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The Hankie Code Written by Matt Jamieson Photography by Montreal Buzz and Colin Murphy
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significant part of LGBT history is within our sexual behaviors, and one part of that is the hankie code. For those who don’t know, the hankie code is a method of communication by the wearing of a handkerchief to indicate sexual fetishes, positions and more. “It’s a good conversation starter,” DJ Kaiser, Mr. Missouri Leather 2011 said of the hankie code. “It’s not as prevalent as it was, but it is still used.” The wearing of various colored bandanas around the neck was common in the late 19th century among cowboys, railroad engineers and miners in the western United States. It’s believed bandana wearing 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. 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.)
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34 | September, 2012
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The modern hankie code is believed to have 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. “Different hankies have had different meanings. There is no one uniform code - colors tend to be uniform but the meanings can be different.” Kaiser said. “I once saw somewhere a red hankie could mean you’re into regular sex, fisting or that the police are around.” The hankie code itself is not as prevalent as it originally was, but it still used within the leather community. “At bigger events I see people using the handkerchiefs,” Kaiser said. “Make sure to know what they mean, because people will start conversations with you. It’s a subtle way to communicate, and it can be a way to expedite things.” Below is a modern hankie code, taken from Larry Townsend’s The Leatherman’s Handbook II. There are many variations on the code, but this is the easiest to understand. v
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