This was too good to pass up. I think the new sign for gays implies that all gays "go both ways." or that they are unable to preform properly. I think the old symbols pretty much described the individuals in question very accurately. But, hey I've never claimed to be politically correct either

From: UK Telegraph
Complete Article: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main...21/ixhome.html

Political correctness has caught up with sign language for deaf people. Gestures used to depict ethnic and religious minorities and homosexuals are being dropped because they are now deemed offensive.

The abandoned signs include "Jewish", in which a hand mimes a hooked nose; the sign for "gay", a flick of a limp wrist; and "Chinese", in which the index fingertips pull the eyes into a slant. Another dropped sign is that for "Indian", which is a finger pointing to an imaginary spot in the middle of a forehead.

Edit - Add in

"Before, [the sign for Jewish] was connected to a stereotypical Jewish nose, but now it's a hand sign that mimics the shape of the menorah [a ceremonial candlestick used in Judaism]," she said.

The sign for "Indian" is now a mime of the triangular shape of the subcontinent; "Chinese" is the right hand travelling from the signer's heart across his chest horizontally, then down towards his hip, mimicking the tunic worn in China; and the sign for "gay" is an upright thumb on one hand in the palm of the other, wobbling from side to side."