Gay/Lesbian Hanky Codes
Country Rights | Hanky Codes | LGBTQ+ Flags | Slang dictionary | UK Gay & Lesbian History
The handkerchief code (also known as the hanky code, the bandana code is a colour-coded system, employed usually among the gay male casual-sex
seekers or BDSM practitioners in the United States, Canada, Australia and Europe, to indicate preferred sexual fetishes, what kind of sex they are seeking,
and whether they are a top/dominant or bottom/submissive.
Wearing a handkerchief on the left side of the body typically indicates one is a "top" (one considered active in the practice of the
act/fetish indicated by the colour of the handkerchief), while wearing it on the right side of the body would indicate one is a "bottom"
(one considered passive in the practice of the act/fetish indicated by the colour of the handkerchief).
The hanky code was widely used in the 1970s by gay and bisexual men.
Gay male hanky codes
| Colour | Meaning | Left pocket | Right pocket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oral Sex | Wants | Gives | |
| Sixty-niner | |||
| Fucking | Active | Passive | |
| Dildo user | Active | Passive | |
| Likes navel worship | Mauve | Navel worshipper | |
| Likes armpits | Wants armpit worships | Armpit fetish worshippers | |
| Piercings | Piercer | Piercee | |
| Drag | Lavender | in drag | |
| Golden showers | Like to piss on people | Likes being pissed on | |
| Spits | Likes to spit | Drool crazy | |
| Has 8" or more | Mustard | Likes big guyz | |
| 2 looking for 1 | Gold | 1 Looking for 2 | |
| Anything goes | Top | Passive | |
| Two Tons O'Fun | Bear | Chubby chaser | |
| Foot Fetish | Top | Shrimper | |
| Cowboy | Rust | His horse | |
| Spanking | Spanker | Spankee | |
| Uniform | Uniform top | Uniform bottom | |
| Daddy | Who's the daddy | Wants daddy | |
| Dines | Dines off Tricks | Dinner plate | |
| Rimming | Rimmer | Rimmee | |
| Uncut | Is uncut | Likes uncut | |
| Cut | Is cut | Likes cut | |
| Heavy S&M | Top | Passive | |
| Bondage | Top | Passive | |
| Latex | Top | Bottom | |
| Masturbating | Masturbate me | Will masturbate you | |
| Red/White stripes | Shaving | Shaver | Shavee |
| Muscleman | Muscleman top | Muscleman bottom | |
| Doily | Tearooms | Top | Bottom |
Lesbian hanky codes
| Colour | Meaning | Left pocket | Right pocket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oral Sex | Wants | Gives | |
| Anal sex | Top | Bottom | |
| Light S&M | Top | Bottom | |
| Food fetish | Active | Passive | |
| Anything goes | Top | Passive | |
| Golden showers | Like to piss on people | Likes being pissed on | |
| Rent | Buying | Selling | |
| Uniforms | Top | Bottom | |
| Virgins | Likes virgins | Virgin | |
| Bondage | Does bondage | Wants bondage | |
| Heavy SM | Dominatrix | Bottom | |
| Group sex | Top | Passive | |
| Breasts | Breast fondler | Breast fondlee |
