LGBTQ3 min(s) read
Published 16:27 04 May 2026 GMT
As anyone with tattoos will know, the most frequently asked question you receive is 'What does it mean?'
While some may symbolise a special person, palace or memory, often ink lovers get a tattoo which they simply like the look of, and in some cases find out the meaning of after.
Those who may have gotten a simple black band around their arm, as they like the look of symmetry or simplicity, will be shocked to find out the crude connotations of their tattoo.
Although not everyone sporting a black band tattoo will be aware of its meaning, the ink is popular among the LGBTQ+ community as it supposedly symbolises a very hands-on sexual act.
After an X user shared a post about the meaning behind the tattoo, thousands of people flocked to the comments to share how shocked they were at its explicit connotations.
One person joked that it symbolises "How far you can reach into the Pringles can."
Another added: "When I learnt the meaning of this tattoo, it changed the way I look at everyone that has one. The higher [it gets], the wilder it gets."
Despite the rude theories online, according to the Solong Tattoo Company, the simple black arm bands, specifically two, have “profound meanings that appeal to many”, such as loss, mourning, strength, and luck.
The bands also “represent different stages or transitions in one's life” and the simple design “allows for personal interpretation’.
However, in recent years, the meaning of the two black bands has been labelled as a “depth marker”, measuring how far someone can reach into their lover’s rear end.
The rumours may have stemmed from and been popularised by gay adult actor Brent Everett.
Although he admitted he had no idea about the alternative meaning, queer fiction writer Lewis Laney shared a TikTok in 2023 explaining that Everett was the inspiration behind his band tattoo.
He explained: "I have a double arm band tattoo and I often get asked by gay men what it means... they assume that it has something to do with f**ting.
"The origins of these tattoos allegedly do come from f**ting and apparently, it’s how far you can go. For me, that is not the case though."
Then, he said, as many people with tattoos will agree, “if you see people with an anchor tattoo, do you automatically assume that they are a sailor? Or just that they like anchors?"
Although you should never assume anyone’s sexual preference by simply looking at them, in some cases, you might be right in guessing that if they have two bands tattooed on their arm, they like getting their hands dirty.
