# Hanky codes **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 19, 1999, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hanky-codes/9523 "1999-10-19T14:37:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SqrlCub](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SqrlCub](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SqrlCub)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 1999, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hanky-codes/9523/1 "1999-10-19T14:37:00Z")
In gay life there is a thing called the hanky code where it basically advertizes what you like to have done to you or do to other people. It makes a difference with color and which pocket you wear it in (the right pocket is the receiver the left is the giver). Blue - anal sex yellow - watersports beige - rimming red - fisting marroon - double fisting white - masterbation black - s & m grey - light s & m pink - toys (I think) There are many others, I just can’t think of them right now. Is there some type of straight equivalent to this? Want any more information? HUGS! Sqrl * * * Move over Satan. 😉 Now there’s something meatier. [http://smallwonder.simplenet.com/COC.html](http://smallwonder.simplenet.com/COC.html) ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 1999, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hanky-codes/9523/2 "1999-10-19T14:40:00Z")
Yeah, I heard about the gay hanky code. As far as I know, the straight equivalent is something like stumbling up to that gorgeous blonde whilst extremely drunk, then shouting in her ear to top the loud disco music: “Hey baby ! Fancy a shag ?” ## I suppose I’m no good, code-wise… We’ll leave the subtleties of life to our gay friends 🙂 Coldfire * * * “You know how complex women are” - Neil Peart, Rush (1993) ---
**Author:** ![Gaudere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e495f1/32.png) [@Gaudere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gaudere)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 1999, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hanky-codes/9523/3 "1999-10-19T14:51:00Z")
I thought the hanky code had died out several years back. I will have to look more closely at what sort of hankies people carry again. (double fisting? Ow ow ow) What does kleenex mean? Use me once, then throw me away? 😉 * * * “Happiness is nonetheless true happiness because it must come to an end, nor do thought and love lose their value because they are not everlasting.” - Bertrand Russell ---
**Author:** ![Alphagene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Alphagene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alphagene)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 1999, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hanky-codes/9523/4 "1999-10-19T15:05:00Z")
## If you’re into felching, do you just carry around one of those crazy bendy straws? “The world ends when I die. And as far as I’m concerned, the rest of the universe might as well call it a day too.” – Matt Groening ---
**Author:** ![Fyodor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/958977/32.png) [@Fyodor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fyodor)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 1999, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hanky-codes/9523/5 "1999-10-19T15:14:00Z")
My observations of global popular cultures has led me to believe there is one fundamental code - left is dominative, right is submissive. That would expain why most males get their left ear pierced. As for the colours of the bandanas, that may be an urban myth started by the Al Pacino movie “Cruising”. From true accounts about gay bars I have read in books and the press I would say that a coloured hanky code wouldn’t be required and I’ve never seen it documented. Gay culture does not really appear to be all that modest in bars to need a detailed hanky code. On the other hand, if a certain regional subculture was making great use of bandanas it is inevitable that they would start to elaborate. final disclaimer: No offense intended to gays reading this. You will have the final word on this matter. I consider you perfectly ordinary people and I will never discriminate against you and I will defend you against discrimination. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 1999, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hanky-codes/9523/6 "1999-10-19T15:16:00Z")
> [@](#): > > pink - toys (I think) How about “Just kidding, I’m really straight.” ---
**Author:** ![AuraSeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c2a13f/32.png) [@AuraSeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuraSeer)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 1999, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hanky-codes/9523/7 "1999-10-19T15:31:00Z")
Ha! Al, you should know that **SqrlCub** is our resident vocal gay dude. (Well, one of them anyway, and I haven’t seen anything from **matt\_mcl** lately.) If you know more about this code thing than he does, you must have been doing lots of research! 😉 😉 * * * Laugh hard; it’s a long way to the bank. ---
**Author:** ![SqrlCub](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SqrlCub](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SqrlCub)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 1999, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hanky-codes/9523/8 "1999-10-19T16:41:00Z")
Hanky codes are alive and kicking over the US. They are more prevalent in the various S&M subcultures though. I know of no one who wears marroon hankies, but of the more extreme I know several red, yellow, and black ones. My friend Jay, from Los Angeles, wears a yellow, beige, grey, and blue hanky in his right pocket whenever he goes out. (BTW, he looks like a big Jewish Santa Claus) So, yes Al Zheimers, the hanky code is alive and well. Anyway, back on topic, is there or isn’t their a straight equivalent? If so, what is it? Does anyone know any other hanky color equivalents? Here are a few more: Peach: Likes chubs (aka big guys) (If I wore a hanky, I probably would wear this one and the following) Kelly green: Daddy/son Green: needing payment. I don’t think this one is used anymore HUGS! Sqrl * * * Move over Satan. 😉 Now there’s something meatier. [http://smallwonder.simplenet.com/COC.html](http://smallwonder.simplenet.com/COC.html) ---
**Author:** ![SqrlCub](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SqrlCub](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SqrlCub)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 1999, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hanky-codes/9523/9 "1999-10-19T16:42:00Z")
Whoops sent it too fast. The other one would be the Daddy/Son thing not the hustler one. HUGS! Sqrl ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 1999, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hanky-codes/9523/10 "1999-10-20T05:47:00Z")
Well,my former husb. was gay,and there was no code that we knew of. As for straight codes,I believe if you look at a guy for more than 2 seconds,it means Let’s go out! ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 1999, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hanky-codes/9523/11 "1999-10-19T20:07:00Z")
The handy code was real, it was pretty old. Never heard a straight person use such a code & well, I should hope not as they might be taken for a gay person. One straight code might have been with ear lobes. Pulling your ear lobe when seeing a girl was to indicate you wanted to do her. Shucks, wasn’t there even a time when a guy wearing an ear ring was a gay thing and if it was the right ear it meant something and the left something else? ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 1999, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hanky-codes/9523/12 "1999-10-19T20:08:00Z")
The handy code was real, it was pretty old. Never heard a straight person use such a code & well, I should hope not as they might be taken for a gay person. One straight code might have been with ear lobes. Pulling your ear lobe when seeing a girl was to indicate you wanted to do her. Shucks, wasn’t there even a time when a guy wearing an ear ring was a gay thing and if it was the right ear it meant something and the left something else? ---
**Author:** ![BoBettie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@BoBettie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoBettie)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 1999, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hanky-codes/9523/13 "1999-10-19T20:17:00Z")
RE: op, I have seen a device used in straight cultures (although probobly used in gay cultures, also). It looks like a beeper- you enter in some info about what you’re looking for (like drinks, dinner, a movie, hot sex) and if you get near someone else with the same interests programmed in, you both beep. Then you hook up, shag rotten, get married, have kids, etc. Kinda neat… * * * Some mornings it just doesn’t seem worth it to gnaw through the leather straps. [Zettecity](http://www.angelfire.com/ny3/zettecity/index.html)