An obscene gesture is a movement or position of the body, especially of the hands or arms, that is considered exceedingly offensive or vulgar in some particular cultures. Such gestures are often sexually suggestive.
The finger
Although "
the finger" has been called "the universal sign of disrespect",
[ E.g., Echard v. Kraft, 159 Md. App. 110, 115; 858 A.2d 1018, 1021 (2004).] it is not truly universal. For example, in Japanese Sign Language, when the palm is facing out, it is recognized as the character せ ("se"). Many other gestures are used in addition to, or in lieu of, the finger in various parts of the world to express the same sentiment. In some parts of the world, "the finger" does not have any meaning at all.
In India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, the social circles exposed to the western world use the middle finger gesture in the same sense that it is used in those cultures. The same is true for most countries.
In Portugal, this gesture is also called "Pirete" or "Manguito".
In Russia, the middle finger is used to simply point (usually at the speaker themselves) and to communicate emphasis.
V sign
In the Commonwealth of Nations countries (except
Canada), the V sign as an insult (the middle and index fingers raised, and given with back of the hand towards the recipient) serves a similar purpose to
the finger. The
V sign with palm face outwards is used to signify victory
or as a peace sign.
Dulya
More commonly in Russian-influenced areas, the
dulya (also known as
fig sign or
shysh). This gesture is most commonly used to refuse giving of aid or to disagree with the target of gesture. Usually it is connected with requests for a financial loan or assistance with performing physical work. The gesture is typically made with the hand and fingers curled and the thumb thrust between the middle and index fingers. This gesture is also used similarly in
Indonesia,
Turkey,
Korea,
China,
Mongolia,
Hungary (called "fityisz"),
South Slavs (shipak/šipak) and
Romania ("ciuciu").
Corna
The sign of the horns, or
corna in
Italian language ("horns"), is a gesture with various meanings depending on culture, context, or the placement or movement of the gesture. It is especially common in
Italy and the Mediterranean region, where it generally takes on two different meanings depending on context and positioning of the hand. The first, more innocuous usage of the gesture in Italy and the Mediterranean is deployed for
apotropaic or
superstitious purposes, as a way to ward off bad luck or the "
evil eye". This usage of the gesture may also be employed when confronted with unfortunate events or even when such events are mentioned, and it is usually performed with the fingers pointed downward (or simply not directed towards someone) to distinguish the apotropaic usage of the gesture from the obscene usage of the gesture.
The second usage of the gesture, also found in Italy and other Mediterranean and Latin countries (including Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, France, Greece, Portugal, Spain, and Uruguay)
Moutza
In
Greece, the five fingers are spread wide and the palm is pushed towards someone in a gesture known as the
Moutza. The middle finger is still used though, and it is considered more insulting. Another variation of the middle finger is used, where all the fingers but the middle one are spread wide while moving the hand back and forth in the axis the middle finger creates. In this gesture, the thumb sometimes touches the middle finger. The insult of this is equivalent to the finger.
In Iranian culture, a similar gesture is used to represent "Dirt on your head", a verbal insult that is often used, implying that the receiver did something idiotic, or can't do something so easy, or just to humiliate.
In some and Caribbean countries, a similarly obscene gesture is extending all five digits with the palm facing forward, meaning "you have five fathers" (thus calling someone a illegitimacy).
In Iraqi culture and Assyrian culture, abruptly thrusting the palm of the hand to someone means they are worthy of shame and are dishonourable.
Middle finger
In former
Persia, mainly
Iran and
Iraq, a gesture involving exposing only the thumb in a vertical orientation—a
Thumb signal—is used instead of the finger to express roughly the same sentiment – roughly equivalent in meaning to "shove it up your ass/arse," "up yours," or "go fuck yourself".
In some Arab countries, especially Egypt, the middle finger is lowered towards the palm and pointed towards someone, while all other fingers are kept straight. It could be considered the opposite movement of the traditional middle finger gesture, but it serves the same purpose and meaning.
Biting the thumb
In Elizabethan England, this gesture was performed by placing the tip of the thumb behind the front teeth and flicking it forward. It can be interpreted as being equivalent to giving someone the middle finger or challenging to a fight. This version is still in use in some countries.
In William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet, Capulet's servant Sampson starts a fight by "biting his thumb" at Abram, Montague's servant.
Okay gesture
While widespread use of the
OK gesture has granted it an international connotation of assent, it also bears negative, vulgar, or offensive meanings in parts of the Middle East and the Mediterranean regions.
[ Dangerous Body Language Abroad, by Matthew Link. Posted Jul 26th 2010 01:00 PM. Retrieved on July 26, 2017] In contrast to Japan's use of the expression to represent coins and wealth, the gesture's "O" shape stands for "zero" meaning "worth nothing" in France, Belgium, and Tunisia.
In many Mediterranean countries such as Turkey, Tunisia, and Greece, as well as in the Middle East, parts of Germany, and several South American countries, the gesture may be interpreted as a vulgar expression resembling a human anus, either as an insult ("You are an asshole"), or an offensive, homophobic reference to homosexuality and the act of sodomy. In Brazil, it can be with giving someone the finger.
In the Arab world, this sign represents the evil eye, and is used as a curse, sometimes in conjunction with verbal condemnation.[. GlobalSecurity.org]
In the 2010s, the gesture began to develop a vulgar connotation in the United States as a white power symbol, with the three upheld fingers resemble a W and the circle made with the thumb and forefinger resemble the head of a P, together standing for "White Power".
Pinching finger gesture
In
South Korea, starting around 2021 with the finger pinching conspiracy theory, the pinching finger gesture started to be considered an expression of
misandry by the proponents of the conspiracy theory as the gesture is meant to mock to the allegedly small size of Korean men's penises.
Several notable companies and officials have been pressured into formal apologies or other types of responses when the gesture was found in their materials, where it likely appeared unintentionally.
