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The hanky code

Handkerchief code or hanky code (also known as bandana code and flagging) is a way of indicating, usually among gay male casual sex-seekers or BDSM practitioners in the leather subculture in the United States, Canada and Europe, whether they are a top or bottom, and what kind of sex they are seeking, by wearing color-coded handkerchiefs (bandanas), usually in the back pocket. The hanky code was widely used in the 1970s as a "secret" gay code that was intended to go unnoticed by non-gays, but general awareness of the code has gone increasingly mainstream.

There is no universally-recognized, "official" color code, and regional variants of the code exist. However, there is widespread consensus on the meanings of a handful of colors, based on decades of precedent in the gay communities of many different countries — such as yellow for watersports; red for fisting; and black for SM. Also, generally speaking, it is understood that a hanky displayed in the left-side pocket signifies a preference for taking the "top" or "dominant" or "Master" role, while the right side represents the "bottom" or "submissive" or "slave" role.

Today the bandanas are worn almost exclusively in the rear trouser pocket, on the left side of the body for tops and on the right for bottoms, just as tops wear their keys on the left belt loop and bottoms on the right. In the past bandanas were also 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); hung from the left or right side of the belt, or on other parts of the body.

While, for the most part, handkerchief coding is obsolete, the colours and representations from this method of communication are often modified for other purposes, such as the creation of pride flags and symbols.

Know one that should be added? Submit it here.

Colour Worn on left (top / dominant) Worn on right (bottom / submissive)
airforce blue
air force uniform fetish - wearer / dominant air force uniform fetish - submissive / likes fly boys
apricot
is chubby is seeking a chubby person
aqua
aquaphilia (sex in water) dominant aquaphilia (sex in water) submissive
argyle
geek / nerd worshipee / dominant geek / nerd worshipper / submissive
beige
rimmer rimmee
black
heavy SM dominant heavy SM submissive
black and white check
safe sex dominant safe sex submissive
black velvet
likes to take videos/pictures likes to be in videos/pictures
black with white stripes
likes black submissives likes black dominants
brown
scat dominant scat submissive
brown corduroy
headmaster / roleplay dominant student / roleplay submissive
brown lace
has foreskin / uncut / dominant likes foreskin / submissive
brown with white stripes
seeking a latino submissive seeking a latino dominant
burnt umber
extreme sex - taboo / dominant extreme sex - taboo / submissive
camoflage
military uniform fetish - wearer / dominant military uniform fetish - submissive / likes servicemen
chamois
motorcycle gear dominant motorcycle gear submissive
charcoal
latex / rubber dominant latex / rubber submissive
coral
wants toes / feet worshipped likes to worship feet / toes
cream
ejaculates into condoms drinks ejaculate from condoms
dark pink
nipple torture dominant (giver) nipple torture sumbissive (receiver)
deep red
two-handed fister (giver) two-handed fistee (receiver)
fur
yiffee / animal roleplay dominant yiffee / animal roleplay submissive
fuschia
spanking fetish dominant / spanker spanking fetish submissive (spankee)
gold
two people looking for a third wants to be in a threesome
gold lamé
muscle worshipee / dominant muscle worshipper / submissive
grey
bondage dominant bondage submissive
grey flannel
business suit fetish dominant business suit fetish submissive
holstein
likes to milk / milker likes to be milked / milkee
houndstooth
likes to bite likes to be bitten
hunter green
daddy / dominant orphan/child / submissive
kelly green
hustler / for rent / sex for money john / buyer / pays for sex
khaki
military uniform fetish - wearer / dominant military uniform fetish - submissive / likes servicemen
lavender
likes drag queens is a drag queen
leopard
tattoo fetish worshipee /dominant tattoo fetish worshipper / submissive
light blue
wants oral sex wants to perform oral sex
light blue with black dots
seeking oral sex from blacks likes to perform oral sex on blacks
light blue with brown dots
seeking oral sex from latinos likes to perform oral sex on latinos
light blue with white dots
seeking oral sex from caucasians likes to perform oral sex on caucasians
light blue with white stripes
naval uniform fetish - wearer / dominant naval uniform fetish - submissive / likes sailors
light blue with yellow dots
seeking oral sex from asians likes to perform oral sex on asians
light pink
dildo dominant (giver) dildo submissive (receiver)
lime green
performs sex for food / hustler buys food for sex / john
magenta
armpit worshipee / dominant armpit worshipper / submissive
maroon
blood fetishist dominant / cutter blood fetishist submissive / bleeder
mauve
navel worshipee / dominant naval worshipper / submissive
medium blue
police uniform fetish - wearer / dominant police uniform fetish - submissive
mustard
is well endowed likes well endowed men
navy blue
fucker / dominant fuckee / sumbissive
olive drab
military uniform fetish - wearer / dominant military uniform fetish - submissive / likes servicemen
orange
up for anything not up for anything at the moment
paisley
boxer short fetish dominant boxer short fetish submissive
pale yellow
likes to spit likes to be spit at/on
purple
piercer / piercing fetish dominant piercee / piercing fetish submissive
red
fister (giver) fistee (reciever)
red and white gingham
park / public sex dominant park / public sex submissive
robins egg blue
likes 69 position oral sex anything but 69 position oral sex
rust
cowboy worshipee / gear - dominant cowboy worshipper / gear - submissive
silver lamé
celebrity / star fetish dominant celebrity / star fetish submissive
tan
smokes cigars likes cigar smokers
teal
cock and ball torturer (cbt) dominant cock and ball torturee (cbt) submissive
white
wants a handjob will provide a handjob
white velvet
voyeur (likes to watch) exhibitionist (likes to be watched)
white with blood stains
blood fetishist dominant / cutter blood fetishist submissive / bleeder
yellow
likes to urinate / watersport dominant likes urine / watersports submissive
yellow with white stripes
likes asian submissives likes asian dominants

Something missing?

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