Code for gay
You probably know what it means to “come out” as gay. You may even have heard the expression used in relation to other kinds of identity, such as entity undocumented.
But do you know where the phrase comes from? Or that its meaning has changed over time?
In my book“Come Out, Come Out, Whoever You Are,”, I travel the history of this term, from the earliest days of the lgbtq+ rights movement, to today, when it has been adopted by other movements.
Selective sharing
In the belated 19th and early 20th century, gay subculture thrived in many large American cities.
Gay men spoke of “coming out” into gay society – borrowing the term from debutante society, where elite immature women came out into high society. A news article in the Baltimore Afro-American referred to “the coming out of brand-new debutantes into homosexual society.” It was titled “ Debutantes Bow at Local ‘Pansy’ Ball.”
The s, ‘40s and ‘50s witnessed a growing backlash against this visible gay world. In response, gay life became more secretive.
The Mattachine Society, the earliest vital organization of what was known as the
What Is the Leather Code In The Gay Community?
Hey there, mate! Time to sink those paws thick into a topic that&#;s stitched into the core of the bear community: the leather code.
Have you ever found yourself asking, &#;What is the leather code in the male lover community?”
Or, &#;What do the colors mean?&#;
Well, this story is for you!
And it&#;s just in time because the Folsom Street Fair [NSFW link] is right around the corner!
Let&#;s jump into the leather code&#;s origins, unravel the meaning behind those vibrant colors, and, for the sake of clarity, distinguish between the leather code and the hanky code.
Ready? Let&#;s roll.
The Origins of the Leather Code
The leather subculture originated post-World War II when motorcycle clubs started forming across the US. It wasn&#;t just about riding bikes; it was about camaraderie, freedom, and a raw sense of masculinity.
With that, the leather attire was adopted &#; a rugged symbol of the scene.
During the slow &#;50s and &#;60s, as gay communities sought places of acceptance, they naturally gravitated towards the sturdy, masc
The history of ‘coming out,’ from classified gay code to popular political protest
Abigal Saguy is a professor of sociology in the UCLA College. She wrote this article for The Conversation.
You probably know what it means to “come out” as gay. You may even have heard the expression used in relation to other kinds of identity, such as being undocumented.
But execute you know where the term comes from? Or that its meaning has changed over time?
In my new publication, “Come Out, Arrive Out, Whoever You Are,” I scout the history of this term, from the earliest days of the same-sex attracted rights movement, to today, when it has been adopted by other movements.
Selective sharing
In the delayed 19th and prior 20th century, queer subculture thrived in many large American cities.
Gay men spoke of “coming out” into gay culture — borrowing the term from debutante society, where elite young women came out into tall society. A news article in the Baltimore Afro-American referred to “the coming out of unused debutantes into queer society.” It was titled “
When two men are negotiating a sexual encounter or even agreement to date, the phrase “What are you into?” will inevitably come from one or both.. Quite often in “Grindr” chat, this is shortened to be simply “into?” — just love ships used cyphers (flags) to communicate, we gay men acquire our own way to talk sexual preferences and proclivities. It’s called the Hanky Code.
Originating in the early ’s in either New York or San Francisco (let’s not even try to settle that debate), the hanky code is a system of signaling sexual preferences, fetishes, and roles by choosing to wear a specifically colored bandana on a particular side of the body. With just a glance at your rear end, (the bandana being tucked in your back pocket) anyone who is in-the-know will know what you’re “into!”
So how do you grasp which color to wear, and where to wear it? The first critical variable is the side of the body on which you choose to wear your colors, because this signals your preferred role:
- Left side of the body = Top/Dominant Role
- Right side of the body = Bottom/Submissive Role
As a