The Gay Hanky Code Expanded

The Gay Hanky Code Expanded

Before selecting favorite positions and kinks with the push of a button on a hookup app, how in the world did we know how to cruise? In person? Times were tough. Even in today's age, we can't always assume someone's sexual position by the timbre of their voice or the flinging of the wrists. Sometimes a power top is a femme twunk, and sometimes a power bottom is a bodybuilder. Well, our ancestors knew exactly how to solve this issue.

 

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Though its origin is debated, the gay hanky code has been around since the early 70s. On one side of the US, The Village Voice wrote in 1971 that gay men should just wear different colored hankies (as opposed to the trend of the time to wear your keys in a different position) to indicate their top or bottom status. On the other side of the nation, the founder of Leather 'n' Things  in San Francisco said that in 1972, they had an error with a delivery of handkerchiefs to their shop that resulted in too much stock, allegedly they put together a hanky code for their gay customers to try and move more of their product.

 

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In any case, the first printed hanky code appeared in the the 1980 edition of Bob Damron’s Address Book, a gay travel book very popular at that time. Most of us are somewhat familiar with the basic hanky code:

• Left side of the body = Top/Dominant Role
• Right side of the body = Bottom/Submissive Role

• Black = S&M
• Dark Blue = Anal sex
• Light Blue = Oral sex
• Brown = um, yeah
• Green = Hustler/sex worker
• Grey = Bondage
• Purple = Piercing
• Red = Fisting
• Yellow = Watersports
• Orange = Anything goes

Well, we have news for you. There are a HUNDRED more variations that you may not be familiar with. Check out this comprehensive list (courtesy from data from The Saint Foundation):

(on the left)                            (on the right)