I was a security guard back in the early 2000s and we all wore keys like this on our duty belts, and honestly they never really caught on things, but you would scratch the shit out of your car and stuff if you walked too close.
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?
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.
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 caribiners 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
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)
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.
Which is, honestly, an improvement. Being legally allowed to carry a gun, but considered a criminal for having a sword or spear in your car, is ridiculous. It was another of those fucking laws that allows a cop to crack down on you if they don't like you, while letting their preferred folks go around willy nilly.
40 Comments
mossy_@lemmy.world · 75 pts · 113d
you're gonna tear out that belt loop if you're not careful. hook it into the belt proper!
nao@sh.itjust.works · 33 pts · 113d
It looks like you'd need another carabiner to hold the carabiner
CookieOfFortune@lemmy.world · 12 pts · 113d
Use a soft shackle to avoid metal to metal!
Tar_alcaran@sh.itjust.works · 20 pts · 113d
This lady(?) carabineers!
mossy_@lemmy.world · 42 pts · 113d
"lady(?)" is... honestly more accurate than anything else. I'm all stocked up on genderfluid
riwo@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 23 pts · 113d
i'd love to wear carabiners, but i don't like having my keys hang on my side like that :<
FilthyShrooms@lemmy.world · 19 pts · 113d
I used to do that, but i hated sounding jingly as i walked through a quiet space, so i started tucking them into my pocket and it works really well
okwhateverdude@lemmy.world · 8 pts · 113d
right? it would catch on all sorts of shit
UnspecificGravity@piefed.social · 24 pts · 113d
I was a security guard back in the early 2000s and we all wore keys like this on our duty belts, and honestly they never really caught on things, but you would scratch the shit out of your car and stuff if you walked too close.
okwhateverdude@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 113d
Oooh, yeah, hadn't considered that angle
Truscape@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 4 pts · 113d
I've never had it happen in my experience.
LadyMeow@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 6 pts · 113d
I even catch my pockets on cabinet handles and stuff. :3
okwhateverdude@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 113d
I am too klutzy with dangle-y bits. More than one pair of wired earbuds were the source of much frustration in the before times.
captainlezbian@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 112d
Oh I'm a mess with wired earbuds but my carabiner causes me no issues except how long it dangles hitting my thigh
Smorty@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 20 pts · 113d
what is it with grlz and carabieners?...
hildegarde@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 28 pts · 113d
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.
JennaR8r@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 14 pts · 112d
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?
NannerBanner@literature.cafe · 16 pts · 112d
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.
hildegarde@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 4 pts · 112d
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 caribiners 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.
captainlezbian@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 112d
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
themagzuz@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 7 pts · 112d
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)
Smorty@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 4 pts · 112d
hmmm well then iguess i have to get some... sigh
captainlezbian@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 112d
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.
Cethin@lemmy.zip · 15 pts · 113d
I know the OP isn't the one who took this picture, but don't post pictures of your keys! They can be copied by their shape.
Entertainmeonly@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 18 pts · 112d
Your house lock can be picked in seconds. I don't need to see the key. It's ok. No one is putting that much effort in when a tickler works.
BeMoreCareful@lemmy.world · 9 pts · 112d
Hell, just use the sword.
Jiggle_Physics@quokk.au · 4 pts · 112d
Many suburban neighborhoods are virtually deserted for the better part of the day. My size 13.5 universal door key works just fine.
ITGuyLevi@programming.dev · 4 pts · 112d
A five dollar electric toothbrush from Walmart becomes a very effective electric pick after it meets a dremel.
GimmeUrBelt@lemmy.today · 15 pts · 113d
Swords are legal to open carry in Texas, fyi.
NannerBanner@literature.cafe · 10 pts · 112d
Which is, honestly, an improvement. Being legally allowed to carry a gun, but considered a criminal for having a sword or spear in your car, is ridiculous. It was another of those fucking laws that allows a cop to crack down on you if they don't like you, while letting their preferred folks go around willy nilly.
HrabiaVulpes@europe.pub · 5 pts · 112d
And in Poland too.
The only law that applies to sword is a law about hidden weapons, which states that any bladed weapon must be clearly visible on person.
TropicalDingdong@lemmy.world · 8 pts · 113d
This is how you lose your keys
swab148@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 7 pts · 113d
Great, now I've gotta change my whole setup to stay competitive. I'm gonna switch to budget, casual carabiner, this p2w bs is too much for me
Tunawithshoes@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 7 pts · 112d
I love to have my keys like that but I am so worried that the key ring breaks and I lose all my keys
Hazel@piefed.blahaj.zone · 6 pts · 112d
You can buy like extra strong titanium keyrings.
Digestive_Biscuit@feddit.uk · 7 pts · 112d
I have a titanium bottle opener which doubles as a clip. It's awesome.
Hazel@piefed.blahaj.zone · 4 pts · 112d
Haha, I too have a titanium bottle opener, which came with said keyring 😂
I switched to using a key organizer though, not a clip user anymore.
resting_parrot@sh.itjust.works · 4 pts · 112d
I think the belt loop is more of a concern.
captainlezbian@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 112d
Oh I would absolutely hit on a woman carrying a sword in her carabiner
LodeMike@lemmy.today · 2 pts · 113d
"How to destroy your clothes: 101"