Subject: Iconic symbols of being top or bottom
Question: I was wondering about the history of these iconic gay symbols. Such as: the red handkerchief in the back right pocket, or the keys dangling on the right. I am sure that these traditions started as a fear of being recognized as gay in a homophobic world. What, if any are the other gay symbols? Someone tells me there is one for fisting? In any case I am twenty-four years old and do not see anybody of my generation taking advantage of these symbols. Are they still used by older generations of gay men? Thanks for your time. Until I discovered your column I never would have known whom to ask about all this.
Dear Ari: The Hanky Code evolved from practices of early San Francisco gold miners. In 1848 gold was discovered in California, and a huge gold rush ensued. San Francisco's population grew from about 800 in 1848 to over 50,000 in 1849, with a huge proportion being men. A custom developed at dances for half the men to dance a woman’s role (think square dancing where partners actually are required to do different things). Those dancing a woman’s roll wore a bandana to signify that they were the girls.
Eventually this idea was adapted by gays. The hanky code is a system by which to publicly state one's sexual interests without being too blatant. The idea is that each color has a certain meaning and by wearing it on the left (aggressive) or right (passive) you tell others what type of sex you're looking for and which roll you want to play. For example, a red hanky on the left signals a fisting top while a red on the right signifies a fisting bottom. Enter ‘gay hanky code’ into a Google search and you’ll come up with huge lists for every sex act and hanky color associated.
A similar code is to wear keys clipped on the belt loop of your jeans on the left or right to signify top or bottom, which some say began in New York in the 1950’s.
As you suggest, one of the reasons for these visual signals was to communicate in a more difficult time without straights understanding. I think the use has dropped off in public because so much cruising now happens online. In earlier times if you wanted to get laid you went to a bar and cruised. With this in mind, keys and hankies helped advertise what you were looking for. Now when I go to bars I perceive more socializing and less cruising and therefore less sexual advertising.
The only place I see the Hanky Code and key system in ongoing use is in the Leather community. If you walk into a leather bar you are still likely to see a certain number of men ‘flagging’, most particularly guys into fisting.
I think that as gays have become more accepted a number of the accessories of the ‘secret’ gay life have faded. There is little need now in the Western world for the subtleties of the hankies, keys, secret handshakes, coded language and hidden clubs so they seem to be falling out of use.
