If I ever see someone holding a fan, I’ll pull this cool guide out. I don’t think it will happen, but maybe.

I read the title and assumed it was about meeting celebrities at conventions or something. Then I skipped over the first “in” from the first 2 points and was really confused.

Fanning slowly – “I am married.”

Fanning quickly – “I am engaged.”

Using as a fan – “Introduce me to your company.”

…?

I have to wonder who came up with this. One would imagine it was just some idea someone had and they published a whole etiquette book about it, and it slowly but forcefully caught on from there, because otherwise I can’t imagine this just being a thing that evolves spontaneously in a way everyone equally understands. Imagine sitting all the way across the room at a ball or something and witnessing someone break up with their boytoy through body language. With perfect clarity for all to see. You might as well just say it out loud.

Victorian sext emojis?

Goddammit MaryJo, how TF do you expect everyone to remember all this shit? Just use your words!

This could only go one way: My brain wandering off and I’m meanwhile fidgeting with the fan and sending everyone around me veeery mixed signals.

This is clearly a modern remake, but this actually was a thing:

1866, Cassell’s Magazine: https://ntsusa.org/fan-victorian-flirting/