The finger

Giving someone the (middle) finger, also known as flipping the bird or flipping someone off, is an obscene hand gesture. The gesture communicates moderate to extreme contempt, and is roughly equivalent in meaning to "fuck you", "fuck off", "go fuck yourself", "shove it up your ass/arse" or "up yours". It is performed by showing the back of a hand that has only the middle finger extended upwards, though in some locales, the thumb is extended. Extending the finger is considered a symbol of contempt in several cultures, especially in the Western world. Many cultures use similar gestures to display their disrespect, although others use them to express pointing without intentional disrespect. The gesture is usually used to express contempt, but can also be used humorously or playfully. The gesture dates back to ancient Greece, and it was also used in ancient Rome. Historically, it represented a phallus. In the early 19th century, it gained increasing recognition as a sign of disrespect and was used by music artists (notably more common among actors, celebrities, athletes, and politicians; most still view the gesture as obscene). In more contemporary periods, the bent index and ring fingers on each side of the middle finger have been likened to represent the testicles.