops wearing their keys on the left belt loop and bottoms on the right to indicate being a member of the leather subculture. In the past bandanas might be worn tied around the neck (with the knot positioned on either the left or right side); around the ankle (when wearing boots or when undressed); or on other parts of the body.
There is no universally understood color code, and regional codes vary widely. There is general agreement upon the colors for more common practices, particularly those with an intuitive relation between the color and the practice, such as yellow for urolagnia
Urolagnia
Urolagnia is a paraphilia in which sexual excitement is associated with the sight or thought of urine or urination. The term has origins in the Greek Language .Those who enjoy urolagnia may enjoy urinating on another person or persons, or being urinated upon...
; brown for coprophilia
Coprophilia
Coprophilia , also called scatophilia or scat, is the paraphilia involving sexual pleasure from feces...
; and black for SM, but no absolute consensus for more common practices.
Origin
The wearing of various colored bandanas around the neck was common in the mid- and late-nineteenth century among cowboyCowboy
A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the vaquero traditions of northern Mexico and became a figure of...
s, steam railroad engineer
Railroad engineer
A railroad engineer, locomotive engineer, train operator, train driver or engine driver is a person who drives a train on a railroad...
s, and miner
Miner
A miner is a person whose work or business is to extract ore or minerals from the earth. Mining is one of the most dangerous trades in the world. In some countries miners lack social guarantees and in case of injury may be left to cope without assistance....
s in the Western United States
Western United States
.The Western United States, commonly referred to as the American West or simply "the West," traditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. Because the U.S. expanded westward after its founding, the meaning of the West has evolved over time...
. It is thought that the wearing of bandanas by gay men originated in San Francisco after the Gold Rush
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The first to hear confirmed information of the gold rush were the people in Oregon, the Sandwich Islands , and Latin America, who were the first to start flocking to...
, when, because of a shortage of women, men dancing with each other in square dance
Square dance
Square dance is a folk dance with four couples arranged in a square, with one couple on each side, beginning with Couple 1 facing away from the music and going counter-clockwise until getting to Couple 4. Couples 1 and 3 are known as the head couples, while Couples 2 and 4 are the side couples...
s 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
Jeans
Jeans are trousers made from denim. Some of the earliest American blue jeans were made by Jacob Davis, Calvin Rogers, and Levi Strauss in 1873. Starting in the 1950s, jeans, originally designed for cowboys, became popular among teenagers. Historic brands include Levi's, Lee, and Wrangler...
). There is also another theory that the modern Hanky Code started in New York City in late 1970 or early 1971 when a journalist for the Village Voice joked that instead of simply wearing keys 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 hankies.
Popular culture
- A character on Rescue MeRescue Me (TV series)Rescue Me is an American television drama series that premiered on the FX Network on July 21, 2004, and concluded on September 7, 2011. The series focuses on the professional and personal lives of a group of New York City firefighters in the fictitious Ladder 62 / Engine 99 firehouse.The show...
was approached by several gay men after appearing in an FDNY calendar where he unwittingly wore a yellow bandana in his back pocket unaware of its meaning. - PeachesPeaches (musician)Merrill Beth Nisker , better known by her stage name Peaches, is a Canadian electronic musician and performance artist who lives in Berlin, Germany. Her songs are noted for disregarding traditional gender norms and their use of sexually explicit lyrics...
, the Canadian, electroclashElectroclashElectroclash is a style of music that fuses New Wave and electronic dance music. It emerged in New York and Detroit in the later 1990s, pioneered by acts including I-F and those associated with Gerald Donald, and is associated with acts including Peaches, Adult, and Fischerspooner...
musician, has a song entitled "Hanky Code" in which she spells out the hanky code tradition and various colors and their meanings. - Al PacinoAl PacinoAlfredo James "Al" Pacino is an American film and stage actor and director. He is famous for playing mobsters, including Michael Corleone in The Godfather trilogy, Tony Montana in Scarface, Alphonse "Big Boy" Caprice in Dick Tracy and Carlito Brigante in Carlito's Way, though he has also appeared...
's character in the 1980 movie CruisingCruising (film)Cruising is a 1980 film directed by William Friedkin and starring Al Pacino. The film is loosely based on the novel of the same name, by New York Times reporter Gerald Walker, about a serial killer targeting gay men, in particular those associated with the S&M scene.Poorly reviewed by critics,...
is criticized for wearing the wrong color handkerchief while trying to blend-in in a gay bar. - In the German comedy film Killer CondomKiller CondomKiller Condom is a 1996 German horror comedy based on the comic book of the same name by Ralf König. It was directed by Martin Walz and featured Jörg Buttgereit as its special effects coordinator and H.R...
, a detective character returns covered in urine after a gay character advises him to go undercover in a gay bar wearing a yellow handkerchief in his right pocket.
Examples
The first table is drawn from Larry Townsend's The Leatherman's Handbook II (i.e., the second edition of the book in 1983, the first edition of which came out in 1972 and did not include this list), and may be taken as more authoritative than most web pages. Implicit in this list of hankie color codes is the concept of right/left polarity, left as usual indicating the top, dominant, or active partner, right the bottom, submissive, or passive partner. Purple, the code for piercing, merely indicates an interest in piercing (usually that the wearer has body piercings), not necessarily that they wish to incorporate piercing into sexual play.| Color | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Black | S&M |
| Red | Fisting Fisting Fisting is a sexual activity that involves inserting a hand into the vagina or rectum. Once insertion is complete, the fingers either naturally clench into a fist or remain straight. In more vigorous forms of fisting, such as "punching", a fully clenched fist may be inserted and withdrawn slowly... |
| Dark blue | Anal sex Anal sex Anal sex is the sex act in which the penis is inserted into the anus of a sexual partner. The term can also include other sexual acts involving the anus, including pegging, anilingus , fingering, and object insertion.Common misconception describes anal sex as practiced almost exclusively by gay men... |
| Light blue | Oral sex Oral sex Oral sex is sexual activity involving the stimulation of the genitalia of a sex partner by the use of the mouth, tongue, teeth or throat. Cunnilingus refers to oral sex performed on females while fellatio refer to oral sex performed on males. Anilingus refers to oral stimulation of a person's anus... |
| Yellow | Watersports Urolagnia Urolagnia is a paraphilia in which sexual excitement is associated with the sight or thought of urine or urination. The term has origins in the Greek Language .Those who enjoy urolagnia may enjoy urinating on another person or persons, or being urinated upon... |
| Brown | Scat Coprophilia Coprophilia , also called scatophilia or scat, is the paraphilia involving sexual pleasure from feces... |
| Green | Hustler Male prostitution Male prostitution is the practice of engaging in sexual acts for money. Compared to female sex workers, male sex workers have been far less studied by researchers, and while studies suggest that there are differences between the ways these two groups look at their work, more research is needed.Male... /Prostitution Prostitution Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of... |
| Orange | Anything, anywhere, any time (but not necessarily anyone) |
| Purple | Into piercing |
| Grey | Bondage Bondage (sexual) Bondage is the use of restraints for the sexual pleasure of the parties involved. It may be used in its own right, as in the case of rope bondage and breast bondage, or as part of sexual activity or BDSM activity.- Private bondage :... |
The long, elaborate lists such as that in the next table and most found on the web, are more imaginative and the many color codes in them are less often used in practice, although most of the colors in longer lists are offered as bandanas for sale at almost all LGBT leather stores along with free color code cards listing their meanings.
The following table is derived from the color code cards provided free by LGBT leather stores. The left/right distinction indicates a desire to be the top or bottom respectively. It can also signal whether, in various fetishes, one desires to be the active or passive participant in the act, though which is which is more ambiguous depending on the act's nature. Due to regional differences, not all of these may be correct for all locations.
| Color | Meaning | Practice |
|---|---|---|
| Black | Heavy S&M | Indicates the wearer's interest in hardcore SM play, especially whipping Flagellation Flagellation or flogging is the act of methodically beating or whipping the human body. Specialised implements for it include rods, switches, the cat o' nine tails and the sjambok... . |
| Red | Fisting Fisting Fisting is a sexual activity that involves inserting a hand into the vagina or rectum. Once insertion is complete, the fingers either naturally clench into a fist or remain straight. In more vigorous forms of fisting, such as "punching", a fully clenched fist may be inserted and withdrawn slowly... |
Left pocket: Insertive partner. Right pocket: Receptive partner. |
| Yellow | Watersports Urolagnia Urolagnia is a paraphilia in which sexual excitement is associated with the sight or thought of urine or urination. The term has origins in the Greek Language .Those who enjoy urolagnia may enjoy urinating on another person or persons, or being urinated upon... |
Urinating on or in (left), or being urinated upon or into by (right), another person |
| Grey | Bondage Bondage (BDSM) Bondage is the use of restraints for the sexual pleasure of the parties involved. It may be used in its own right, as in the case of rope bondage and breast bondage, or as part of sexual activity or BDSM activity.- Private bondage :... |
Play involving ropes, handcuffs, or other restraints that limit the bottom's ability to move. In some codes, grey is also indicative of a desire for light S&M (not as hardcore as wearing Black) |
| White | Safe sex (a checkered black and white hanky is also indicative of safe sex) or masturbation Masturbation Masturbation refers to sexual stimulation of a person's own genitals, usually to the point of orgasm. The stimulation can be performed manually, by use of objects or tools, or by some combination of these methods. Masturbation is a common form of autoeroticism... only |
Play only involving safe sex, masturbation, or mutual masturbation. In some codes, it is also indicative of "vanilla sex only" in the cases when the wearer is a leather fetishist but not into BDSM play |
| Light blue | Oral sex Oral sex Oral sex is sexual activity involving the stimulation of the genitalia of a sex partner by the use of the mouth, tongue, teeth or throat. Cunnilingus refers to oral sex performed on females while fellatio refer to oral sex performed on males. Anilingus refers to oral stimulation of a person's anus... |
Wearing it in the left back pocket or on the left side indicates willingness to receive oral sex Oral sex Oral sex is sexual activity involving the stimulation of the genitalia of a sex partner by the use of the mouth, tongue, teeth or throat. Cunnilingus refers to oral sex performed on females while fellatio refer to oral sex performed on males. Anilingus refers to oral stimulation of a person's anus... . Wearing it in the right back pocket or on the right side indicates desire to perform oral sex. |
| Navy blue | Anal sex Anal sex Anal sex is the sex act in which the penis is inserted into the anus of a sexual partner. The term can also include other sexual acts involving the anus, including pegging, anilingus , fingering, and object insertion.Common misconception describes anal sex as practiced almost exclusively by gay men... |
Wearing it in the left back pocket or on the left side indicates a preference to be the insertive partner (the "top" or "pitcher") during anal intercourse. Wearing it in the right back pocket or on the right side indicates a preference to be in the receptive role (the "bottom" or "catcher"). |
| Light pink | Dildo Dildo A dildo is a sex toy, often explicitly phallic in appearance, intended for bodily penetration during masturbation or sex with partners.- Description and uses :... s |
|
| Charcoal | Latex and PVC fetishism Latex and PVC fetishism Latex fetishism is the fetishistic attraction to people wearing latex clothing or, in certain cases, to the garments themselves. PVC fetishism and rubber fetishism are closely related to latex fetish, with the former referring to shiny clothes made of the synthetic plastic polyvinyl chloride and... |
The color charcoal was chosen because dark-gray rubber Rubber Natural rubber, also called India rubber or caoutchouc, is an elastomer that was originally derived from latex, a milky colloid produced by some plants. The plants would be ‘tapped’, that is, an incision made into the bark of the tree and the sticky, milk colored latex sap collected and refined... was formerly the most common material associated with this fetish. Although rubber is still used, today PVC PVC Polyvinyl chloride is a plastic.PVC may also refer to:*Param Vir Chakra, India's highest military honor*Peripheral venous catheter, a small, flexible tube placed into a peripheral vein in order to administer medication or fluids... and latex Latex Latex is the stable dispersion of polymer microparticles in an aqueous medium. Latexes may be natural or synthetic.Latex as found in nature is a milky fluid found in 10% of all flowering plants . It is a complex emulsion consisting of proteins, alkaloids, starches, sugars, oils, tannins, resins,... are more commonly used for this fetish. |
| Medium blue | Uniform fetish | Police uniforms or uniforms worn by other authority figures |
| Teal | Cock and ball torture | |
| Khaki | Military sex (Uniform fetish) | Likes wearing military uniforms |
| Olive drab | Military personA "Military person" means someone who is actually in the military but is wearing mufti Mufti (dress) for more information see civilians Mufti, or civies/civvies , refers to ordinary clothes, especially when worn by one who normally wears, or has long worn, a military or other uniform.-Origin:... so they have to signal that they are in the military by wearing an olive drab bandana. |
Left: A military top; Right: a military bottom |
| Kelly green | Male prostitution Male prostitution Male prostitution is the practice of engaging in sexual acts for money. Compared to female sex workers, male sex workers have been far less studied by researchers, and while studies suggest that there are differences between the ways these two groups look at their work, more research is needed.Male... |
Left: a male prostitute; right: a John (someone looking for a prostitute) |
| Hunter green | Daddy/boy sex | Looking for a boy Twink (gay slang) "Twink" is a gay slang term describing a young or young-looking gay man with a slender, ectomorph build, little or no body hair, and no facial hair. In some societies, the term chick or chicken is preferred. The related term twinkle-toes, which implies that a man is effeminate, tends to be used in... (left) or looking for a Daddy (right). |
| Mint green | Mommy/boy or girl | Looking for a baby boy or girl Ageplay Ageplay or age play is a form of roleplaying in which an individual acts or treats another as if they were a different age. The practice can be regressive, in which the goal is to re-experience childhood, or sexual, recreating a sexual relationship with people of the pretend and/or true ages... (left) or looking for a Mommy (right). |
| Brown | Scat Coprophilia Coprophilia , also called scatophilia or scat, is the paraphilia involving sexual pleasure from feces... |
|
| Burnt umber | Extreme sex | Extreme sex such as branding; or sex that is taboo even among most people in the leather subculture, e.g. pederasty Pederasty Pederasty or paederasty is an intimate relationship between an adult and an adolescent boy outside his immediate family. The word pederasty derives from Greek "love of boys", a compound derived from "child, boy" and "lover".Historically, pederasty has existed as a variety of customs and... or bestiality.This bandana color is very seldom seen actually being worn. Some say it's an inside joke. |
| Orange | Few limits | When worn on the left, orange indicates that the wearer will top in relatively any fetish, anytime, anywhere. Conversely, when orange is worn on the right, it can indicate either the wearer will bottom in relatively any fetish, anytime, anywhere or can indicate "just looking, no play". |
| Robin egg blue (Pale robin egg blue) | 69 69 sex position Sixty-nine or 69, also known by its French name soixante-neuf , is a group of sex positions in which two people align themselves so that each person's mouth is near the other's genitals, simultaneously performing oral sex. The participants are thus mutually inverted like the numerals 6 and 9 in... |
|
| Deep aqua (printer's cyan) | Aquaphilia Aquaphilia (fetish) Aquaphilia also called hydrophilia is a form of sexual fetishism that involves images of people swimming or posing underwater, and sexual activity in or under water.... |
Having sex in water, such as in a bathtub Bathtub A bath , bathtub , or tub is a large container for holding water in which a person may bathe . Most modern bathtubs are made of acrylic or fiberglass, but alternatives are available in enamel over steel or cast iron, and occasionally waterproof finished wood... , shower Shower A shower is an area in which one bathes underneath a spray of water.- History :... , hot tub Hot tub A hot tub is a large tub or small pool full of heated water and used for soaking, relaxation, massage, or hydrotherapy. In most cases, they have jets for massage purposes. Hot tubs are usually located outdoors, and are often sheltered for protection from the elements, as well as for privacy.... , or swimming pool Swimming pool A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool... (see bunga bunga orgy) |
| Lime | Food play Food play Food play can have sexual or non-sexual connotations. It often refers to Sitophilia, a form of sexual fetishism in which participants are aroused by erotic situations involving food. The phrase is also used to refer to non-sexual play with food, such as playful and decorative food displays,... |
Eating food off someone's body or having food eaten off one's body |
| Chamoise | Motorcycle sex | Indicates the wearer is looking for sex involving a motorcycle as a prop, or involving one or more bikers in the sexual activities. |
| Mauve | Navel fetishism | |
| Dark pink | Tit torture Tit torture Tit torture refers to any of several erotic BDSM activities focusing solely on inflicting pain on the breast, nipples, and areola for sexual gratification... |
|
| Magenta (printer's magenta) | Armpits | Left: likes to lick armpits; right: likes armpits licked; hairy armpits (on females); general armpit play. |
| Fuchsia | Spanking Erotic spanking Erotic spanking is the act of spanking another person for the sexual arousal or gratification of either or both parties... |
Wants to spank (left); wants to be spanked (right) |
| PurpleThe shade of purple used for the purple bandana is the shade now known as HTML/CSS Purple, even though of course the bandana code was invented long before web colors. | Piercings Body piercing Body piercing, a form of body modification, is the practice of puncturing or cutting a part of the human body, creating an opening in which jewelry may be worn. The word piercing can refer to the act or practice of body piercing, or to an opening in the body created by this act or practice... |
Actually piercing someone (left) or actually being pierced by someone (right) as an erotic stimulation; or one who has piercings (left) or one who desires someone with piercings (right) |
| Lavender (bright lavender) | Cross-dressing Cross-dressing Cross-dressing is the wearing of clothing and other accoutrement commonly associated with a gender within a particular society that is seen as different than the one usually presented by the dresser... |
|
| Coral | Foot fetishism Foot fetishism Foot fetishism, foot partialism, foot worship, or podophilia is a pronounced sexual interest in feet. It is the most common form of sexual preference for otherwise non-sexual objects or body parts.-Characteristics:... |
Wants feet licked (left); wants to lick feet (right) |
| Mustard (gold ochre)The color called mustard in the bandana code is identical to the color called goldenrod Goldenrod (color) Goldenrod is a color that resembles the goldenrod plant.A Crayola crayon with this name and color, although a lighter version, was created in 1958.-Goldenrod:Displayed at right is the web color goldenrod.... in Wikipedia (the color called mustard Mustard (color) Mustard is a color that resembles culinary mustard. It is similar to the color Flax.-Mustard in human culture:Food* Mustard is the color of the belt awarded to the winner of the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest at Nathan's Famous in Coney Island, New York.Games*In the board game Cluedo, one of the... in Wikipedia is much lighter than the mustard colored bandana). |
Size queen | |
| Gold (golden) | Ménage à trois Ménage à trois Ménage à trois is a French term which originally described a domestic arrangement in which three people having sexual relations occupy the same household – the phrase literally translates as "household of three"... |
Two looking for one (left) or one looking for two (right) |
| Brick Red | Blood Play | Whipping with the intention of causing bleedingThis fetish is much more common among lesbian Lesbian Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an... s than gay men because of the fact that women menstruate Menstruation Menstruation is the shedding of the uterine lining . It occurs on a regular basis in sexually reproductive-age females of certain mammal species. This article focuses on human menstruation.-Overview:... ; in addition, almost all men today view this fetish as much too dangerous because of the possibility of infection with HIV HIV Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive... . |
| Sand | Sweat & Tears | Using tears and sweat as lubricant for intercourse. Also includes drinking sweat & tears |
| Apricot | Chubby chaser Chubby culture A chub is an overweight or obese gay man who identifies as being part of the related chubby culture. Although there is some overlap between chubs and bears, chubs have their own distinct subculture and community... |
|
| Peach | Bear or cub Bear community "Bear" is a LGBT slang term that refers to members of a subculture in the homosexual and bisexual male communities and to an emerging subset of LGBT communities with events, codes, and a culture-specific identity... who is interested in sex with another bear or cub |
|
| Light yellow | Spitting | Left—wants to spit on or into partner during sex; right—wants to be spat upon or into during sex |
| Beige (desert sand)The color called beige in the bandana code is identical to the color called desert sand in Wikipedia (it is common for those in the baby boom generation to mistakenly think of beige Beige Beige may be described as an off tan color or an extremely pale brown color.The term originates from beige cloth, a cotton fabric left undyed in its natural color... as being the color desert sand Desert sand (color) Desert sand is a color which resembles the color of desert sand.It may be regarded as a deep shade of beige.In 1998, desert sand was made into a Crayola crayon color.... because in the 1960s, AT&T AT&T AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services... marketed a colored telephone for offices and homes in a color they called "beige" which was actually the color desert sand.). |
Anal–oral sex Anal–oral sex Anilingus Anilingus Anilingus (from anus + lingus (Latin Lingere: to lick), also spelled analingus, also referred to or described as anal–oral contact or anal–oral sex, is a form of oral sex involving contact between the anus or perineum of one person and the mouth (lips) or tongue of another.... |
|
| Tan | Cigar Cigar A cigar is a tightly-rolled bundle of dried and fermented tobacco that is ignited so that its smoke may be drawn into the mouth. Cigar tobacco is grown in significant quantities in Brazil, Cameroon, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Indonesia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Philippines, and the Eastern... play |
Left—want to smoke a cigar while having sex; right—wants someone who smokes cigars while having sex (may also include the insertion of a cigar into various bodily orifices) |
| Rust | Animal roleplayThis fetish is usually described as "a cowboy and his horse" on the cards listing the meanings of the colors of the bandana code that are given out at leather stores. | |
| Dark red | Two-handed Anal fisting Fisting Fisting is a sexual activity that involves inserting a hand into the vagina or rectum. Once insertion is complete, the fingers either naturally clench into a fist or remain straight. In more vigorous forms of fisting, such as "punching", a fully clenched fist may be inserted and withdrawn slowly... If someone has small hands with long fingers, it is possible to insert two hands at once while fisting someone. |
|
 Camouflage |
Rugged outdoorsman | Having sex outdoors in the country (such as when going camping) |
| Gingham Gingham Gingham is a medium-weight balanced plain-woven fabric made from dyed cotton or cotton-blend yarn.The name originates from an adjective in the Malay language, genggang , meaning striped. Some sources say that the name came into English via Dutch... |
Urban outdoorsman | Having sex in an urban park Urban park An urban park, is also known as a municipal park or a public park, public open space or municipal gardens , is a park in cities and other incorporated places to offer recreation and green space to residents of, and visitors to, the municipality... |
 Argyle |
Geek Geek The word geek is a slang term, with different meanings ranging from "a computer expert or enthusiast" to "a carnival performer who performs sensationally morbid or disgusting acts", with a general pejorative meaning of "a peculiar or otherwise dislikable person, esp[ecially] one who is perceived to... s |
A geek or nerd (left) or interested in geeks or nerds (right)This pattern first came into use about the year 1998 with the rise of geek culture during the dot-com era. |
 DoilyDoily A doily is an ornamental mat, originally the name of a fabric made by Doiley, a 17th-century London draper. Doily earlier meant "genteel, affordable woolens", evidently from the same source.... (an actual doily, not a bandana with a doily pattern) |
Tearoom trade Cottaging Cottaging is a British gay slang term referring to anonymous sex between men in a public lavatory , or cruising for sexual partners with the intention of having sex elsewhere... |
Likes to have sex in public lavatories Cottaging Cottaging is a British gay slang term referring to anonymous sex between men in a public lavatory , or cruising for sexual partners with the intention of having sex elsewhere... |
| Gold (metallic gold) lamé Lamé (fabric) Lamé is a type of fabric woven or knit with thin ribbons of metallic yarns, as opposed to guimpé, where the ribbons are wrapped around a fibre yarn. It is usually gold or silver in color; sometimes copper lamé is seen. Lamé comes in different varieties, depending on the composition of the other... |
Muscle sex | Left—is a bodybuilder; right—looking for sex with a bodybuilder |
| Silver (metallic silver) lamé Lamé (fabric) Lamé is a type of fabric woven or knit with thin ribbons of metallic yarns, as opposed to guimpé, where the ribbons are wrapped around a fibre yarn. It is usually gold or silver in color; sometimes copper lamé is seen. Lamé comes in different varieties, depending on the composition of the other... |
Starfucker Groupie A groupie is a person who seeks emotional and sexual intimacy with a musician or other celebrity. "Groupie" is derived from group in reference to a musical group, but the word is also used in a more general sense, especially in casual conversation.... |
Left—is a rock star, celebrity Celebrity A celebrity, also referred to as a celeb in popular culture, is a person who has a prominent profile and commands a great degree of public fascination and influence in day-to-day media... or male groupie Groupie A groupie is a person who seeks emotional and sexual intimacy with a musician or other celebrity. "Groupie" is derived from group in reference to a musical group, but the word is also used in a more general sense, especially in casual conversation.... ; right—looking for sex with a rock star, celebrity or male groupie |
| Black leather bandana | Leather fetish Leather subculture The leather subculture denotes practices and styles of dress organized around sexual activities. Wearing leather garments is one way that participants in this culture self-consciously distinguish themselves from mainstream sexual cultures... |
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| Black velvet Velvet Velvet is a type of woven tufted fabric in which the cut threads are evenly distributed,with a short dense pile, giving it a distinctive feel.The word 'velvety' is used as an adjective to mean -"smooth like velvet".-Composition:... bandana |
Videotaping | Likes to make videotape Video camera A video camera is a camera used for electronic motion picture acquisition, initially developed by the television industry but now common in other applications as well. The earliest video cameras were those of John Logie Baird, based on the electromechanical Nipkow disk and used by the BBC in... s of the act while having sex (left); likes to be videotaped (right) (see amateur pornography Amateur pornography Amateur pornography is a category of pornography that features models or actors performing without pay, or for whom this material is their first or only paid modeling work. Reality pornography is professionally made porn which seeks to emulate the style of amateur pornography... )This bandana did not come into use until about the year 2000, when inexpensive video camera Video camera A video camera is a camera used for electronic motion picture acquisition, initially developed by the television industry but now common in other applications as well. The earliest video cameras were those of John Logie Baird, based on the electromechanical Nipkow disk and used by the BBC in... s became widely available. |
| Jolly Roger Jolly Roger The Jolly Roger is any of various flags flown to identify a ship's crew as pirates. The flag most commonly identified as the Jolly Roger today is the skull and crossbones, a flag consisting of a human skull above two long bones set in an x-mark arrangement on a black field. This design was used by... bandana |
Clothing fetish Clothing fetish Clothing fetish or garment fetish is a sexual fetish that revolves around a fixation upon a particular article or type of clothing, a collection of garments that appear as part of a fashion or uniform, or a person dressed in such a garment.... |
Likes to wear a (non-military) costume while having sex (left); desires someone in a costume (right).This is to distinguish between uniform/military fetish and a fetish for novelty costumes, such as a pirate. |
| Gray flannel Flannel Flannel is a soft woven fabric, of various fineness. Flannel was originally made from carded wool or worsted yarn, but is now often made from either wool, cotton, or synthetic fibre. Flannel may be brushed to create extra softness or remain unbrushed. The brushing process is a mechanical process... bandana |
Suit and tie fetish Uniform fetishism Uniform fetishism is a clothing fetish where an individual is obsessed and fixated by another or oneself wearing a uniform.-Types of uniforms:... |
Left—likes to have sex while wearing a suit and tie; right—likes to have sex with someone who is wearing a suit and tie. |
 HoundstoothHoundstooth Houndstooth, houndstooth check or hound's tooth , also known as dogstooth, dogtooth or dog's tooth, is a duotone textile pattern characterized by broken checks or abstract four-pointed shapes, often in black and white, although other colours are used... |
Biting | Likes to bite (Left) or likes to be bitten (right) |
 Black and white checkerboardCheckerboard A checkerboard or chequerboard is a board of chequered pattern on which English draughts is played. It is an 8×8 board and the 64 squares are of alternating dark and light color, often red and black.... pattern |
Safe sex Safe sex Safe sex is sexual activity engaged in by people who have taken precautions to protect themselves against sexually transmitted diseases such as AIDS. It is also referred to as safer sex or protected sex, while unsafe or unprotected sex is sexual activity engaged in without precautions... |
e.g., frottage Non-penetrative sex Non-penetrative sex is sexual activity without vaginal, anal, or oral penetration, as opposed to the penetrative aspects of those activities... , sword play, or mutual masturbation or striptease Striptease A striptease is an erotic or exotic dance in which the performer gradually undresses, either partly or completely, in a seductive and sexually suggestive manner... in front of mirrors Katoptronophilia Katoptronophilia is a paraphilia for mirrors . It may include activities such as having sex in front of mirrors, masturbating in front of mirrors, enacting other paraphilias in front of a mirror, having an orgy in front of a mirror, or enacting stripping fetishism in front of mirrors.Enacting... This bandana pattern came into use in 1983 as a response to the AIDS AIDS Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus... crisis. |
| Chrome Chrome plating Chrome plating, often referred to simply as chrome, is a technique of electroplating a thin layer of chromium onto a metal object. The chromed layer can be decorative, provide corrosion resistance, ease cleaning procedures, or increase surface hardness.-Process:A component to be chrome plated will... |
Thug Thug - People :* Thug, a common criminal, who treats others violently and roughly, often for hire* Thug, proper noun, a member of the former Indian cult Thuggee* Thug Behram, a leader of the Thuggee cult- Miscellaneous :... Sex |
Thug (left) Thuggett (right) |
| Plaid Plaid (pattern) For other meanings, see plaid.A plaid is a pattern consisting of crossed horizontal and vertical bands in two or more colors in woven cloth.Common examples of plaid patterns include:*Tartan, the pattern most commonly associated with plaid.... pattern |
Gingers Redheads Red hair Red hair occurs on approximately 1–2% of the human population. It occurs more frequently in people of northern or western European ancestry, and less frequently in other populations... |
Natural redhead (left) Likes redheads, "redophile" (right) |
| Baby Blanket Material | Ageplay Ageplay Ageplay or age play is a form of roleplaying in which an individual acts or treats another as if they were a different age. The practice can be regressive, in which the goal is to re-experience childhood, or sexual, recreating a sexual relationship with people of the pretend and/or true ages... or Infantalism |
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Further reading
- Jacques, Trevor On the Safe Edge: A Manual for SM Play (ISBN 1-895857-05-8)
External links
- http://www.maturecoupons.com/gay_hanky_code.htm
- http://www.GayCityUSA.com/hankycodes.htm
- http://alt.xmission.com/~trevin/hanky.html
- http://www.adventurersfl.com/hanky.html
- http://www.escupido.com/main.php?&area=service&subArea=hanky_code