HankyCode › The 175
The historical record

The 175.

175 codes are the historical record: 25 from the 1972 chart, 41 from the 1980s bar charts, and 109 from the extended charts that followed. They were worn before they were printed. They are the only source for the Edition, and for The Masters above it — their colours never move.

69 of the 175 are on this site. The other 106, written in the language of the rooms they came from, are kept for adults on the archive — filter by The 175 there.

Anything Goes — SIGNAL ORANGE hanky code print, left pocketAnything GoesSIGNAL ORANGE · ANYTHING / EVERYTHINGPiercing — PURPLE hanky code print, left pocketPiercingPURPLE · PIERCER / PIERCEDDiscipline — STEEL GREY hanky code print, left pocketDisciplineSTEEL GREY · DISCIPLINARIAN / DISCIPLINEDSmall Toys — LIGHT PINK hanky code print, left pocketSmall ToysLIGHT PINK · SMALL TOY USER / SMALL TOY SUBNovice / Beginner — FIRST FLUSH hanky code print, left pocketNovice / BeginnerFIRST FLUSH · THE GUIDE / THE CURIOUSHairy / Bears — FOREST GREEN hanky code print, left pocketHairy / BearsFOREST GREEN · THE BEAR / BEAR CHASERSeduction — SAPPHIRE BLUE hanky code print, left pocketSeductionSAPPHIRE BLUE · SEDUCER / SEDUCEDShaving — PLUM hanky code print, left pocketShavingPLUM · SHAVER / SHAVEDScratching — BURGUNDY hanky code print, left pocketScratchingBURGUNDY · SCRATCHER / SCRATCHEDSmooth / Twink — GOLD LAMÉ hanky code print, left pocketSmooth / TwinkGOLD LAMÉ · THE SMOOTH / SMOOTH CHASERDirty Talk — HOUNDSTOOTH hanky code print, left pocketDirty TalkHOUNDSTOOTH · DIRTY TALK / LISTENSKissing — PEACH hanky code print, left pocketKissingPEACH · KISSER / KISSEDVoyeur / Exhibitionist — ROBIN'S EGG BLUE hanky code print, left pocketVoyeur / ExhibitionistROBIN'S EGG BLUE · WATCHES / WATCHEDMuscle Worship — COBALT BLUE hanky code print, left pocketMuscle WorshipCOBALT BLUE · THE MUSCLE / WORSHIPSChubby Chaser — SALMON hanky code print, left pocketChubby ChaserSALMON · THE ABUNDANT / CELEBRATESVersatile / Switch — BLUE STRIPE hanky code print, left pocketVersatile / SwitchBLUE STRIPE · VERSATILE TOP / VERSATILE BOTTOMPride Energy — RAINBOW hanky code print, left pocketPride EnergyRAINBOW · PRIDE LEADER / PRIDE PARTICIPANTCowboy Roleplay — CHAMBRAY hanky code print, left pocketCowboy RoleplayCHAMBRAY · COWBOY DOM / COWBOY SUBE-Stim — ELECTRIC BLUE hanky code print, left pocketE-StimELECTRIC BLUE · E-STIM GIVER / E-STIM RECEIVERMarathon Play — PRUSSIAN BLUE hanky code print, left pocketMarathon PlayPRUSSIAN BLUE · MARATHON TOP / MARATHON BOTTOMBlindfold Play — TANGERINE hanky code print, left pocketBlindfold PlayTANGERINE · BLINDFOLDER / BLINDFOLDEDRope Work / Shibari — AMBER hanky code print, left pocketRope Work / ShibariAMBER · RIGGER / ROPE BUNNYSensation Play — PALE STEEL hanky code print, left pocketSensation PlayPALE STEEL · SENSATION GIVER / SENSATION SUBBody Worship — CHAMPAGNE GOLD hanky code print, left pocketBody WorshipCHAMPAGNE GOLD · WORSHIPPED / WORSHIPPERGenderqueer — LIME + PURPLE SPLIT hanky code print, left pocketGenderqueerLIME + PURPLE SPLIT · GENDERQUEER TOP / GENDERQUEER SUBGay — PRIDE RAINBOW hanky code print, left pocketGayPRIDE RAINBOW · GAY TOP / GAY BOTTOMLesbian — ORANGE/PINK GRADIENT hanky code print, left pocketLesbianORANGE/PINK GRADIENT · LESBIAN TOP / LESBIAN BOTTOMQueer — QUEER QUAD hanky code print, left pocketQueerQUEER QUAD · QUEER TOP / QUEER BOTTOMQuestioning — PASTEL RAINBOW hanky code print, left pocketQuestioningPASTEL RAINBOW · QUESTIONING TOP / QUESTIONING SUBMonogamous — SINGLE ROSE RED hanky code print, left pocketMonogamousSINGLE ROSE RED · MONOGAMOUS / SEEKS MONOGAMYRelationship Anarchist — RED / BLACK SPLIT hanky code print, left pocketRelationship AnarchistRED / BLACK SPLIT · RA TOP / RA BOTTOMTriad / Throuple — TRIANGLE RAINBOW hanky code print, left pocketTriad / ThroupleTRIANGLE RAINBOW · TRIAD LEADER / TRIAD MEMBERPolycule — NETWORK MULTI hanky code print, left pocketPolyculeNETWORK MULTI · POLYCULE HUB / POLYCULE NODESolo Polyamory — SOLO GOLD STAR hanky code print, left pocketSolo PolyamorySOLO GOLD STAR · SOLO POLY / DATES SOLO POLYWarrior Energy — BATTLE RED hanky code print, left pocketWarrior EnergyBATTLE RED · WARRIOR TOP / WARRIOR BOTTOMTrickster Energy — MISCHIEF ORANGE hanky code print, left pocketTrickster EnergyMISCHIEF ORANGE · TRICKSTER TOP / TRICKSTER BOTTOMBrat Energy — DEFIANT RED/BLACK SPLIT hanky code print, left pocketBrat EnergyDEFIANT RED/BLACK SPLIT · BRAT TAMER / BRATSwitch Energy — YIN-YANG hanky code print, left pocketSwitch EnergyYIN-YANG · SWITCHES / SWITCHEDService Energy — DEVOTION BLUE hanky code print, left pocketService EnergyDEVOTION BLUE · SERVICE TOP / SERVICE BOTTOMSSC — SAFETY GREEN hanky code print, left pocketSSCSAFETY GREEN · SSC TOP / SSC BOTTOMPRICK — RESPONSIBILITY BLUE hanky code print, left pocketPRICKRESPONSIBILITY BLUE · PRICK TOP / PRICK BOTTOMInformed Consent — CLARITY CRYSTAL hanky code print, left pocketInformed ConsentCLARITY CRYSTAL · INFORMED TOP / INFORMED SUBNegotiated Scenes — CONTRACT GREY hanky code print, left pocketNegotiated ScenesCONTRACT GREY · SCENE NEGOTIATOR / SCENE FOLLOWERCommunity Leader — TORCH GOLD hanky code print, left pocketCommunity LeaderTORCH GOLD · MOVEMENT LEADER / MOVEMENT MEMBERElder / Mentor — WISE SILVER hanky code print, left pocketElder / MentorWISE SILVER · COMMUNITY ELDER / MENTEEArchivist / Historian — PARCHMENT TAN hanky code print, left pocketArchivist / HistorianPARCHMENT TAN · HISTORY KEEPER / HISTORY LEARNEREvent Organiser — HOST PURPLE hanky code print, left pocketEvent OrganiserHOST PURPLE · ORGANISER / PARTICIPANTActivist — PROTEST RED hanky code print, left pocketActivistPROTEST RED · ACTIVIST LEADER / SUPPORTERSafe Space Holder — SANCTUARY BLUE hanky code print, left pocketSafe Space HolderSANCTUARY BLUE · SPACE HOLDER / SPACE USERBridge Builder — CONNECTION TEAL hanky code print, left pocketBridge BuilderCONNECTION TEAL · BRIDGE CREATOR / BRIDGE CROSSERHealer / Support — HEALING PINK hanky code print, left pocketHealer / SupportHEALING PINK · COMMUNITY HEALER / HEALING SEEKERNewcomer / Seeker — WELCOME YELLOW hanky code print, left pocketNewcomer / SeekerWELCOME YELLOW · EXPERIENCED GUIDE / NEWCOMERBallroom Mother — BALLROOM GOLD hanky code print, left pocketBallroom MotherBALLROOM GOLD · HOUSE MOTHER / HOUSE CHILDBallroom Father — BALLROOM SILVER hanky code print, left pocketBallroom FatherBALLROOM SILVER · HOUSE FATHER / HOUSE CHILDDrag Queen — SEQUIN RAINBOW hanky code print, left pocketDrag QueenSEQUIN RAINBOW · DRAG QUEEN / DRAG ADMIRERDrag King — DAPPER NAVY hanky code print, left pocketDrag KingDAPPER NAVY · DRAG KING MASC / DRAG ADMIRERWolf — WOLF GREY hanky code print, left pocketWolfWOLF GREY · WOLF PACK LEADER / PACK MEMBERPup — PUP CHOCOLATE hanky code print, left pocketPupPUP CHOCOLATE · PUP HANDLER / PUP PLAYERHandler — HANDLER LEATHER hanky code print, left pocketHandlerHANDLER LEATHER · HANDLER / PUP HANDLEDScene Leader — PIONEER BRONZE hanky code print, left pocketScene LeaderPIONEER BRONZE · SCENE ARCHITECT / SCENE BUILDERTrickster (archetype) — FOOL MULTI hanky code print, left pocketTrickster (archetype)FOOL MULTI · CHAOS CREATOR / CHAOS ENJOYEDMentor — TEACHER SAGE hanky code print, left pocketMentorTEACHER SAGE · MENTOR / KNOWLEDGE SEEKERWitch / Occult Queer — OCCULT INDIGO hanky code print, left pocketWitch / Occult QueerOCCULT INDIGO · PRACTITIONER / INITIATEWarrior Queen — ARMOUR SILVER hanky code print, left pocketWarrior QueenARMOUR SILVER · BATTLE LEADER / BATTLE FOLLOWERTomboy — ATHLETIC NAVY hanky code print, left pocketTomboyATHLETIC NAVY · SPORTY MASC / TOMBOY ADMIRERRevolutionary — REVOLT RED/BLACK SPLIT hanky code print, left pocketRevolutionaryREVOLT RED/BLACK SPLIT · REBELLION LEADER / COMRADESurvivor — PHOENIX ORANGE hanky code print, left pocketSurvivorPHOENIX ORANGE · RESILIENCE HOLDER / SUPPORT GIVERChosen Family Patriarch — PATRIARCH DARK WOOD hanky code print, left pocketChosen Family PatriarchPATRIARCH DARK WOOD · FAMILY PATRIARCH / FAMILY CHILDChosen Family Matriarch — MATRIARCH RICH ROSE hanky code print, left pocketChosen Family MatriarchMATRIARCH RICH ROSE · FAMILY MATRIARCH / FAMILY CHILD

What “the record” means

A code is in the 175 when it appears in the sources: Hal Fischer’s Gay Semiotics (1977), the Bob Damron Address Book chart (1980) or Larry Townsend’s The Leatherman’s Handbook II (1983), or the extended bar charts that followed. Where a colour is in the record we print it as it was; where two colours in the record sit too close to tell apart on a wall, we tell them apart by surface — never by moving the colour.

Read the history The full chart The Masters loan programme