Women's Hands

    Women often express their feelings by using their hands. Just like men, women often greet a friend with an extended hand to indicate a welcoming, friendly greeting. This is used with a friend or when being introduced to a stranger. The palm is vertical with an up and down motion as the people look at each other.

    When the palm is facing upward, the touch is often brief and gentle but may be firm.  This palm up greeting is often for men or women.  In some cultures, women may stroll hand in hand as they move along side-by-side, but this is not common in America.  Sometimes this may be a two-handed greeting, which may serve as a prelude to a brief hug before the two women or a woman and a man separate.  What does that mean?  It varies depending upon the social situation, which may be from a welcome at the door to a party atmosphere or a spontaneous expression of affection.  This gentle handshake is not appropriate in a business or a formal situation in which the usual handshake is more like a man's firm business handshake in which both people firmly give a vertical shake.

   Another hand touch is the palm down touch.  The palm down, light tap may be applied to another's arm, shoulder or head as well as another's palm. This touch indicates a friendly, kind or even loving feeling to the other. Usually the emotion is reciprocal, but if one does not share this feeling, he/she may regard it as dismissive or even become angry. Classroom teachers have even been warned not to invade a student's space by coming within two feet of the body.  A student, especially one who has been abused, may fear anyone who comes too close is becoming violent and feel threatened.

     Another common use for women's hands is for emphasis or to dramatize what one is saying.  For this purpose, the hands can be used in a variety of ways. One or both hands may be raised, fingers splayed to indicate strong feelings. Or it the hand gives a slight push away, it may indicate negative feelings, that the other person should stop or back off. Open palms may simply be conveying excitement.  If the fingers are curled into a fist, likely the person is expressing anger if the curled palm gives a punching gesture toward the other person.