Couple shocked after unintentionally signaling they're 'swingers' during beach vacation

Editor's note: This article was originally published on August 4, 2021. It has since been updated.

When Linda and her husband saw matching bathing suits with pineapple prints on them, they thought it was cute and decided to buy them. The couple was on vacation and on a nice sunny day, they headed to the beach wearing their matching bathing suits. It certainly felt like a good day. It got even better as other couples and people were incredibly nice to them. Not just regular nice, but they seemed a little extra 'interested' in them. They were confused, but it took them a while to realize that they had unwittingly signaled to non-monogamous couples that they were open to swinging, according to Comic Sands.

The whole day running up to the moment of realization started to make more sense to Linda now. They weren't aware of the secret signal but it turns out that wearing pineapple print clothing or even displaying pineapples was a sign that they were into swinging. Linda shared a video on TikTok explaining the incident and showed pictures of her along with her husband, wearing matching pineapple print bathing suits. "Oops no one told me 🍍🍍🍍#notswingers #oops #pineapple #ididntknow," Linda captioned the video. She also had a text running over the video reading: "Thinking of wearing matching swimsuits with my husband on vacation because I thought it was cute." Later in the video, the text read, "People were a little extra nice" along with a shrug emoji. Linda said that she wasn't judging anyone who is into swinging but added that she wasn't into it. The video has been viewed more than 3.2 million times. 

Many debated if the pineapple was a universal sign for swinging; a few people argued in the comments but some appeared to confirm it. It appears to be area-specific but apparently placing a pineapple on the mailbox or on the front porch of any house is a sign that a swinging party is happening. Pineapple print clothing is said to indicate couples are into swinging. Some argued that an upside-down pineapple was the secret sign.

According to Urban Dictionary,  "A pineapple is turned upside down when a person is in search of a swinger party. Originally it was turned upside down in the individual's shopping cart. Swingers use this symbol to identify each other in public." Pineapple garden décor and doorknockers are also used by people to identify themselves as swingers. It's a way of saying a subtle hello to fellow swingers in the neighborhood. Does the sign work? Well, it apparently does. “My husband and I always put an upside-down pineapple in our shopping cart when we go shopping. We haven’t met other couples yet but one time we did get a very telling wink and smile!” said Jen from Atlanta, according to Hedonism.com.

While black rings are a common accessory, some swingers use them to help start a conversation about alternative lifestyles. Cooper Beckett, the host of the Life on the Swingset podcast, confirmed the same. "Wear your black ring on your right hand if you are out and open to meet other swingers," he told The Stranger. “If someone wearing a black ring on their right-hand approaches you, start a conversation with them, ‘I see you’re wearing a black ring on your right hand. Maybe we are in the same club,’” Beckett suggested.

Similarly, on dating apps, pineapples and unicorn emojis are often used as signals that they are open to swinging. Unicorns are people seeking couples to swing with. According to a Reddit thread, some of the common signals of swingers are: Pink flamingos on your lawn, Garden gnomes on your lawn, White rocks around your mailbox, and wearing a black ring on your right hand.