What Is the Colored Handkerchief Code in LGBTQIA+ Culture?

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Explore the various meanings of bandana colors in hanky code
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If you’ve ever been to a queer event like Pride, or even just a queer-friendly city like San Francisco, you’ve probably seen people wear bandanas in their back pockets. Often, they’re using handkerchief code, which is a historical and low-key way for LGBTQ+ people to identify each other and their sexual desires. We’ll tell you more about what it is, what the colors mean, and its history. We’ll also answer your burning FAQs to catch you up to speed on this iconic part of queer culture.

Gay Handkerchief Code Meaning

Handkerchief code is a way for LGBTQ+ people to discreetly recognize other LGBTQ+ people and their sexual desires. Bandanas are worn in the back pocket, and the color and position of the bandana indicate the particular sexual desire. It started in San Francisco in the 1970s as a low-key way to navigate the gay scene.

Section 1 of 5:

What is the handkerchief code?

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  1. Handkerchief code uses bandanas to signal sexual preferences among queer people. Different LGBTQ+ people have different sexual preferences. Handkerchief code, or hanky code (also sometimes called “flagging”), is a discreet way for queer people to signal those preferences to other queer people without drawing too much attention to themselves. This helps them find like-minded people to meet and interact with. [1]
    • With hanky code, a queer person places a bandana in their back pocket. The color of the bandana and which pocket it’s in signal their particular preference.
    • For example, a navy blue bandana in the left pocket signals that a person is a top, or likes to penetrate during sex, while a navy blue hanky in the right pocket signals that someone is a bottom, or likes to be penetrated.
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Section 2 of 5:

Handkerchief Code Chart

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  1. The color and position of the bandana indicate different desires and kinks. Hanky code started fairly simple, with just a handful of colors representing a handful of sexual practices. Over time, though, it’s expanded to include many, many more—so many that it’s sometimes hard to tell one shade from another. Here are some of the basic handkerchief colors and their meanings : [2]
    • Navy Blue: Anal sex. Left pocket indicates a top, right indicates a bottom.
    • Light Blue: Oral sex. Left indicates a receiver, right indicates a giver.
    • Gray: Bondage. Left indicates someone who ties, right indicates someone who is tied.
    • White: Safety. Left or right, this usually indicates someone who’s safe-sex conscious and may want something other than penetration.
    • Orange: Public. Left indicates that they’re actively looking for sex ASAP, while right indicates they’re looking for something later.
Section 3 of 5:

Origins of Handkerchief Code

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  1. 1
    Hanky code began in ‘70s-era San Francisco cruising communities. In the 1970’s, being any sort of LGBTQ+ person was taboo and often criminalized, so queer people often struggled to find and identify each other, instead having to stay low-key and discreet. San Francisco, though, remained a haven for many queer people, and queer people in the city began to signal their preferences to others using hanky code. [3]
    • The practice likely started in leather fetish and cruising communities. “Cruising” is when a queer person discreetly searches for sex in public.
    • Some historians say the practice began when a reporter for the queer publication The Village Voice suggested that gay people use hankies to signal their desires, rather than keys—at the time, a key in the left or right pocket indicated whether someone was a top or bottom. [4]
  2. 2
    Hanky code likely has its roots in traditions from the mid-1800s. In the mid-1800s, San Francisco saw a huge influx in its population due to the Mexican-American War. Most of the newcomers were men, which led to a huge gap in the number of men versus the number of women. That meant that at social functions, men were often forced to dance with each other. This led to some men wearing a blue bandana to signal that they would take the lead, while others wore red bandanas to show they’d follow along in the woman’s position. [5]
    • This tradition likely inspired later versions of the hanky code.
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Section 4 of 5:

Handkerchief Code in Modern Times

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  1. Hanky code isn’t as common, but it’s still used today. Flagging became less prevalent starting in the ‘90s and ‘00s, when queer identities began to find more acceptance, and queer people didn’t have to hide so much. That said, they’re still used even today, and you can see plenty of people flagging if you hit up a pride parade, Fire Island, or any other queer space. It’s still a fun and useful way to tell who’s who in the querr community! [6]
    • Unfortunately, there’s still plenty of concern for the safety of queer people, especially in the current cultural climate, and even flagging is sometimes seen as risky.
Section 5 of 5:

Handkerchief Code FAQ

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  1. 1
    Can lesbians use the handkerchief code? Yes! Hanky code isn’t just for gay men. People of every stripe in the LGBTQ+ community have long been flagging to help identify each other, whether they’re lesbian, trans, non-binary, or anything else. In fact, some communities, like lesbian and trans communities, have their own tweaks and additions to the code specific to their scene.
  2. 2
    Can non-LGBTQ+ people use hanky code? That’s a bit more complicated. Typically, hanky code is used by and for LGBTQ+ people, and if you use it, LGBTQ+ people are going to assume you’re one of us. Still, some fetish communities use it, too, to signal their specific desires and kinks, even if they’re not LGBTQ+. Be aware of the history and meaning of hanky code before you decide to dive in.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://cmen.org/pdf/Hanky_Code.pdf
      2. ↑ https://www.allgaylong.com/blog/history-of-the-hanky-code-and-its-significance-in-lgbtq-history/
      3. ↑ https://www.them.us/story/what-is-the-hanky-code-gay-flagging
      4. ↑ https://www.sfgayhistory.com/2014/08/27/origins-of-the-hanky-code/
      5. ↑ https://www.sfgayhistory.com/2014/08/27/origins-of-the-hanky-code/
      6. ↑ https://www.them.us/story/what-is-the-hanky-code-gay-flagging

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