Hands in pocket aren’t really a offensive thing in Germany and even less the A-OK gesture.
The hands in pocket is very complex though, it has to do with France occupation of the Ruhr area after WW1 and is more of a sign of rebellion. Before that it was used together with the uprising against factory owners exploitation and the start of unions. It basically means “im not working for you until you meet my demands” so not offensive in the common sense
When I was a Brit in school my teachers would often say to me ‘take your hands out of your pockets while speaking to me!’, so its more an etiquette thing rather than being rude, I’d say.
Also for some reason they took a very specific reason for the german flag calles Dienstflagge
A OK isn’t an offensive gesture in turkey this is full of shit
An inverted positioning by having the back of your hand seen, making the gesture downwards instead of upwards, and a general irrelevance of the other fingers than thumb and index finger is widely used as a slur to indicate a person is gay.
Other than both symbols making a chamber using thumb and index fingers, yeah A OK and that has no relation at all.
And on the topic of “The Fig”, I have never seen it used to indicate vagina. It has always been a very rude rejection of a request or a simple taunt similar to showing one’s ass in a “kiss my ass” kind of meaning. At least from what I have seen in my childhood and teenager years, this had no open meaning about vagina, although it is not far fetched to have it mean “pussy/chicken” as a similar taunt.
first one I haven’t come across yet and I am a turkish person maybe it’s older and not as widely used anymore? but yeah ur right about “the fig” (or “nah” hehe)
It can vary from place to place and group to group I guess. These things hardly have the same meaning in a general population. They sometimes even derive more meanings. The top comment (by u/soulreaverdan) in this reddit post suggest that it is a 90s joke with somewhat meaning a “got you” or derivatively derogatory “you got cucked/you are a bottom” among teens horsing around.
Never heard of the political or in-group meanings, tho.
But definitely not something a lot of mildly unruly teens would use. It was more of a bully or toxic alpha male thing back when I was a teen. I don’t see it anymore, either, thankfully.
If you are in Britain, the places where anyone actually travels wouldn’t mind hands in pockets in the same way elbows on tables is fine. Outer suburbs and the Tory heartlands might get wound up if there isn’t a festival on but there legitimately isn’t much reason to go there outside of that.
Not only are the gestures for Germany not offensive in Germany (“the fig” is known as an offencife gestere here though. Probably because of the Turkish influence), but the flag with emblem was used. The emblem is only to be used by federal agencies.
Or prior to 1990 to differentiate west and east Germany.
Also, I‘d say, depending on the context, hands in pockets might be perceived as rude, especially by older people. I‘d guess that the a-ok thing is also primarily considered rude by older people, I only really know it as a-ok.
I need to learn my flags.
