Gestures, as a form of bodily expression, are often distinguished by subtle variations in finger positioning—between “refusal,” “offering assistance,” “requesting,” and other related actions. When such gestures are constrained by ill-fitting gloves, their meanings become increasingly ambiguous, if not entirely distorted or confused.
Within power structures that allow little room for error, this ambiguity is often intentionally constructed. It may function as a form of ideological testing by those in power, a calculated hesitation on the part of the subordinate, or arise from even more complex dynamics: gestures that appear to offer generosity while covertly demanding something in return; refusals that seem polite yet serve as forms of protection; admonitions that seem well-meaning but operate as attempts at taming…

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