The tension of the handkerchief - do you feel it too?

CW: This episode contains themes of a sexual nature, including references to kink

Who do you think you are? A universal tension exists in an acute way for trans people, our dependency on other people for recognition, part of how identity works is laid bare in the struggle for trans liberation.

Perhaps not better explained by examinig not just any simple piece of cloth, but the very queer and Trans+ history of the handkerchief.

There’s the hanky code (or flagging). There are historical examples (some fictional, others not): phallic handkerchiefs, morality judgments intertwined with the hanky, hankies as tokens passed from lover to lover, and handkerchiefs worn around the neck. But they all rely upon the handkerchief to be read – to be perceived in a certain way. They rely upon dependency.

In this week's QueerAF podcast with Trans+ History Week, Ted Tinkler explores the ontology of the handkerchief and what it tells us about the power dynamics of dependency and intimacy - and what that tells us about being Trans+.

Episode Credits: Produced by Ted Tinkler. Executive production and mastering by Jamie Wareham. A QueerAF Production. Made with support from Publicis Groupe UK.

Thanks yous from Ted: A huge thanks to Olivia Warren, Kylo Thomas, Raul Cornier, Del laGrace Volcano, Hal Fischer, and Nat Reeve for their generosity and time during our conversations. The brilliant song used at different points in the show is “Summertime, Free Palestine” by Gay Skeleton Club.

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