Hanky Code Series

Water based Screen-printing ink on cotton fabric

22 X 22 inches

2024

The Hanky Code was a way to be discreet, as homophobia rose because of the AIDs crisis, and to avoid hate crimes and being arrested by the police. Nowadays, because of the internet and general integration of queer life into the public, it is not as well-known or needed as it was, but you can still find all kinds of people in the kink-queer and leather community flagging.

I created designs based on the color code of these three hankies. I made them for my love of queer and kink history, and for my community, who still use the code. I designed the green one to be more inclusive, which originally stands for the honorific ‘Daddy’ alone, and included other honorifics so the wearer can choose which is visible.