Home Videos Why the OK Hand Sign is Not OK and Blizzard Got it Right

Why the OK Hand Sign is Not OK and Blizzard Got it Right

by devaccess



The OK hand gesture is not OK.

Last week, Blizzard made headlines for reportedly banning people from making the “ok hand” gesture at the Overwatch League venue. It might seem insane, but Blizzard was right to do this.

While the gesture itself is innocuous when you’re using it in the right context, it’s been adopted by some people with ties to white supremacist ideologies. It may have started as a meme, but it spiraled out of control and is now being used by some truly terrible people.

Blizzard was right to ban the gesture, because racism doesn’t belong in esports.

Written and hosted by: Daniel Rosen (@Daniel_Rosen)
Shot and edited by: Dennis Gonzales (@Tarmanydyn)
Graphics by: Diego Bernal
Editorial assistance by Colin McNeil (@McNeil Colin)

All footage courtesy of:

OWL clips
Courtesy: Activision Blizzard

Zenyatta poses
Courtesy: Activision Blizzard via Jay D

Zenyatta spray
Courtesy: Activision Blizzard via Warp 10 Overwatch

Racist Hand Signs
Courtesy: Anti-Defamation League

Christchurch shooter hand sign story
Courtesy: news.com.au

Crowd shot of OWL game
Courtesy: Activision Blizzard

Music used under license from Associated Production Music LLC (”APM”).

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21 comments

Victory Glue April 22, 2019 - 8:58 am

Here take one of these ? and piss off.

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E The living trash can April 22, 2019 - 8:58 am

The symbol has always meant ok
Since they are using it it’s still just the ok sign
But even though they aren’t using it right
It will never be a sign for white supremacy
Sure they are using it,but they are using the sign in the wrong way therefore it means nothing
If we as a society know the true meaning to this sign then it will have no effect on the special snowflakes and the kkk members who want to take are memes,ruin them and then turn them into racist things that if anybody spoke of or did could get there life ruined in an instant.its the same instance with sex and gender sex is something you would do for pleasure or to have a child while gender is what you are based off of what is between your legs and your Chromosomes.sex had never ment gender before and the ok sign dose not = to a white supremacy symbol.of course nowadays sex means gender in some contexts but we can still have the ok sign be the ok sign it always was and always should be.because if this does turn into the same thing as sex and gender a lot of innocent kids could get into loads of trouble considering how a lot of people get offended to easily.the war of if this ? is a white supremacy symbol can hurt people.dont be the one to cause it.

Ps. Rip Pepe

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DonGoneWrong April 22, 2019 - 8:58 am

? okay dude

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E The living trash can April 22, 2019 - 8:58 am

Hey guess what

?

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randomeman3 April 22, 2019 - 8:58 am

Some white supremacists have breathed.. is it not ok to breath now?

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Michael Lewis April 22, 2019 - 8:58 am

Omeeegaaalol

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Luxither April 22, 2019 - 8:58 am

Just because controversial people have done these gestures doesn't mean the gesture itself becomes theirs. Hitler gave handshakes to people, doesn't mean we call Handshakes and Nazi symbol.

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wwholesumm April 22, 2019 - 8:58 am

yeah dude i’m sure white supremacists have done plenty of innocuous hand gestures over the many years, but let’s just ban and draw more attention to something instead of allowing people to keep using it innocently as intended to help the outrage blow over. let’s just fuckin quarantine the okay sign instead of trying to wash over it. bruh it’s stupid. reclaim it, don’t ban it 4head.

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teawhytho April 22, 2019 - 8:58 am

The logic this dude uses to say the "ok" hand sign is not ok is the same logic as saying I saw a KKK member drink a Coke so that means everyone who drinks Coke is racist.

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NGE April 22, 2019 - 8:58 am

you are beyond stupid

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Wicky Small April 22, 2019 - 8:58 am

Daniel Rosen… Do you flog yourself in the morning for being white? What an apologetic idiot you are. Racists drive cars, take the bus/train/plane, will you stop doing all these things? Next time you speak, turn on the light upstairs lol

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Neil Breen is my father April 22, 2019 - 8:58 am

he said it's about context but immediately says that no matter the context, just because some people use it in a racist context means it's racist

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Rannoch April 22, 2019 - 8:58 am

:ok hand:

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Garuwashi April 22, 2019 - 8:58 am

Following that logic should I stop breathing or be ashamed of it just because white supremacist breathe too? Great logic to follow 10/10 lol

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vistoria x April 22, 2019 - 8:58 am

negative IQ video right here

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Kissmahtotem April 22, 2019 - 8:58 am

Back when I was a kid it meant asshole. A-S-S hole… Then it turned into something where you would get punched for looking at if it was inverted. get over it.

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Skruff April 22, 2019 - 8:58 am

This must be the most NPC thing of 2019 yet. You guys are so afraid of being associated with racists that you would throw over everything you know just to be safe. PepeLaugh :ok_hand: 

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Cursed plays April 22, 2019 - 8:58 am

Pathetic snowflakes

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DHEvil April 22, 2019 - 8:58 am

HONK HONK

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Rasmus Hansen April 22, 2019 - 8:58 am

wow this was stupid

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Syphex April 22, 2019 - 8:58 am

You know that its people like you who take something that isnt racist or has any negative meaning to it and trying to make it mean something.

It's like claiming that Allahu akbar is a terrorist word because a ton of terrorists yell it etc.

People like you are the reason to why i hate the current world we live in. Praises to Elon musk for making me think there is some kind of future and hope for humans.

Reply

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