Questions tagged [physical-contact]

Use this tag on questions where some type of physical contact plays an important role in the interaction being discussed.

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64 votes
7 answers
14k views

Dealing with unwanted "Joking" physical contact

This isn't really a sexual thing, just something that makes me uncomfortable. So I hate having my hair up or braiding it or doing anything with it in general because I think it looks weird and it's ...
Elle's user avatar
  • 441
59 votes
15 answers
44k views

How to stop people from touching me without having to freak out at them

I have a problem that I haven't been able to find an amicable solution to so far. I really don't like being touched, to the point where if someone is touching me unexpectedly I get confusion rising to ...
Magisch's user avatar
  • 10.7k
52 votes
3 answers
10k views

How to decline physical affection from a child whose parents are pressuring them?

My Situation I am an uncle to 6 nieces and nephews. I live about 1000 miles away from the rest of my family, so I only see them 2-3 times each year. When it comes time to say goodbye, it is common ...
Rainbacon's user avatar
  • 9,042
39 votes
9 answers
26k views

Why do men shake hands with each other but hug women?

I've noticed an oddly confusing greeting mismatch in the US that I wanted to understand. Unless men are very close friends or family, they tend to shake hands in greeting. When greeting a woman - even ...
Catija's user avatar
  • 14.2k
30 votes
5 answers
6k views

How to communicate to coworkers that I am not comfortable with celebratory hugs

I have three coworkers that I work with directly (one being the manager of our "pod"). As a team we generally work on weekly goals with a meeting at the end of the week to go over accomplishments and ...
Steve's user avatar
  • 2,049
30 votes
5 answers
9k views

As an American abroad, how do I know when cheek-kissing is an appropriate way to say goodbye?

The generic question Traveling abroad as an American, especially in Europe, how can I know when I'm expected to cheek-kiss someone as a parting gesture? Is the rule different for men and women? How ...
RaceYouAnytime's user avatar
21 votes
1 answer
3k views

How to avoid having to kiss my mother on the cheek without offending her

On a regular basis my Mother is absolutely insistent that I give her a kiss on the cheek whenever I go out to a certain location, or just at certain times. Now I have no issues with hugging her, ...
Crafter0800's user avatar
  • 6,938
20 votes
3 answers
3k views

How do I explain to family members that I don't like to be greeted with a kiss?

I have an Asian background, and I live in Australia. My husband is European, and at family gatherings, his family members tend to greet me with a hug and a kiss on the cheek, which makes me ...
Fodder's user avatar
  • 2,467
18 votes
7 answers
9k views

How can I decline a hug without offending?

My boyfriend shares an apartment with an older man who has a physical disability which prevents him from walking. The housemate is very kind and intelligent. However, sometimes when I am alone with ...
Maria's user avatar
  • 181
17 votes
2 answers
1k views

Helping a child enforce boundaries with strangers

I have a four-year-old granddaughter with beautiful curly hair. I had put it in braids and was in the store with her, and an older man came up and flipped the braids, commenting on her hair. I just ...
thursdaysgeek's user avatar
16 votes
2 answers
2k views

What non-verbal communication can I use to ask if someone want physical comfort?

Sometimes, someone will talk to you about a very emotional and/or difficult topic. In this scenario, you are supposed to give comfort to the person with whom you are talking. As someone on the ...
Ael's user avatar
  • 17.3k
11 votes
2 answers
2k views

How to tactfully tell a martial arts instructor that I was freaked out by his lack of action?

The other day I joined a martial art/combat sport class. Apart from the many positive aspects of the experience, there was unfortunately one thing that really freaked me out. When the sparring session ...
Bogo's user avatar
  • 202
10 votes
1 answer
2k views

How to ask girlfriend to set healthy boundaries with her dog?

My girlfriend of eight months has a seven-year-old chihuahua mix that is extremely jealous, if not needy. When I first started dating gf, whenever we needed some cuddle time, she would have the dog ...
speak872's user avatar
  • 101
8 votes
3 answers
3k views

How can I tell to my friend that her behavior is weird to me?

Background I'm a 14-year old female and I've been friends with this specific girl for about 9 months. She has been really 'touchy-feely' with me for the past month. I'm the type of person that doesn'...
Pyro's user avatar
  • 81
4 votes
1 answer
642 views

How to shake hands with someone having a prosthetic right arm/hand?

Airbus did a few years ago a few videos about inclusion of disabled people, including this one: https://youtu.be/RJuE_Ywl64o It features a disabled woman with a prosthetic right arm (or hand, it is ...
WoJ's user avatar
  • 2,514