USU hand gesture means something completely different in sign language

[U-Ute]

usu_gesture.jpg

https://www.ksl.com/?sid=37115587&ni...o-students-say

[Diehard Ute]

usu_gesture.jpg

https://www.ksl.com/?sid=37115587&ni...o-students-say

The odd thing to me is this isn't some tradition.

Granted it's been 16 years since they were buffaloed into giving me a degree, but there was no such hand gesture then. There was no hand gesture at all.

Not sure when or where it started. (Of course when you have the stupid 'Scotsman' song with accompanying cow milking hand gestures it's not surprising this is a thing now)


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[Diehard Ute]

Hey, my mother-in-law's uncle (or some close relative) wrote that song.

There's no accounting for taste.....of course when your name is Ebenezer.....


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[Solon]

LOL at Utah State.

The kid who is so offended might want to wonder why signing female anatomy is inherently offensive to him.
This is a good chance for USU to embrace some feminist pride!

[Rocker Ute]

Conversely the U sign that we do hasn't been widely adopted by most sports (yes I know gymnastics has done it for some time) until around 2008 or so I believe, at best not before 2003. I imagine changing our relatively new hand sign would be met with similar resistance.

As for why it might be inherently offensive to him, imagine the reaction if they changed their name to the USU Vaginas. Context is everything.

[Diehard Ute]

Conversely the U sign that we do hasn't been widely adopted by most sports (yes I know gymnastics has done it for some time) until around 2008 or so I believe, at best not before 2003. I imagine changing our relatively new hand sign would be met with similar resistance.

As for why it might be inherently offensive to him, imagine the reaction if they changed their name to the USU Vaginas. Context is everything.

Knowing the way the USU students are, I'm guessing they knew what they were doing when it was created. Granted Logan is twice as big as when I was there, but there's still not much to do.


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[Dwight Schr-Ute]

Isn't the element that makes this "offensive" equal to Oregon's hand sign? Dude is lucky he isn't getting a graduate degree from the Ducks. If anyone should be addressed with this issue, it should be the perverts at the American Sign Language for making their sign for "vagina" so visual.

[NorthwestUteFan]

I remember making the 'U' sign way back in the 80s, and gymnastics have used it off and on since the 60s (according to some people). We only used it at the football games, and frankly I thought it stood for the goal posts, and not the U. Gimme a break, I was about 12 at the time.

Aggie, get over yourself. That sign doesn't really mean what you think it means. The more you call yo end the sign, the more popular it will get.

[Rocker Ute]

I remember making the 'U' sign way back in the 80s, and gymnastics have used it off and on since the 60s (according to some people). We only used it at the football games, and frankly I thought it stood for the goal posts, and not the U. Gimme a break, I was about 12 at the time.

Aggie, get over yourself. That sign doesn't really mean what you think it means. The more you call yo end the sign, the more popular it will get.

I remember doing it in 19 dickety-6... We had to say dickety because the Kaiser stole the 1.


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[Diehard Ute]

I remember making the 'U' sign way back in the 80s, and gymnastics have used it off and on since the 60s (according to some people). We only used it at the football games, and frankly I thought it stood for the goal posts, and not the U. Gimme a break, I was about 12 at the time.

Aggie, get over yourself. That sign doesn't really mean what you think it means. The more you call yo end the sign, the more popular it will get.

Well since Gymnastics didn't exist until '75 that's even more impressive!


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[mUUser]

...(Of course when you have the stupid 'Scotsman' song with accompanying cow milking hand gestures it's not surprising this is a thing now)


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First experienced The Scotsman at a USU/BYU basketball game. Maybe it was the atmosphere, or that the Aggies were beating the zoobs, but, I loved it then, and for whatever reason, I really like it now.

[Solon]

Conversely the U sign that we do hasn't been widely adopted by most sports (yes I know gymnastics has done it for some time) until around 2008 or so I believe, at best not before 2003. I imagine changing our relatively new hand sign would be met with similar resistance.

As for why it might be inherently offensive to him, imagine the reaction if they changed their name to the USU Vaginas. Context is everything.

See, I don't think it's inherently offensive.
Stupid, yes, but only in the same way it would be stupid to call themselves the USU Noses or Vas Deferens. It's my impression from the article that the sign indicates anatomy, not crude slang (that would be degrading to women). Sure, they could change it because the sign suggests something unintended, but to call the sign offensive is problematic (IMO). Just say it's silly or stupid or ignorant.

At best, the kid is a ninny of a prude.

[NorthwestUteFan]

Well since Gymnastics didn't exist until '75 that's even more impressive!


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Maybe it was the cheerleaders? I will need to ask my mom.