Touch

by Mackenzie Yates
Physical touch is a normal part of human interaction and communication. American’s tend to shy away or consider it taboo to use too much physical interaction. It is common within families to hug, kiss, or touch each other. If you are not part of the family, we are taught at a young age to keep our hands to ourselves and stay away from strangers. This does not seem to be the case in Italy.

Today I sat outside a café, drinking a beer and people watching. I was surprised to see two men greet each other with a hug and a kiss on the cheek. The interaction between them looked casual and natural. I had expected this behavior from Italian woman but to see two men that cozy was unexpected. Women are considered to have a more affectionate nature than men because they are expected to be feminine and motherly. In America, if two men were seen hugging and kissing, they would be assumed gay. Straight men will give handshakes, back slaps, or high fives to show their affection. Masculinity is a trait that men strive for but I have realized this is shown in different ways between our cultures. The cultural dissonance between a culture that embraces touching and affection vs. a culture that considers it generally offensive to be too close is fascinating.