Former cruise ship worker explains hidden adult meaning if you see someone wearing a black ring on board
Swinging might be a lifestyle that’s been knocking about for donks but to some the way it all works is like a fascinating, secret world.
But a lot of it really isn’t that secret, from plenty of couples opening up their dynamics on social media to the signs that can be spotted in plain sight.
A whole load of these can be found on cruises, particularly ‘spicy cruises’. Cruise trips seem pretty popular with swingers, as they take their lifestyle practices onto the open seas.
And there’s a number of ways they’ll signal to others what they’re looking to get up to.
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Far more low-key than just sticking an upside down pineapple sticker on their cabin door, a former cruise ship worker explained the meaning behind a black ring.
That meaning is obviously that, the person is a swinger and looking others to have fun with.
Explaining hidden symbols is Lucy Southerton, a former cruise ship worker of 10 years, who has since made content about her work on YouTube.
In one video, Lucy broke down some of the symbols frequently associated with swingers – and it includes this fairly inconspicuous jewellery choice.
One tell she points out included a person wearing the black ring on their right hand.
"One other that I've heard is there's a black ring on your right hand," she said.
However, the former cruise ship worker did note that a black ring worn on the right hand may not always necessarily mean a swinger, as someone may just happen to own a black ring which perfectly fits a finger on their right hand.
"But that's a little bit more inconspicuous because can you imagine if you went up to someone and you're like, 'Hey, I can see that black ring on your right hand' and they are like, 'Yeah, it's just a black ring'." she said.
There’s even a whole site dedicated to selling the accessory to help swingers send the clear message while they’re out and about.
My Black Ring sells a variety of styles with reviews saying that wearing theirs to a bar was ‘like being part of a secret club where everyone was friendly and delightful’.
And the site explains just what wearing the ring really means as well as the little rules around it – the most obvious being that it must be black.
It says that the black ring should be worn on the right hand and on any finger but the middle one.
“A black ring worn on the middle finger of the right hand is an infrequently used symbol of asexuality,” it adds. “Please avoid wearing your ring on this finger as a courtesy to that community.”
The site says wearing the ring helps the effort to ‘help us all discretely identify others in the swinging lifestyle’.
It explains: “Wear your black ring on your right hand if you are out and open to meet other swingers.”
The ring is to be worn only when you want to be recognised by other swingers and is ‘a way to start a conversation’.
Topics: Sex and Relationships
Jess Battison