Flagging Red

The hanky code emerged during the sexual revolution as a way for gay men to signal their sexual interests to other men while in public spaces. The code likely had its origins with fisters, who utilized red handkerchiefs in rear pockets to locate others who shared an interest in fisting.

The code was adopted by the leather and BDSM community and adapted to cover a wide range of proclivities, including colors for piss play, domination, scat, and more. As the AIDS epidemic reshaped public cruising and sexual behavior, flagging and the hanky code fell into disuse.

Today in queer spaces, red attire or gear—including, but not limited to, hankies—has re-emerged as a clear declaration of one’s openness to or enthusiasm for fisting.

Figure 1.1: Glenn Hughes Flagging Red Left

Glenn Hughes proudly wore the red hanky at all Village People appearances and to The Mineshaft, NYC's fisting sex club.

Strategic Positioning

A red hanky worn in the right pocket indicates a preference for taking fists. When the hanky is worn in the left pocket, it indicates that the wearer prefers topping. When it is worn as a kerchief around the neck, it denotes versatility.

VOCABULARY

Kerchief

Noun a piece of fabric used to cover the head or worn tied around the neck.

Example: Elias wore a paisley red kerchief around his neck to let others know he liked taking and giving fists.

Figure 1.2: John Wayne's Signature Red Kerchief

Cowboys typically wore kerchiefs to filter out dust on the trail rather than indicate their fisting deviancies.

Gear and Attire

Wearing red handkerchiefs or red paisley clothing in public areas is not always indicative of fisting or homosexuality, as some people are unaware of the hanky code. At gay venues and events, such as bars or circuit parties, wearing red leather armbands and harnesses, red latex/rubber, red paisley clothing, red hankies, or red kerchiefs boldly declares one's fisting proclivities.

Bold Declaration (95% Certainty)
Red or black & red leather harnesses
Red or black & red leather armbands
Red or red paisley hankies in queer spaces
Red or red & black rubber/latex

Ambiguous Declaration (50% Probability)
Red cloth, plastic, or neoprene harnesses
Red or red paisley hankies in rear pockets
Red paisley shirts or shoes
Red puppy hoods
Red Nasty Pig or Cell Block 13 attire

Red Harness — Figure 1.3: Red Leather Indicative of Fisting

A red leather harness is a good indicator that the wearer is a fister.

Fisting and Fisting-adjacent Hanky Codes

There are various codes related (or marginally related) to fisting activities.

Non-dichotomous Flagging

Some fisters use other hankies or colored attire to indicate expanded sexual proclivities. Individuals may flag left or right; however, the left/right flagging only works when an activity aligns with clear top/bottom, assertive/passive, or insertive/receptive roles. It becomes ambiguous when the hanky or color doesn’t follow a role-based dichotomy. In some cases, flaggers need to offer verbal clarification to avoid misinterpretation.

Colors and fabrics tied to personality traits, personal identities, and certain preferences are problematic. For example, purple or lavender is frequently associated with drag. Mosquito netting is associated with an affinity for outdoor sex. Because left and right distinctions are not applicable for these colors, determining the intention of the flagger may be difficult.

Likewise, colors tied to activities like rimming often break the traditional left/right logic: does flagging right indicate a desire to eat ass, or does it indicate the desire to have the ass eaten? In many cases, men who identify as bottoms will be the insertive partner (as their tongues penetrate holes) rather than the receptive partner.

Color Appropriation

Because the hanky code is decentralized, colors, fabrics, and objects have different meanings. Fisters have appropriated certain colors for their own purposes. For example, dark red used to mean bleeding (inflicted by cuts or menstration), but today dark red means double-fisting. Likewise, ambiguous colors like gold and mustard can be easily imported into the fisting world.

Common Fisting-related Codes

The following codes are related (or are marginally related) to fisting activities:

Color	Significance
Orange	Anything Anytime [ L ] \| Not Now [ R ]
Beige	Rim Jobs
Blue (Navy)	Anal Sex
Mustard	Hung (8"+) [ L ] \| Size Queen [ R ]
Gold	Threesome w/DP
Pink (Light)	Toys
Red	Fisting
Red (Dark)	Double-handed Fisting

Table 2.1: Hanky Colors and Their Significance

Of the dozens of available colors and fabrics used in the hanky code, only a handful are relevant to fisting.

Protocols

Protocols include standard practices and etiquette followed by the majority of the fisting community. Typically, these are things that new fisters pick up over time.