Know Your
Hanky Code
The Hanky Code is a traditional form of
signaling to others
what your sexual preferences and interests are.
Gay men used this code to communicate with each other
in the noisy and distracting environment of gay bars.
Although not as widely used these days, it is enjoying a
renaissance in the leather community.
The Hanky Code is still a worthwhile resource
and is, among those who know,
a great conversation starter.
MOST COMMON:
Navy Blue, Red, Yellow, Black, Gray, White, Robin's Egg Blue
BLACK / WHITE / SHADES OF GRAY
Worn on Left COLOR Worn on Right
heavy S/M top BLACK heavy S/M bottom
bondage top GRAY bondage bottom
gets serviced in a suit GRAY FLANNEL likes men in suits
latex fetish top CHARCOAL latex fetish bottom
beat my meat WHITE I'll do us both
likes White bottoms WHITE LACE likes White tops
BLUES
Worn on Left COLOR Worn on Right
bareback top(gives loads) NAVY BLUE / WHITE DOTS bareback bottom(takes loads)
fucker NAVY BLUE fuckee
cop MEDIUM BLUE copsucker
wants head LT. BLUE cocksucker
69er ROBIN'S EGG BLUE anything but 69ing
cock & ball torturer TEAL BLUE cock & ball torturee
pilot/flight attendant AIR FORCE BLUE likes flyboys
GREENS
Worn on Left COLOR Worn on Right
hustler (for rent) KELLY GREEN john (looking to buy)
daddy HUNTER GREEN looking for daddy
military top OLIVE DRAB military bottom
dines off tricks (food) LIME GREEN dinner plate
YELLOWS / OFF-WHITES
Worn on Left COLOR Worn on Right
piss top YELLOW piss bottom
spits PALE YELLOW spit target
hung 8" or more MUSTARD requires 8" or more
two looking for one GOLD one looking for two
comes in scumbags CREAM sucks it out
ORANGES / RUSTS
Worn on Left COLOR Worn on Right
anything anytime ORANGE nothing now (cruising)
big daddy APRICOT chubby chaser
suck my toes CORAL toe sucker
a cowboy RUST his horse
REDS / PINKS
Worn on Left COLOR Worn on Right
fist fuck top RED human hand puppet
2-handed fister DARK RED 2-handed fistee
dildo top LIGHT PINK dildo bottom
tit torturer DARK PINK needs nipplework
spanker FUSCHIA spankee
PURPLES
Worn on Left COLOR Worn on Right
piercer PURPLE piercee
cuts MAROON bleeds
into navel worshippers MAUVE has a navel fetish
suck my pits MAGENTA armpit freak
likes drag queens LAVENDER drag queen
BROWNS / BEIGES
rimmer BEIGE rimmee
scat top BROWN scat bottom
uncut BROWN LACE foreskin freak
circumcized BROWN SATIN cut men only
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE:
Visit These Hanky-Coded Webpages:
signaling to others
what your sexual preferences and interests are.
Gay men used this code to communicate with each other
in the noisy and distracting environment of gay bars.
Although not as widely used these days, it is enjoying a
renaissance in the leather community.
The Hanky Code is still a worthwhile resource
and is, among those who know,
a great conversation starter.
MOST COMMON:
Navy Blue, Red, Yellow, Black, Gray, White, Robin's Egg Blue
BLACK / WHITE / SHADES OF GRAY
Worn on Left COLOR Worn on Right
heavy S/M top BLACK heavy S/M bottom
bondage top GRAY bondage bottom
gets serviced in a suit GRAY FLANNEL likes men in suits
latex fetish top CHARCOAL latex fetish bottom
beat my meat WHITE I'll do us both
likes White bottoms WHITE LACE likes White tops
BLUES
Worn on Left COLOR Worn on Right
bareback top(gives loads) NAVY BLUE / WHITE DOTS bareback bottom(takes loads)
fucker NAVY BLUE fuckee
cop MEDIUM BLUE copsucker
wants head LT. BLUE cocksucker
69er ROBIN'S EGG BLUE anything but 69ing
cock & ball torturer TEAL BLUE cock & ball torturee
pilot/flight attendant AIR FORCE BLUE likes flyboys
GREENS
Worn on Left COLOR Worn on Right
hustler (for rent) KELLY GREEN john (looking to buy)
daddy HUNTER GREEN looking for daddy
military top OLIVE DRAB military bottom
dines off tricks (food) LIME GREEN dinner plate
YELLOWS / OFF-WHITES
Worn on Left COLOR Worn on Right
piss top YELLOW piss bottom
spits PALE YELLOW spit target
hung 8" or more MUSTARD requires 8" or more
two looking for one GOLD one looking for two
comes in scumbags CREAM sucks it out
ORANGES / RUSTS
Worn on Left COLOR Worn on Right
anything anytime ORANGE nothing now (cruising)
big daddy APRICOT chubby chaser
suck my toes CORAL toe sucker
a cowboy RUST his horse
REDS / PINKS
Worn on Left COLOR Worn on Right
fist fuck top RED human hand puppet
2-handed fister DARK RED 2-handed fistee
dildo top LIGHT PINK dildo bottom
tit torturer DARK PINK needs nipplework
spanker FUSCHIA spankee
PURPLES
Worn on Left COLOR Worn on Right
piercer PURPLE piercee
cuts MAROON bleeds
into navel worshippers MAUVE has a navel fetish
suck my pits MAGENTA armpit freak
likes drag queens LAVENDER drag queen
BROWNS / BEIGES
rimmer BEIGE rimmee
scat top BROWN scat bottom
uncut BROWN LACE foreskin freak
circumcized BROWN SATIN cut men only
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE:
Visit These Hanky-Coded Webpages:
| Worn on Left | COLOR | Worn on Right |
| heavy S/M top | BLACK | heavy S/M bottom |
| bondage top | GRAY | bondage bottom |
| gets serviced in a suit | GRAY FLANNEL | likes men in suits |
| latex fetish top | CHARCOAL | latex fetish bottom |
| beat my meat | WHITE | I'll do us both |
| likes White bottoms | WHITE LACE | likes White tops |
BLUES
Worn on Left COLOR Worn on Right
bareback top(gives loads) NAVY BLUE / WHITE DOTS bareback bottom(takes loads)
fucker NAVY BLUE fuckee
cop MEDIUM BLUE copsucker
wants head LT. BLUE cocksucker
69er ROBIN'S EGG BLUE anything but 69ing
cock & ball torturer TEAL BLUE cock & ball torturee
pilot/flight attendant AIR FORCE BLUE likes flyboys
GREENS
Worn on Left COLOR Worn on Right
hustler (for rent) KELLY GREEN john (looking to buy)
daddy HUNTER GREEN looking for daddy
military top OLIVE DRAB military bottom
dines off tricks (food) LIME GREEN dinner plate
YELLOWS / OFF-WHITES
Worn on Left COLOR Worn on Right
piss top YELLOW piss bottom
spits PALE YELLOW spit target
hung 8" or more MUSTARD requires 8" or more
two looking for one GOLD one looking for two
comes in scumbags CREAM sucks it out
ORANGES / RUSTS
Worn on Left COLOR Worn on Right
anything anytime ORANGE nothing now (cruising)
big daddy APRICOT chubby chaser
suck my toes CORAL toe sucker
a cowboy RUST his horse
REDS / PINKS
Worn on Left COLOR Worn on Right
fist fuck top RED human hand puppet
2-handed fister DARK RED 2-handed fistee
dildo top LIGHT PINK dildo bottom
tit torturer DARK PINK needs nipplework
spanker FUSCHIA spankee
PURPLES
Worn on Left COLOR Worn on Right
piercer PURPLE piercee
cuts MAROON bleeds
into navel worshippers MAUVE has a navel fetish
suck my pits MAGENTA armpit freak
likes drag queens LAVENDER drag queen
BROWNS / BEIGES
rimmer BEIGE rimmee
scat top BROWN scat bottom
uncut BROWN LACE foreskin freak
circumcized BROWN SATIN cut men only
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE:
Visit These Hanky-Coded Webpages:
| Worn on Left | COLOR | Worn on Right |
| bareback top(gives loads) | NAVY BLUE / WHITE DOTS | bareback bottom(takes loads) |
| fucker | NAVY BLUE | fuckee |
| cop | MEDIUM BLUE | copsucker |
| wants head | LT. BLUE | cocksucker |
| 69er | ROBIN'S EGG BLUE | anything but 69ing |
| cock & ball torturer | TEAL BLUE | cock & ball torturee |
| pilot/flight attendant | AIR FORCE BLUE | likes flyboys |
GREENS
Worn on Left COLOR Worn on Right
hustler (for rent) KELLY GREEN john (looking to buy)
daddy HUNTER GREEN looking for daddy
military top OLIVE DRAB military bottom
dines off tricks (food) LIME GREEN dinner plate
YELLOWS / OFF-WHITES
Worn on Left COLOR Worn on Right
piss top YELLOW piss bottom
spits PALE YELLOW spit target
hung 8" or more MUSTARD requires 8" or more
two looking for one GOLD one looking for two
comes in scumbags CREAM sucks it out
ORANGES / RUSTS
Worn on Left COLOR Worn on Right
anything anytime ORANGE nothing now (cruising)
big daddy APRICOT chubby chaser
suck my toes CORAL toe sucker
a cowboy RUST his horse
REDS / PINKS
Worn on Left COLOR Worn on Right
fist fuck top RED human hand puppet
2-handed fister DARK RED 2-handed fistee
dildo top LIGHT PINK dildo bottom
tit torturer DARK PINK needs nipplework
spanker FUSCHIA spankee
PURPLES
Worn on Left COLOR Worn on Right
piercer PURPLE piercee
cuts MAROON bleeds
into navel worshippers MAUVE has a navel fetish
suck my pits MAGENTA armpit freak
likes drag queens LAVENDER drag queen
BROWNS / BEIGES
rimmer BEIGE rimmee
scat top BROWN scat bottom
uncut BROWN LACE foreskin freak
circumcized BROWN SATIN cut men only
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE:
Visit These Hanky-Coded Webpages:
| Worn on Left | COLOR | Worn on Right |
| hustler (for rent) | KELLY GREEN | john (looking to buy) |
| daddy | HUNTER GREEN | looking for daddy |
| military top | OLIVE DRAB | military bottom |
| dines off tricks (food) | LIME GREEN | dinner plate |
YELLOWS / OFF-WHITES
Worn on Left COLOR Worn on Right
piss top YELLOW piss bottom
spits PALE YELLOW spit target
hung 8" or more MUSTARD requires 8" or more
two looking for one GOLD one looking for two
comes in scumbags CREAM sucks it out
ORANGES / RUSTS
Worn on Left COLOR Worn on Right
anything anytime ORANGE nothing now (cruising)
big daddy APRICOT chubby chaser
suck my toes CORAL toe sucker
a cowboy RUST his horse
REDS / PINKS
Worn on Left COLOR Worn on Right
fist fuck top RED human hand puppet
2-handed fister DARK RED 2-handed fistee
dildo top LIGHT PINK dildo bottom
tit torturer DARK PINK needs nipplework
spanker FUSCHIA spankee
PURPLES
Worn on Left COLOR Worn on Right
piercer PURPLE piercee
cuts MAROON bleeds
into navel worshippers MAUVE has a navel fetish
suck my pits MAGENTA armpit freak
likes drag queens LAVENDER drag queen
BROWNS / BEIGES
rimmer BEIGE rimmee
scat top BROWN scat bottom
uncut BROWN LACE foreskin freak
circumcized BROWN SATIN cut men only
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE:
Visit These Hanky-Coded Webpages:
| Worn on Left | COLOR | Worn on Right |
| piss top | YELLOW | piss bottom |
| spits | PALE YELLOW | spit target |
| hung 8" or more | MUSTARD | requires 8" or more |
| two looking for one | GOLD | one looking for two |
| comes in scumbags | CREAM | sucks it out |
ORANGES / RUSTS
Worn on Left COLOR Worn on Right
anything anytime ORANGE nothing now (cruising)
big daddy APRICOT chubby chaser
suck my toes CORAL toe sucker
a cowboy RUST his horse
REDS / PINKS
Worn on Left COLOR Worn on Right
fist fuck top RED human hand puppet
2-handed fister DARK RED 2-handed fistee
dildo top LIGHT PINK dildo bottom
tit torturer DARK PINK needs nipplework
spanker FUSCHIA spankee
PURPLES
Worn on Left COLOR Worn on Right
piercer PURPLE piercee
cuts MAROON bleeds
into navel worshippers MAUVE has a navel fetish
suck my pits MAGENTA armpit freak
likes drag queens LAVENDER drag queen
BROWNS / BEIGES
rimmer BEIGE rimmee
scat top BROWN scat bottom
uncut BROWN LACE foreskin freak
circumcized BROWN SATIN cut men only
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE:
Visit These Hanky-Coded Webpages:
| Worn on Left | COLOR | Worn on Right |
| anything anytime | ORANGE | nothing now (cruising) |
| big daddy | APRICOT | chubby chaser |
| suck my toes | CORAL | toe sucker |
| a cowboy | RUST | his horse |
REDS / PINKS
Worn on Left COLOR Worn on Right
fist fuck top RED human hand puppet
2-handed fister DARK RED 2-handed fistee
dildo top LIGHT PINK dildo bottom
tit torturer DARK PINK needs nipplework
spanker FUSCHIA spankee
PURPLES
Worn on Left COLOR Worn on Right
piercer PURPLE piercee
cuts MAROON bleeds
into navel worshippers MAUVE has a navel fetish
suck my pits MAGENTA armpit freak
likes drag queens LAVENDER drag queen
BROWNS / BEIGES
rimmer BEIGE rimmee
scat top BROWN scat bottom
uncut BROWN LACE foreskin freak
circumcized BROWN SATIN cut men only
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE:
Visit These Hanky-Coded Webpages:
| Worn on Left | COLOR | Worn on Right |
| fist fuck top | RED | human hand puppet |
| 2-handed fister | DARK RED | 2-handed fistee |
| dildo top | LIGHT PINK | dildo bottom |
| tit torturer | DARK PINK | needs nipplework |
| spanker | FUSCHIA | spankee |
PURPLES
Worn on Left COLOR Worn on Right
piercer PURPLE piercee
cuts MAROON bleeds
into navel worshippers MAUVE has a navel fetish
suck my pits MAGENTA armpit freak
likes drag queens LAVENDER drag queen
BROWNS / BEIGES
rimmer BEIGE rimmee
scat top BROWN scat bottom
uncut BROWN LACE foreskin freak
circumcized BROWN SATIN cut men only
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE:
Visit These Hanky-Coded Webpages:
| Worn on Left | COLOR | Worn on Right |
| piercer | PURPLE | piercee |
| cuts | MAROON | bleeds |
| into navel worshippers | MAUVE | has a navel fetish |
| suck my pits | MAGENTA | armpit freak |
| likes drag queens | LAVENDER | drag queen |
BROWNS / BEIGES
rimmer BEIGE rimmee
scat top BROWN scat bottom
uncut BROWN LACE foreskin freak
circumcized BROWN SATIN cut men only
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE:
Visit These Hanky-Coded Webpages:
| rimmer | BEIGE | rimmee |
| scat top | BROWN | scat bottom |
| uncut | BROWN LACE | foreskin freak |
| circumcized | BROWN SATIN | cut men only |