Hanky codes are also used by women in the leather community, there’s even a color for being into boobs!
But yeah, carabiners are just a really practical way to carry keys without a purse or big pockets and so lesbians latched on to them. Some of us even wear them on the side corresponding to where we’d typically wear a handkerchief, but that’s rare and I’d only suspect that if the woman is also wearing a handkerchief.
What?? I’m a heterosexual woman who adores caribiners & inadvertently have them on display everywhere all the time, strictly for their functionality. Do you suppose everyone thinks I’m a lesbian and I had no idea I’ve been inadvertently giving that signal? I am so embarrassed. Please tell me you’re joking. I’m gonna have to go reconfigure my backpack & hide all my caribiners, aren’t I?
Those codes are more historical, dating back to times when it wasn’t possible to be open about your sexuality. Its mostly backstory now, but there is still a connection and association between caibiners and lesbians to this day.
But you’re fine wearing them. They’re used by climbers, thery’re also useful for hanging or carrying things, and their a nice accessory. They can mean many things, or be without meaning. Don’t change your style on the off chance a few lesbians may briefly misidentify you.
It’s a signal with a lot of false positives. If I see a woman wearing a carabiner I don’t assume she’s gay, but I might start looking for other signals.
A lot of the more subtle signals exist to be deniable or because they’re practical things that might be seen as not particularly traditionally feminine or unattractive to more traditional men.
And because of social changes over the years this has made a lot of them go from things lesbians are a lot more likely to do than straight women, to things that a lot of lesbians do associating it with our community and culture while plenty of straight women do them because they’re practical (such as wearing carabiners) or became fashionable in general (such as having a bunch of tattoos and piercings) or subculturally (such as wearing flannel shirts) or for any number of other reasons
It’s like driving a subaru forester. Sure, you’re statistically more likely to be a lesbian, but it’s probably not going to cause people to think you’re one.
also, for complex societal reasons, lesbians just tend to like things where carabiners are used, such as bouldering. based on that, carabiners have then used by some to signal that they’re lesbian (i haven’t heard of anyone using it to signal availability, that seems like it would lead to confusion very easily). important to keep in mind that carabiners are still worn primarily for their function for most people, including lesbians (that’s how it caught on)
Lesbians.
Its common to wear your keychain externally on a carabiener to show you’re an interested and available lesbian to other lesbians.
Its similar to the handkerchief codes used by gay men.
Hanky codes are also used by women in the leather community, there’s even a color for being into boobs!
But yeah, carabiners are just a really practical way to carry keys without a purse or big pockets and so lesbians latched on to them. Some of us even wear them on the side corresponding to where we’d typically wear a handkerchief, but that’s rare and I’d only suspect that if the woman is also wearing a handkerchief.
What?? I’m a heterosexual woman who adores caribiners & inadvertently have them on display everywhere all the time, strictly for their functionality. Do you suppose everyone thinks I’m a lesbian and I had no idea I’ve been inadvertently giving that signal? I am so embarrassed. Please tell me you’re joking. I’m gonna have to go reconfigure my backpack & hide all my caribiners, aren’t I?
Those codes are more historical, dating back to times when it wasn’t possible to be open about your sexuality. Its mostly backstory now, but there is still a connection and association between caibiners and lesbians to this day.
But you’re fine wearing them. They’re used by climbers, thery’re also useful for hanging or carrying things, and their a nice accessory. They can mean many things, or be without meaning. Don’t change your style on the off chance a few lesbians may briefly misidentify you.
It’s a signal with a lot of false positives. If I see a woman wearing a carabiner I don’t assume she’s gay, but I might start looking for other signals.
A lot of the more subtle signals exist to be deniable or because they’re practical things that might be seen as not particularly traditionally feminine or unattractive to more traditional men.
And because of social changes over the years this has made a lot of them go from things lesbians are a lot more likely to do than straight women, to things that a lot of lesbians do associating it with our community and culture while plenty of straight women do them because they’re practical (such as wearing carabiners) or became fashionable in general (such as having a bunch of tattoos and piercings) or subculturally (such as wearing flannel shirts) or for any number of other reasons
It’s like driving a subaru forester. Sure, you’re statistically more likely to be a lesbian, but it’s probably not going to cause people to think you’re one.
hmmm well then iguess i have to get some… sigh
also, for complex societal reasons, lesbians just tend to like things where carabiners are used, such as bouldering. based on that, carabiners have then used by some to signal that they’re lesbian (i haven’t heard of anyone using it to signal availability, that seems like it would lead to confusion very easily). important to keep in mind that carabiners are still worn primarily for their function for most people, including lesbians (that’s how it caught on)