Offensive hand gestures

• Engels
• HBO
• Studiejaar 2

Hand gestures across the world

Would you consider this as offensive?

1. Yes
2. No

What does this hand gesture mean?

Offensive: YES

Considered offensive in: England, Ireland, New Zealand, and South Africa

What it means: same as giving someone the middle finger

Note: palm facing outwards is the correct way to show peace

Would you consider this as offensive?

1. Yes
2. No

What does this hand gesture mean?

Offensive: YES

Considered offensive in: Turkey, Russia, and Indonesia

What it means: screw you

Would you consider this as offensive?

1. Yes
2. No

What does this hand gesture mean?

Offensive: YES

Considered offensive in: Belgium, France, Northern Italy, Tunisia

What it means: get of

Note: in Italy, it simply means 'no'

Would you consider this as offensive?

1. Yes
2. No

What does this hand gesture mean?

Offensive: YES

Considered offensive in: Spain, Greece, and Italy

What it means: Using ‘hang loose,’ or any form of hand gesture that resembles horns, symbolizes…a husband whose wife is cheating on him and it’s public knowledge

Note: amongst surfers this is considered as greeting 

Would you consider this as offensive?

1. Yes
2. No

What does this hand gesture mean?

Offensive: YES

Considered offensive in: Italy, Greece, Iran and Iraq

What it means: same as giving someone the middle finger

Would you consider this as offensive?

1. Yes
2. No

What does this hand gesture mean?

Offensive: YES

Considered offensive in: Vietnam

What it means: alternative of calling someone the c-word

Would you consider this as offensive?

1. Yes
2. No

What does this hand gesture mean?

Offensive: YES

Considered offensive in: France

What it means: zero or worthless

Note: in Venezuela, Brazil, and Turkey the gesture is actually offensive, especially to LGBT+ people.