When Oregon Fans Make The "O" Symbol, They're Screaming "Vagina" In American Sign Language, New York Times Reports

Emma Carmichael
Filed to: COLLEGE FOOTBALL 11/18/11 1:20pm



The New York Times sharedan important revelation out of Eugene, Ore. yesterday, and we wanted to pass it on because we are immature: the spade-shaped Oregon "O" that Ducks fans so enthusiastically make to show support for the team means "vagina" in American Sign Language.

We've learned this thanks to the fact that the majority of the football team's players are enrolled in the university's ASL class in order to fulfill their foreign language requirement. In total, 29 football players are in the class this year, and their professor reportedly "delights in telling them the true meaning of the sign when they form a spade-shaped 'O' with their hands." She says that in ASL, the motion itself is like "screaming" the word vagina.

The story is about much more than that fact, of course—it discusses the notion that football players only enroll in the course for an easy pass, and how their presence diversifies the class make-up—but this is definitely the main takeaway:

"I did the ‘O' once, and I never did it again," said LaMichael James, the team's star running back, who recently injured his right elbow. When discussing this, James spoke quietly so that those nearby would not hear. He would not make the sign. His elbow hurt, he demurred.
[...]

...as James learned from his teachers, there is not as much nuance in sign language. "If you're ugly, you're ugly," he said. "There's no, ‘She's all right,' like there is in English."

Which is why the spade-shaped "O" is so painfully awkward - to those who know sign language, there is no disguising its meaning. When Larson, a devoted Ducks fan, heard that James avoids making the sign, she was delighted.

"I'm so proud of him," she said. "We're trying to spread the word to make the ‘O' more of a rounded shape."
source: http://deadspin.com/5860895/when-ore...-sign-language


Vulva-handsign-Yoni-mudra
From Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository



Description
An abstract stylized representation of the vulva hand-gesture (sometimes also known as the "Yoni mudra"), used particularly among some lesbians and feminist spirituality advocates. Occasionally done with the thumbs below, but the version with the thumbs upwards (depicted here) has a stronger symbolic resemblance. The American Sign Language sign for "vagina" makes use of the same positioning of the hands.
See http://healing.about.com/od/east/ig/...llery/Yoni.htm , http://www.lesbischleben.de/englwissenlexikon.htm ("lesbian hands"), The Woman's Dictionary of Symbols and Sacred Objects by Barbara G. Walker (ISBN 0-06-250923-3) p. 332, the cover of the November 15-21, 2007 issue of Time Out New York (ASL sign), etc.

This highly simplified depiction (using black-and-white silhouettes only) shows the thumbs and index fingers just as they are about to touch. If they are forcefully pressed against each other, then the resulting handsign will be narrower and slightly taller. If the thumbs are not bent, and touch each other right at their tips, then the resulting hand-sign will be broader and more triangular...

This also appears in James Branch Cabell's classic novel Jurgen: "Anaïtis placed together the tips of her thumbs and of her fingers, so that her hands made an open triangle; and waited thus", in an obviously symbolically sexual context ("her gauzy tunic had twenty-two openings, so as to admit all imaginable caresses... And now Jurgen shifted the red point of the lance, so that it rested in the open triangle made by the fingers of Anaïtis" etc.).
source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/F...Yoni-mudra.svg


The vagina hands.



There is a surefire sign of a rookie reporter. Or heck, even a network reporter who just doesn't know. (I almost…ALMOST sent the network an email alerting them of the problem. Surely his producer would have said something, no?)
You know, when a reporter is walking and talking and demonstrating something on-camera, and his or her hands are positioned in this shape:

Yes, this triangle shape in American Sign Language (ASL) is indeed the sign of the female reproductive organ.
In fact, the very cool Kambi Crews (her name is even cool), a producer, writer and public speaker, wrote on her blog about this very topic:

Technically, the sign for “vagina” is flipped with the index fingers pointed toward the ground, the thumbs toward the sky and the other fingers tucked under as presented in the following



C'mon, nobody warned MICHELLE OBAMA not to do the v-hands?

Then on the other hand, the triangle flipped the right side up, then allegedly becomes the sign of the Illuminati…which Beyonce, Kanye, Jay-Z and that crew like to flash.

Maybe I should start my own symbol? What should be my trademark sign?

PS: Apparently, my beloved Scott Pelley is doing quasi-hands on 60 Minutes. Noooo, Scott!
source: http://lifeduringthecommercialbreak..../vagina-hands/

Did Beyoncé Flash An Illuminati Message At The Super Bowl?
These people certainly think so.
posted on Feb. 4, 2013, at 7:37 a.m.
Matthew Perpetua, BuzzFeed Staff

She apparently flashed an Illuminati pyramid symbol during the show…


https://twitter.com/KyleMallwitz/sta...290052/photo/1
source: http://www.buzzfeed.com/perpetua/did...up#.joXYBRg0da



This page on hand meaning symbolism is brought about by several curious images received during meditation and dreams. And, like much of the content on this site, this post comes from thinking more deeply about potential hand meaning with the goal of providing interesting insight and perspectives to you too.

First and most obvious, we've got two of them and this lead me to the concept of number two in numerological symbolism.

That two (dual) symbolism and hand symbolism in general include attributes such as...

Symbolism of Two Hands

• Balance
  
• Choice
  
• Contrast
  
• Justice (think of a scale)
  

In Asian culturesthe left hand is symbolic of yin energy and the right yang energy. Hands folded together or clasped in Asian illustrations is iconic of allegiance and friendship. Hidden hands depicted in art indicates humility and offering respect where it is due.

Here are a few common left-hand, right-hand symbolic attributions:

Right-Hand and Left-Hand Symbolism


These brief and traditional attributions for hands can prove meaningful in our daily practices. Being mindful of which hand is used (depending on the intent I wish to convey) has manifested some fascinating results. For example, when consoling a friend last week, I purposefully placed my left hand on her shoulder with the intent to transmit an energy of passivity. I wanted to convey nothing more than my presence to her, and my willingness to be an outlet for her emotion. No action - just being there.

Likewise, I mindfully give with my right hand, while receive with my left. This simple act (or, more accurately, being aware of this act) has reaped some amazing results.

In the Celtic language of symbolism there are references indicating hand meaning in connection to power, rulership, and authority. I infer this from the experience of King Nuada who was dethroned from ruling his kingdom because he lost his right hand in battle.

It was a big deal. Without the hand, a king could be considered incongruent and unbalanced as kings were also judges. Good and balanced judgment was symbolically portrayed by the two hands. Later however, we learn King Nuada regained his command after one of his daughters gave him a silver hand which was animated by the help of Miach, a sage and healer.

Also in the ancient Celtic way of thinking (and countless others), the hand was symbolic of spiritual power. Further, hands were thought to harbor energetic power as we see invocations by Celtic gods and goddesses as well as Druids.

In the Native American way of symbolic communication, hands dominated in expression where the Plains Indians showcased their most eloquent speech via use of hand gestures.

In Buddhism as well as Hinduism hand positions known as mudras were keenly important in expressing transference of divine powers. Hands shown in various positions held symbolism of inherent energy such as meditation, receptivity, unity, wisdom, etc.

The hand has long been thought as a conduit of power - transforming unseen energy into the world of form. Indeed, the Latin word for manifestation is formed around the world manus which is the Latin word for hand.

Consider these little bits about hand meaning as you go about your days, and travel on your Path. Furthermore, I invite you to be mindful of your hands, and how you use them to express yourself and your intent. Here are some ways to have fun while becoming more aware of the effectiveness and power hands can generate...

Mindfully serve food or give items away with your right hand.

Likewise, receive items with your left hand.

Employing Creative Symbolism to Enhance Hand Meanings

• Create your own set of spiritual hand signals signifying your devotion to the Divine.
  
• Get into the Native American mindset and use hands as communicative gestures. This Indian Sign Language Book is a great reference.
  
• Trace your hands on paper and color them in a meditative, free-associative state. Observe what insights come.
  
• Gently press your fingertips together, making a soft connection between both hands with the idea of making an energetic connection on a grand scale. Do this in a relaxed, meditative way and see what happens.
  
• Finger paint, or make hand print art.
  
• Consider taking a class or researching the symbolism in palmistry.
  
• Try writing with your less-dominant hand and observe what kind thoughts you express.
  

If you liked this post, you might also like: Blog post on symbolic hand meaning
And also this article: What's a tarsal?

I hope you enjoyed this page on symbolic hand meaning. Here are a few other pages on this site that may be of interest to you.
source: http://www.whats-your-sign.com/symbo...d-meaning.html