Of all the clothing pieces you could ever think of sporting, a bandana is one accessory that allows you to think twice. Why, you ask? Well, I’m pretty sure you know how bandanas date back to history when it comes to what they actually mean, especially when it comes to the colors. If you didn’t have any idea about it, now you do!
One such color I’m going to focus on in this article is the yellow bandana meaning. If you’re interested to find out more about bandanas, especially the meaning of yellow bandana, don’t go anywhere! You might actually be surprised by how little knowledge you’ve had about it all along.
Meaning Of Yellow Bandana- What Is It?
Bandanas have always been associated with outlaws, LGBTQ community members, and gang members, among others. That being said, the yellow bandana, too, has quite its history. So, to answer the obvious question- Does any gang wear yellow bandanas? Indeed, they do.
In fact, the yellow bandana has been associated with the Latin Kings gang. Founded in 1964 in Chicago, the Latino Kings gang is one of the world’s largest Latino and Hispanic street and prison gangs! Interesting, right?
Perhaps, you’re wondering whether other bandana colors have associations with gangs, too. To clear your doubt, you can take a look at the table below to get a clearer picture!
| Color of Bandana | Definition |
|---|---|
| Yellow | Worn by the Latin Kings gangs |
| Blue | Worn by the Crips gangs |
| Grey | Worn by the Asian gangs |
| Black | Neutral color |
| Red | Worn by the Bloods gangs |
| Purple | Worn by the Grape Street Crips gangs |
| Green | Worn by the Bay Area Crips gangs |
| White | Representation of neutrality and peace |
Formed by Puerto Ricans, the Latin Kings’ goal for its foundation was to overcome racial discrimination. As of today, the gang is active in more than 46 states in the US. Not only that, but the gang’s presence is also deep-rooted in countries like Spain, Italy, Ecuador, and Canada.
That said, you might ask, is it okay to wear yellow bandana on your head? Or maybe, you might even start asking yourself, “Should I avoid wearing yellow bandana?”
First things first, you should know that just because you love the color yellow and sporting a bandana, doesn’t mean you need to be cautious every step of the way.
Besides, I can vouch that it is completely safe to wear yellow bandana in most parts of the US. However, this doesn’t mean that you can smartly go ahead and pull off wearing a yellow bandana in the places where the Latin Kings are concentrated! After all, the last thing you want is to be mistaken for a gang member!
Yellow Bandana Meaning In The LGBT Community
If you’ve been wondering about whether the yellow bandana has anything to do with the LGBT community, you guessed it right. Indeed, the handkerchief code, as it’s called, has very much been a part of the gay culture and community for about 40 years now.
This is how the code works: you place a bandana on one of your body parts to show someone the type of sex you’re interested in. Apart from the placement of this piece of clothing, the color of the bandana matters, too.
That said, I’ll quickly go through what a yellow bandana means in the back pocket and around the neck.
Meaning Of Yellow Bandana In The Back Pocket And Around Neck
When you see a person sporting a yellow bandana in the back pocket, it could simply infer that the person is affiliated with a gang. However, there could also be a sexual connotation as well, which is popular among the gay community.
In fact, wearing a bandana in the back pocket is an implication of the relationship status and sexuality. At least that’s what it means, according to the hanky code! The same goes for a yellow bandana that a person wears around the neck.
However, don’t go about thinking that it’s not safe for you to sport that favorite yellow bandana of yours! In fact, these days, there’s actually no cultural significance as to the placement of this yellow clothing. So, you don’t have to worry about people judging you or mistaking you for a gang member or an LGBT member.
Yellow And Red Bandana Meaning – What’s The Difference?
I’ve already mentioned in the table above that red bandanas were associated with the Blood gangs. And with red being a highly sought-after color, it’s natural to want to know whether you can actually wear a red bandana or not.
Even though the code might not be much of significance now, thanks to the introduction of various apps for the gay community, it’s necessary to know the meaning of a yellow and red bandana.
That said, in the gay community, the yellow bandana associates with watersports, while the red bandana associates with fisting. So, if you were to sport such colored bandanas around your neck or back pocket, you could potentially be giving out the wrong idea!
But then, again, the usage of bandanas in any color doesn’t necessarily give off what it means- at least historically. So, you don’t have to overthink before you decide to wear a yellow bandana or a red one, for that matter!
Recap
All in all, I can pretty much say that wearing a yellow bandana might not be such a bad thing! Moreover, if you look at it as a fashion statement, you can go ahead and own it while rocking your whole look!
References
Photo by Logan Fisher on Unsplash