Talk:ILY sign/Archive 1

Similarity to The Horns
Shouldn't it be noted that the gesture is identical to The Horns, as well as Spiderman's web-slinging hand-position? 193.132.145.151 (talk) 16:59, 18 November 2010 (UTC)

NO....  First of all this is NOT identical to The Horns, as the thumb is extended in the I,L,Y, sign: it is not extended in the Horns sign. In the Horns, the thumb rests against the middle and third fingers. Secondarily, it is not entirely identical to the Spider-man gesture: The I,L,Y ASL sign is a unique handshape, when held upright it only has one meaning in ASL. The Handshape may have different uses in ASL in different positions, as in the sign for "airplane". If it is held upright it has the connotation of "I Love You." To my knowledge Spiderman doesn't use the gesture to mean "I Love You." Also, Spiderman wiggles or bends his middle and third fingers to produce the web; this is a motion that is not done with the I,L,Y sign. 165.138.95.59 (talk) 17:34, 5 January 2011 (UTC)

So it SHOULD be included to clear up any confusion as many believe it to be a universal satanic gesture... right? Htimsleinahtan (talk) 10:17, 9 March 2011 (UTC)

Maybe... or maybe not... Wikipedia uses verifiability as its primary "motif" if you will. People can say what they want about the sign on their own websites, Wikipedia isn't anyone's mother. But it doesn't mean they are right. As far as Wikipedia is concerned: verifiable and relaible sources should be included in the articles. I searched in my ASL books for a particular reference for this article on this subject, and I don't have any that readily compare the horned-god sign with the ILY sign. And I know personal eperience doesn't count for much in the way of the article but I will tell you the horned sign when used in ASL only refers to the concept of 'devil' or 'demon'... for example a variation of it is used to mean "devil" when the horns are placed on the forehead... but a deaf person would not have any confusion over the meaning of this sign vs. the ILY sign. Here's one website you can look at:

http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/pages/asl.aspx#1

165.138.95.59 (talk) 18:13, 29 November 2012 (UTC)

I'm removing the Spider-Man reference. It might superficially LOOK like the sign, but in canon (99% sure) it's merely an unusual gesture, so that he doesn't accidentally activate his web-shooters (using two fingers worth of pressure instead of just making a fist) I've also never heard anything about the creator(s) intending this to be a reference, nor was I able to find sources even talking about this. Furthermore, Spider-Man has his origins in the 60's and the sign seems to be well-known from the 70's onward. And even then, most probably only in the deaf community. It seems to me highly unlikely that this is a deliberate reference. More likely some guys making a juvenile joke, linking "I love you" with Spidey's web-shooters looking similar to ejaculating. Even if his hand gesture was meant to resemble the ILY sign, I very much doubt it was done with humorous intent. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.173.192.255 (talk) 18:57, 4 August 2017 (UTC)


 * It might also be usefully pointed out that this ILY gesture is completely unknown outside of America, and is certainly external to the rest of the English-speaking world. I mean, I thought I was moderately au fait with American cultural references, but this is the *very* first time I have ever encountered it.
 * Nuttyskin (talk) 02:02, 23 May 2019 (UTC)

The Spidey sign has crept back in, without a source. I'm going to remove it. GA-RT-22 (talk) 03:23, 5 February 2021 (UTC)

Image: Number of fingers
Please do me a favour and count the fingers on the right drawing in the ILY-sign image... --DscheJ-Ouh (talk) 05:31, 8 October 2014 (UTC)


 * Dude, it's still there (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:I%2BL%2BK%3DILKsign.jpg).


 * Just like Chiller Theater.


 * 72.82.181.35 (talk) 19:44, 12 May 2015 (UTC)

christian metal (dogwhistle?)
Would it be possible to put something in about how some christian metalheads use the ILY sign instead of the horn sign as to (discretely) not invoke luciferian imagery and spread love instead? The first time i heard of this, and started using this myself (i was and am a christian metalhead) was after the example set by Fratello Metalo, the metal monk (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cesare_Bonizzi) I am quite fond of this little tradition i see popping up here and there and i'd like to see it reflected in a line if at all possible Well anyway, thank you all, stay healthy 🤟--77.166.200.185 (talk) 16:06, 8 May 2020 (UTC)

Not to be confused with Sign of the horns
We need a statement at the top of the article showing that this isn't a rock and roll gesture. Katabatic03 (talk) 03:36, 30 May 2020 (UTC)