The Return of the Secret Handshake

Most people at least know about the old hanky code - predominantly popular in the 20th century gay scene and at the time an effective way to signal your personal preference in a secret, yet effective way. The hanky code was about hanging a hanky from the back pocket of your jeans. A sophisticated scheme of colors, placement and patterns made it a very versatile secret communication system.

On the 21rst century Internet waving a hanky is not very practical. But there are other ways. And, due to the fact that kinksters are often unwelcome on social networks such as MySpace or Facebook, secret kinkculture codes are once again returning to the stage.

There have been many of such codes in different times. Wristwatches worn left or right, for example. Keyrings. Studded wristbands where the shape of each stud was a signal. And now there is YKIOK!

YKIOK may look like a meaningless word, maybe originating from Star Trek or another science fiction series. But in fact it stmems from an entire series of abbreviations, that were once popular on the usenet user groups in the early days of the Internet. YKIOK means "Your Kink Is OK". In this day and age it has a wider meaning. It signals "it is okay to be kinky, I am kinky myself or at least do object to people being kinky". In other words: it is modern day Internet lingo for "kink friendly".

Underground communication has always been a part of the kinkculture. And when the going gets tough it pops up again in some form or another. "Talk the talk" is a good way to identify yourself and others, as well as the ones that do not form part of the kinkculture clan. So it is not only a means of communication - it also works as a protection.

Unfortunately, the fact that the secret handshake is once again emerging in the kinkculture also signals something else: the once very tolerant Internet is rapidly losing that part of its image as well as functionality.