# Flashing gang hand signs in photos - can anyone begin to explain this? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 12, 2013, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flashing-gang-hand-signs-in-photos-can-anyone-begin-to-explain-this/660841 "2013-06-12T19:43:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flashing-gang-hand-signs-in-photos-can-anyone-begin-to-explain-this/660841/1 "2013-06-12T19:43:28Z")
Now that I’ve joined Facebook, I’ve been browsing several personal photo albums. The thing that baffles me most - aside from the omnipresent fishlips and the mandatory sticking out of tongues - is the ubiquitous flashing of gang hand signs as a means of posing for a photo. I knew this existed, but I guess I never appreciated how common it is until now. Do folks do this to be edgy? To go along with the crowd? To make others think, ‘ya know, that 22-year-old suburban blonde with the pink nails drinking an appletini might just be a Crip’? To each his/her own, I guess, but I would feel stupid as hell posing for a photo in such a manner. I guess I’m no damn fun. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flashing-gang-hand-signs-in-photos-can-anyone-begin-to-explain-this/660841/2 "2013-06-12T19:44:40Z")
They’re just doing it to be Shocking. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flashing-gang-hand-signs-in-photos-can-anyone-begin-to-explain-this/660841/3 "2013-06-12T20:03:02Z")
It’s to be funny, guys. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flashing-gang-hand-signs-in-photos-can-anyone-begin-to-explain-this/660841/4 "2013-06-12T20:06:12Z")
They can’t think what to do with their hands when they’re posing. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flashing-gang-hand-signs-in-photos-can-anyone-begin-to-explain-this/660841/5 "2013-06-12T20:09:40Z")
Because WEST SIIIIIDE…bee-atch! ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flashing-gang-hand-signs-in-photos-can-anyone-begin-to-explain-this/660841/6 "2013-06-12T20:44:54Z")
They’re not thinking of it as throwing gang signs. Holding your hands up in pictures has become the standard expression for “what up, y’all, get this party started whut whut!” for people having a good time. It’s more an imitation of [hip hop hands](http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/the-language-of-hiphop-hands/Content?oid=16346921) than of gang signs (more on the [hip hop hands](http://www.flocabulary.com/handgestures/)). If you told them that they just accidentally threw a hand sign identifying themselves as a member of the Gangster Disciple Nation you’d probably get a blank stare. ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flashing-gang-hand-signs-in-photos-can-anyone-begin-to-explain-this/660841/7 "2013-06-12T22:32:19Z")
I knew this was common 20 years ago. Guess I haven’t noticed it lately or it became so commonplace I look right past it. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flashing-gang-hand-signs-in-photos-can-anyone-begin-to-explain-this/660841/8 "2013-06-12T22:34:03Z")
What gang signs, specifically, do you see your friends holding up? ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flashing-gang-hand-signs-in-photos-can-anyone-begin-to-explain-this/660841/9 "2013-06-12T23:10:53Z")
They’re not gang signs. They do them to rep that they too, are suburban white youths. But people do it because others do, that’s why. It’s in the same category as duckface or taking a cellphone photo in a dark bathroom with the flash on and holding it high above your head to hide flaws. It’s also why [piisu](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V_sign#V_sign_in_Japan). ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flashing-gang-hand-signs-in-photos-can-anyone-begin-to-explain-this/660841/10 "2013-06-12T23:16:50Z")
> [@pravnik](#): > > They’re not thinking of it as throwing gang signs. Holding your hands up in pictures has become the standard expression for “what up, y’all, get this party started whut whut!” for people having a good time. It’s more an imitation of [hip hop hands](http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/the-language-of-hiphop-hands/Content?oid=16346921) than of gang signs (more on the [hip hop hands](http://www.flocabulary.com/handgestures/)). If you told them that they just accidentally threw a hand sign identifying themselves as a member of the Gangster Disciple Nation you’d probably get a blank stare. I don’t see a single example of the signs people actually do in the photos. Westside being a big one. Around here, it seems to be done ironically, based on the fact that no town around here is big enough to have a west side. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flashing-gang-hand-signs-in-photos-can-anyone-begin-to-explain-this/660841/11 "2013-06-13T01:56:03Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > What gang signs, specifically, do you see your friends holding up? [This](http://www.thedailyrash.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/2246139572_86f25b0f1a.jpg), [this](http://www.thedailyrash.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/suburb-gang-signs.jpg), and [this](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-laSf8_agJak/T0PaaiVKHPI/AAAAAAAAAKA/bv5wDCj2iSU/s1600/Julia+Allison+White+Chick+with+a+Gang+Sign.jpg) are good examples of what I’m talking about. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeps_With_Butterflies)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flashing-gang-hand-signs-in-photos-can-anyone-begin-to-explain-this/660841/12 "2013-06-13T02:08:33Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > It’s to be funny, guys. This is the right answer IMHO. I know on the Straight Dope there are those “Why do people go to parties?” or “Why would anyone go to a bar?!?” or “Explain to me this thing called doing things for fun!” but it’s hard to imagine that people don’t understand that people are doing these things to be silly and have fun. Would I do it in a serious situation or picture? Nope. Honestly, I’m more of a thumbs-up girl so that’s just my personal preference for silly picture fun. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flashing-gang-hand-signs-in-photos-can-anyone-begin-to-explain-this/660841/13 "2013-06-13T02:14:52Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > It’s also why [piisu](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V_sign#V_sign_in_Japan). Ooh! Janet Lynn! She was adorable! And that was a [gold-medal performance](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLuK6MTQw0A), even WITH the fall. As for the hand signs, idiots will be idiots. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flashing-gang-hand-signs-in-photos-can-anyone-begin-to-explain-this/660841/14 "2013-06-13T03:33:18Z")
> [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](#): > > This is the right answer IMHO. I know on the Straight Dope there are those “Why do people go to parties?” or “Why would anyone go to a bar?!?” or “Explain to me this thing called doing things for fun!” but it’s hard to imagine that people don’t understand that people are doing these things to be silly and have fun. The appeal of bars and parties is easy enough to understand, unless you grew up a flipper baby scrounging for grubs in your parents’ cellar. It’s tougher to fathom what could possibly be “fun” about intentionally looking like a moron by flashing quasi-gang signs while being photographed. It’s right up there with the mystery of duckface, which inexplicably continues to exist despite making multitudes look like complete idiots and nobody look cooler. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flashing-gang-hand-signs-in-photos-can-anyone-begin-to-explain-this/660841/15 "2013-06-13T03:51:01Z")
Many of those people don’t even know it’s a gang hand sign: they’ve seen someone they think is cool doing it and hey, what better way to be cool than to ape somebody else? ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flashing-gang-hand-signs-in-photos-can-anyone-begin-to-explain-this/660841/16 "2013-06-13T04:09:17Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > The appeal of bars and parties is easy enough to understand, unless you grew up a flipper baby scrounging for grubs in your parents’ cellar. It’s tougher to fathom what could possibly be “fun” about intentionally looking like a moron by flashing quasi-gang signs while being photographed. It’s right up there with the mystery of duckface, which inexplicably continues to exist despite making multitudes look like complete idiots and nobody look cooler. This may come as a surprise but your opinion is not one that they care about. ---
**Author:** ![Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeps_With_Butterflies)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flashing-gang-hand-signs-in-photos-can-anyone-begin-to-explain-this/660841/17 "2013-06-13T04:45:23Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > The appeal of bars and parties is easy enough to understand, unless you grew up a flipper baby scrounging for grubs in your parents’ cellar. It’s tougher to fathom what could possibly be “fun” about intentionally looking like a moron by flashing quasi-gang signs while being photographed. It’s right up there with the mystery of duckface, which inexplicably continues to exist despite making multitudes look like complete idiots and nobody look cooler. To each their own. I get your confusion. It’s like how I don’t understand people who feel the need to try to make jokes every.single.chance they get on messageboards just so a few people will tell them how funny they are. It’s like they heard Michael Jordan talk about making so many baskets because he TRIED making so many baskets and they apply that to their joke telling (in)abilities. They inexplicably continue their hurdy durdy despite looking like a complete idiot more often than not. ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flashing-gang-hand-signs-in-photos-can-anyone-begin-to-explain-this/660841/18 "2013-06-13T04:49:34Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > [This](http://www.thedailyrash.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/2246139572_86f25b0f1a.jpg), [this](http://www.thedailyrash.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/suburb-gang-signs.jpg), and [this](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-laSf8_agJak/T0PaaiVKHPI/AAAAAAAAAKA/bv5wDCj2iSU/s1600/Julia+Allison+White+Chick+with+a+Gang+Sign.jpg) are good examples of what I’m talking about. > mmm I only know the first one. That one isn’t a gang sign, that’s “Rock Horns” or “Devil Horns” and it’s ancient (back when I was a kid even :D). > **[Photo Storage](https://photobucket.com/images/rock%20horns?page=1)** > > Store your photos and videos online with secure storage from Photobucket. Available on iOS, Android and desktop. Securely backup your memories and sign up today! 'Course a lot of people do them “wrong,” you’re supposed to hold the thumb in, out and it means “I love you” in ASL. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flashing-gang-hand-signs-in-photos-can-anyone-begin-to-explain-this/660841/19 "2013-06-13T04:58:54Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > [This](http://www.thedailyrash.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/2246139572_86f25b0f1a.jpg), [this](http://www.thedailyrash.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/suburb-gang-signs.jpg), and [this](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-laSf8_agJak/T0PaaiVKHPI/AAAAAAAAAKA/bv5wDCj2iSU/s1600/Julia+Allison+White+Chick+with+a+Gang+Sign.jpg) are good examples of what I’m talking about. I think the guy in the second picture is flashing a Blood sign and a Crip sign together. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flashing-gang-hand-signs-in-photos-can-anyone-begin-to-explain-this/660841/20 "2013-06-13T12:21:53Z")
I just noticed that in my third example we get a bonus semi-duckface thrown in. No extra charge, I hope. mmm [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flashing-gang-hand-signs-in-photos-can-anyone-begin-to-explain-this/660841.md?page=2)