stars in signature?

what is this thing --> ?
i see it in some people's sigs and have never understood what they are.
could someone tell me what they are?

They are "hidden stars". Traditionally, when one forum member does something exceptional for another forum member, the second member publicly awards the first with a star to signify that they are a nice person.

Of course it's possible to pack your sig with them even if you aren't awarded them, but that'd be rather dishonest, I think.

People have given me stars too in the past, but I don't need to express them in order to know that I'm being appreciated.

Once again this question.

It's the player's "character" from the third secret game of Within a Deep Forest, btw. That game's called "Hidden", so the icon's name is rather obvious, I guess.

As far as I remember, a member called (Rosha)Josh started with giving out stars. Mostly for fun, it's not like an official award thingy you can gain by doing any fixed thing. Which mostly is because it was never the intention for people to have special status symbols, rather the idea was that people on this forum are all equally worthy. Yay idealism.

Anyways, just speaking for myself, I got some most actually all of my stars for rather silly reasons, but put them all up in my signature because I just think they're pretty.

Reading the extremely small print about stars on the old forum? 

Seriously, someone should copy that over.

• being a girl

I thought that OMG GURL ON TEH INTERWEBS thing only happend on sites like Gamefaqs that have no class. XD
And I looked for the topic with the small print, found a link, but it was broken. As far as I know, the topic is gone.

Paula's setting a bad example.

No. Paula merelly is being honest It wasn't her idea to get rewarded for being a girl

Well, as a matter of fact, I'm a girl to!

Now gimme star  

lol jokes.

Well, as a matter of fact, I'm a girl to!

Now gimme star 

This would work better if your profile didn't already say "male".

Well, as a matter of fact, I'm a girl to!

Now gimme star 

This is really disrepectfull. Please read the Official Forum Rules.

I read through the rules and didn't read anything about using "angry" sarcasm. I would edit the post and make it sound how I wanted it to sound, I didn't mean to be disrespectful. 

The only way to ensure that people understand that its sarcasm, is by using the right smily. In your case, it looked more real than sarcastic. But you've edited your post it seems. Lets get back to the topic.

Sorry, I didn't mean to start an argument. I just thought it was funny that Paula got a star from someone for being a girl.

That also means we get for being boys.