Duggars are Flagging

[nomoxian]

I wonder if they know what they're doing when they paint their nails like that....

 

duggars.tumblr.com/post/89299282145/everyone-got-their-nails-done-for-the-wedding-on

 

Flagging refers to a way queer people let each other know "We're here" It started with men wearing handkerchiefs in their pocket, but women have started to paint their ring nail to symbolize the same thing. Different colours mean you're 'into' different things, and the side left or right means top/giver or bottom/recipient... Recently it's become more of a trendy thing to do, but it still originated in the LGBT community.

[indifferent]

Didn't know any of that. Good to know though. But I bet most people don't know and just paint their nails in a fun way. 100000% sure no Duggarling knows anything about this.

[ILoveJellybeans]

Im a lesbian and I didn't know that, so it is very likely they don't either.

[doubleT]

I didn't know that either. Its all over pinterest and all the girls do it where I live and I live in rural, small town USA.

[Jilli]

Wow I had no idea.

[singsingsing]

Yeah, the different colours on different nails thing is HUGE right now. The vast majority of people doing it aren't trying to signal sexual preferences. I've never even heard of that. So there's nothing for them to 'realize' that they're doing - they're doing the same thing as a billion other people following a trend.

[Rescinded and Mended]

I've seen it and don't particularly care for for the look of it, myself, although I might do it at some point if it was for a cause.

[Rachel333]

I don't really think that just because both styles paint one nail differently means that today's trend originates from flagging.

I know about the handkerchief code and I have heard about women painting one nail as an indication they were gay (never known anyone to actually do it, though, and now it wouldn't work as a signal), but never about the sex stuff with the colors on the fingernail. It seems a lot harder to look at someone's fingernail to figure out what they like to do in bed than being able to look at a handkerchief. I'm skeptical that this ever really happened in the LGBT community at large.

[louisa05]

Yeah, the different colours on different nails thing is HUGE right now. The vast majority of people doing it aren't trying to signal sexual preferences. I've never even heard of that. So there's nothing for them to 'realize' that they're doing - they're doing the same thing as a billion other people following a trend.

This. It is a huge trend. If it has been used as flagging, then people are going to have to find a new signal. My soon -to-be-8th-grade girls in confirmation class do it and they are still squicked out by any reference to sex.

[sol]

as far as the lesbian connection goes, is this something new or regional? i've never heard of this or seen it in all my years of dykehood.

[ViolaSebastian]

Am I the only one whose curious about what the different colors/designs mean?

[Geechee Girl]

No way in Hades do the Duggars know the hanky code. I'm positive they are only following nail art trends. I'm surprised none of the girls went for ombre or crackle.

[tamralynn]

The ring finger being painted a different color is done so as an accent nail. It's usually done with a complimentary color or design. Never heard of this flagging thing and I know many people who would have put me in the know.

[ViolaSebastian]

No way in Hades do the Duggars know the hanky code. I'm positive they are only following nail art trends. I'm surprised none of the girls went for ombre or crackle.

I only know of the hanky code from the episode of Rescue Me where Franco poses for the firefighter's calendar with a yellow hanky in his back pocket, which made him...popular amongst certain 'water sport' enthusiasts. :lol:

[VeryNikeSeamstress]

Here is the best article I've found so far on what the flagging codes mean:

stuffqueerpeopleneedtoknow.com/2012/04/30/flagging-for-femmes-and-other-people-who-need-an-alternative-to-the-back-pocket/

I femme flagged quite a bit when I first learned about it. As a self-identified queer femme, sometimes I feel invisible, but I disappointed when nobody knew what I was trying to flag. Plus accent nails have been a trend for awhile now so it's hard to tell who's flagging and who's being trendy.

On another funny note, I saw the word 'countenance' used outside of a fundie setting recently. It was used in a Pat Califia story ('The Calyx of Isis' from the book 'Macho Sluts'). Ohhh my!

[church_of_dog]

Here is the best article I've found so far on what the flagging codes mean:

stuffqueerpeopleneedtoknow.com/2012/04/30/flagging-for-femmes-and-other-people-who-need-an-alternative-to-the-back-pocket/

Very entertaining! Couldn't tell if it was all 100% serious or if it leaned toward a bit of spoof/parody at the end there. I grew up in the San Francisco bay area and fall personally under the label of "straight but not narrow" so there is not much I haven't at least heard of and certainly not much that surprises me -- but I did get a laugh out of the category titled "cigar play" with a need to indicate whether one prefers to be "Clinton" or "Lewinsky" :lol: :lol:

[Mama Mia]

Very entertaining! Couldn't tell if it was all 100% serious or if it leaned toward a bit of spoof/parody at the end there. I grew up in the San Francisco bay area and fall personally under the label of "straight but not narrow" so there is not much I haven't at least heard of and certainly not much that surprises me -- but I did get a laugh out of the category titled "cigar play" with a need to indicate whether one prefers to be "Clinton" or "Lewinsky" :lol: :lol:

Interesting. Seems like it could lead to trouble if you can't tell the difference between coral and light pink or teal and aqua or any of the other zillion shades :shock:

Also, with the traditional bandana color signs....that could lead to some very interesting miscommunications if someone was wearing a red or dark blue bandana to signify their gang affiliation.....and were giving the impression it means something very different !

[church_of_dog]

Interesting. Seems like it could lead to trouble if you can't tell the difference between coral and light pink or teal and aqua or any of the other zillion shades :shock:

Also, with the traditional bandana color signs....that could lead to some very interesting miscommunications if someone was wearing a red or dark blue bandana to signify their gang affiliation.....and were giving the impression it means something very different !

Yes I too had the thought about the subtle differences between shades. As if communication issues in a plain vanilla relationship aren't easy enough to mess up… :whistle:

And agreed also about other bandana uses. As my life became more rural I have gotten used to always having one on me, for various practical (and entirely non-sexual, lol) uses. Dog forbid I ever let a bit of it stick out of my pocket, who knows what erroneous message I might be delivering! :D :o

[nana sew dear]

My 4 year old granddaughter likes me to paint each of her fingernails a different color. I don't think her mom has the patience.

[GiGi_41]

Wow I just learn a whole lot about flagging...I will never look at bandanas the same way!

[RosyDaisy]

Umm....in the rural South having a dew rag hanging out of you pants pocket is very common, especially farmers and men who work outside. It's a tell tale sign of a good 'ol hard working country boy.

[pennsatuckey]

http://flaggingopinicusrampant.wordpres ... anky-code/

A comprehensive guide to flagging. Not sure how some of these would translate to nails (e.g. fur, mosquito netting, USBs), but pretty good reference. I've seen it become pretty mainstream with kids around my college campus.

Umm....in the rural South having a dew rag hanging out of you pants pocket is very common, especially farmers and men who work outside. It's a tell tale sign of a good 'ol hard working country boy.

Well, I'd hope he doesn't wander too far off the farm, then. Unless, that's what he's into ;)

[Evilbad]

It's all over Pinterest, it's not a sexual thing that most people know about, it's a cutesy thing that's extremely popular right now.

[amster]

It's all over Pinterest, it's not a sexual thing that most people know about, it's a cutesy thing that's extremely popular right now.

Exactly. Reading any further into it than this is just silly.

[SamE]

It is the style here in my very small midwest town - even my 8 year old does it. It doesn't mean anything here except that you like pretty nails.

It goes along with pink cammo, bling on accessories and ombre hair.