Is it just me… or does it seem that the use of the “thumbs up” in the Deaf Community tends to be more of a guy thing?
When I have watched various vlogs on the DeafRead list, it seems that the vlogs that have used the “thumbs up” at the end of the vlog have been created by men. I rarely if ever have seen a woman use this gesture in a vlog.
I’m not saying that women don’t use this sign…but I can’t help noticing that I don’t see women using it in their own vlogs. I’ve watched a few women vloggers – Amy Cohen Efron, Barb DiGi, Teri Sentelle, Ella Mae Lentz… and I don’t recall that I have seen any of them using the “thumbs up” sign.
Then I go to view the male vloggers – JohnABC, Toby Welch, David Martin at Kiss-Hand-ASL… and I’m seeing all three of these guys using the “thumbs up” sign (with either one or both hands). I’m sure they are not the only ones, either!
I’ve also seen videos where the past president of NAD (who is male) used the “thumbs up” sign, but I have yet to see our current NAD president (who is female) do so on any of her vlogs.
It’s not even just the Deaf vloggers – I have noticed that when I use Video Relay Services, that male interpreters will sometimes use the “thumbs up” sign – like when I give them the phone number to call or information about the call itself, they might respond with a “thumbs up” to show they understand and all is well… but I rarely have had a female interpreter use this gesture.
I’ve brought this up with some of my Deaf and Interpreter friends, and they all had to stop and think about it for a moment, but they agreed with me – it does seem the “thumbs up” sign is more commonly used by men than by women. Maybe women do use it, but it doesn’t seem to show up as often in vlogs or VRS or whatever.
Interestingly, this might not just be a Deaf thing either… when I went to Flickr to find a good photo that I could use with this post, I was amazed to see that there were far more pictures of men showing the “thumbs up” sign than there were women using it. Hmmm… maybe it is a guy thing!
Sooooo… I bring this to your attention, folks. Am I just imagining things here, or is there some truth to this? Does the “thumbs up” sign get used more by men than women, and more by male vloggers than female vloggers? I’m not saying that ALL male vloggers do use it, or that NO female vloggers do… but I think it is interesting to compare its use between the two genders.
What do you think?
sculpture of “The Thumb” found in Paris, France
This sculpture shows the sign for "connect"...and that is what Deaf Pagan Crossroads is all about - making connections. Connections between Deafhood and Paganism, connections between the Deaf Community and the Hearing Community, connections between myself as the writer and you as the reader. I hope you will take the time to read my various posts, some of which are listed below. Welcome to the Crossroads, and I hope you make some connections here!
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Interesting… I had not noticed thumbs up sign until you mentioned it.
Males are prone to be more physical while females are prone to be more inward, more emotional, etc… The photo of “The Thumb”… it is like there are more female commenters on the v/blogs owned by females wheras there are more males commenters on the v/blogs owned by males…
Hmmmm….
I noticed that. Women tend to say “Thank you all” or “Thanks for watching my vlog” and guys tend to have some kind of thumbs up or OK! gesture. No idea why.
I use thumbs up with hearies, though. But now that I think about it, I use it toward other guys, not women. Hmmm….
Hmm. I use thumbs up in my VP conversations with friends.. and I’m a female. But that’s pretty much the only time I use it.
Maybe it’s a sociocultural thing? Women are taught to be more polite and overtly acknowledge something whereas men aren’t? This is just a generalization and not meant to apply to every and single guy out there.
Most of the vloggers ARE male let’s face it ! Thumbs up is a common form of greeting or farewell, it’s at least, not an parting insult. Perhaps we’ll start blowing kisses at everyone at the end, but it might get miscontsrued 🙂
According to my personal experience, men tend to sign “thumbs up” at end of their presentations and ladies tend to sign “thank you” or wave at the audience after their presentations. It appears that it is the common gender-typed behavior in the Deaf culture and there is nothing wrong with that kind of behavior.
Before I reached the part where you mention that this doesn’t seem to be just a deaf phenomenon, I was thinking that as a hearing person (speaking from my experience) it seems to me that more men in general use the thumbs up sign than women. I’ve rarely used it but my husband and sons all use it (my 22-year-old is particularly fond of it).
Hi Ron ~
Thanks for your observation… I’m glad to see I am not alone in seeing this in the Deaf Community!
I do not mean to say that I think such behavior is wrong – I don’t have any problems with it, just that I thought it was interesting to notice that such behavior does indeed seem to be gender-related.
Hey Robin ~
it is interesting that you mention that such behavior also seems to be found in the hearing world as well… so I do think it is indeed “a guy thing!”
MM ~
If someone wants to blow me a kiss at the end of a vlog, I won’t complain! 😉
and to Karen, BEG, and Deaf Pundit ~
Thanks for your comments as well! It looks like now that we all sit back and think about it, we have noticed it… kind of a curious gender thing, ain’t it?
Thanks everyone! Keep the comments coming!
Yes, you beat me to it, I noticed this trend lately and was about to ask around if that was something that deaf people tend to use.
I tend to use the circled finger (first finger with the thumb touching each other) to say “good” or good bye. When ending a call with VP with my close friends, I always sign the ILY hand but with people not close to me, I use the circled finger.
I don’t use the thumb thing — I’m not sure why.
I’m biased cuz I happen to use thumbs up all the time, including the ONE vlog I’ve done so far. And last time I checked, I was definitely in posession of female traits.
But your post has spurred an introspection of sorts — I don’t think I know ANYONE else who does it, so why do I do it?! And when?!
Interesting…. or as they say in ASLwrite: VEE!!!
Thumbs up is really gesture. I have no idea why most Deaf people are using Thumbs Up as an good luck, okay, cool etc. For instance, David Martin said “thumbs up” mean you’re welcome. That’s bull. I have no idea where he get that idea. Since it is gesture, Thumbs Up is not a part of ASL period. I encourage you all not to use thumbs up as good luck, you’re welcome or whatever you call it. I just don’t think that thumbs up should belong to ASL and Deaf community. I am not saying it is wrong to use it but it is not appropriate to use it in ASL. I recalled David Martin made a VLOG regarding “what’s sign for You’re Welcome”. Someone made a comment about thumbs up being not a part of ASL. I have to admit I agree with anonymous’s comment. Thumbs up should not be used for ASL.
Mahalo!
I never thought of this till you brought it up…gender sign differences may exist and it would be fun to analyze further about other differences. Keep on going with linguistic gender comparisions!
The gesture, Thumbs Up, is considered an American gesture widely used by males. But what about using one hand for “thumb up”? I find myself using that especially with hearing people telling them it’s cool or it’s alright like the dish is great at a restaurant or something. So allow me to disgress, if you use that gesture in France, they would think you would want one more something since a thumb up means one.
My presentation of “Thumb up” that some of us pleasured by Julius Caesar’s thumb up to allowed to gladiators to be alive in the Colosseum. (chuckle)
How this can be relate to MEN Vlogger? Hmmm.. Maybe some of us wanna be “Fonzie” from TV show called,” Happy days” (chuckle)
Ohh.. Maybe thumb to remind ourself to be young again basis on thumbsucker as memory from our babyhood (chuckle)
Jon
Lenois.com
This is a bit of a tangent, but I’ve used thumbs up on both hands to say roughly, ‘Goodbye to that! Good riddance!’ That’s a rough translation. So I think the thumbs up is part of our language.
Good subject, Ocean! Some interesting things here to think about!
Thumbs up for me (not deaf) tends to me, ok, good job, and goes back to fonzie from Happy Days with thumbs up.
That macho thing may/may not relate for the deaf men.
Hi Everyone
Loved your Thumbs Up comments……I have just uploaded a joke by a famous Deaf comedian in the UK – John Smith – who has done a really funny story on Thumbs UP and what it is all about. Take a look on VeeSee TV (www.veesee.co.uk)……He deliveres the story in BSL, but it is so visual I am sure you will get the message! TC Susie
I’m sorry, Susie….
I tried to find this joke that you were referring to in your comment, and I cannot find it.
I went to the VeeSee TV site, but it’s just too confusing for me to figure out exactly WHERE we are supposed to find this joke.
It would be helpful if you could provide an actual direct link to the story?
Thank you.
Brings up an interesting train of thought for me regarding gender nuances in signing. For instance, is there a distinct masculine form and female form of signing?
It may or may not be deaf culture, but it’s certainly US culture — nothing wrong with that!