“A lot of men developed codes so they could signal to each other their interest in same-sex desires,” he explains. “This could be through particular fashions or products they used. I find it showing up in the late-19th and early-20th Century in men's magazines. That might be coded to signpost which ones-to use our language-are considered ‘gay.’” They would say what products ‘real men’ won't use or what products are effeminate. While there are some codes that were very specific, such as the hanky code which signaled specific sexual proclivities, Dr. Bengry says that mostly the signposting was subtle, such wearing a red tie or a pinky ring.
