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A new hankie code
Feb. 24th, 2007 01:33 pmSo, I have a fun assignment. For Ad Astra, our local SF&F literary convention, I'm running an Alternative Lifestyles Meet and Greet.
One of the ideas behind the Meet and Greet is that we will have a sort of 'hankie code' using colour coded stickers, so that people can non-verbally see what others are into.
Here's my starting effort:
(1) Sexual orientation
Blue - I like boys
Pink - I like girls
Purple - I like both
The problem with this is that it implies the two-gender paradigm.
Slightly more complex:
Blue - I like boys
Pink - I like girls
Purple - I like transpeople
The problem with this is that it implies that if someone is interested in transwomen, they are also interested in transmen. Often, but not always true. Still, less two-gendered.
We could get more complex and thus more precise...
Blue - I like boys
Blue with a thin purple line on the right - I like boys and transmen
Pink - I like girls
Pink with a thin purple line on the right - I like girls and transwomen
Thick purple line - I like transpeople
This could get very confusing, though, and be difficult to read from a distance, which is sort of key to the concept.
One last way of doing this...
Blue - I like boys
Indigo - I like transmen
Purple - I like androgynes
Magenta - I like transwomen
Pink - I like girls
That uses up a lot of colours, though.
(2) Availability
Since there are many many reasons for someone to be available or not entirely available or not at all available, I think keeping this one simple would be best. Something like:
Red: Not available
Yellow: Might be available
Green: Actively looking
Alternatively, we could just have an add-on stop sign sticker to put on the tags of people who are not interested but there to socialize, and otherwise have people assume that they are somewhat available.
(3) Kink
There are an astounding number of kinks which have been invented by the imaginative human mind, and I definitely have no interest in even attempting to signal them all. But here's a basic idea on how this could work...
White - Sub
Black - Dom
X through the space where this would go - Vanilla (I'd love to make this a beige-yellow, but that would look too similar either to the white of sub, or the yellow of "might be available" above)
(4) Poly vs. Mono
I have no bright ideas about how to indicate this with colour. Anyone have any suggestions to share?
(5) Religion
I could have a colour for pagan, but then I'd need to come up with colours for other common religions, and then someone would be pissed that their thing didn't get included. So, best to leave this to the attendees and their religious jewelry of choice.
One of the ideas behind the Meet and Greet is that we will have a sort of 'hankie code' using colour coded stickers, so that people can non-verbally see what others are into.
Here's my starting effort:
(1) Sexual orientation
Blue - I like boys
Pink - I like girls
Purple - I like both
The problem with this is that it implies the two-gender paradigm.
Slightly more complex:
Blue - I like boys
Pink - I like girls
Purple - I like transpeople
The problem with this is that it implies that if someone is interested in transwomen, they are also interested in transmen. Often, but not always true. Still, less two-gendered.
We could get more complex and thus more precise...
Blue - I like boys
Blue with a thin purple line on the right - I like boys and transmen
Pink - I like girls
Pink with a thin purple line on the right - I like girls and transwomen
Thick purple line - I like transpeople
This could get very confusing, though, and be difficult to read from a distance, which is sort of key to the concept.
One last way of doing this...
Blue - I like boys
Indigo - I like transmen
Purple - I like androgynes
Magenta - I like transwomen
Pink - I like girls
That uses up a lot of colours, though.
(2) Availability
Since there are many many reasons for someone to be available or not entirely available or not at all available, I think keeping this one simple would be best. Something like:
Red: Not available
Yellow: Might be available
Green: Actively looking
Alternatively, we could just have an add-on stop sign sticker to put on the tags of people who are not interested but there to socialize, and otherwise have people assume that they are somewhat available.
(3) Kink
There are an astounding number of kinks which have been invented by the imaginative human mind, and I definitely have no interest in even attempting to signal them all. But here's a basic idea on how this could work...
White - Sub
Black - Dom
X through the space where this would go - Vanilla (I'd love to make this a beige-yellow, but that would look too similar either to the white of sub, or the yellow of "might be available" above)
(4) Poly vs. Mono
I have no bright ideas about how to indicate this with colour. Anyone have any suggestions to share?
(5) Religion
I could have a colour for pagan, but then I'd need to come up with colours for other common religions, and then someone would be pissed that their thing didn't get included. So, best to leave this to the attendees and their religious jewelry of choice.
