[anon291]

As awareness of homosexuality and acceptance of it spreads, friendly measures like this between platonic friends become less common. This is not a moral judgement, just an observation. People don't want to be seen or feel like they're seen as something theyre not.

[tsol]

Counterpoint-- these cultures are perfectly well aware of homosexuality. It points to something deeper in American culture, IMO, where that men don't really have a comfortable place to just exist. There is no definition of masculinity that isn't in flux. As an Indian, there's a certain coldness in American culture, at least for men. It almost feels like it's considered almost wrong to try to sincerely connect with another man. But I rarely see this tension with most of the foreign cultures I've experienced.

It doesn't help that most people don't consider it a problem. They see life as "men are supposed to be independent and if you get lonely you just date". If you try to insist there is another way, some amount of people will continuously push back as if it's an insult to their culture(it really isn't meant that way!). Which, okay I can almost understand, but then I go back to seeing constant posts about how lonely people say they are and I'm like "well that's what I was saying"

[zwkrt]

The idea that gay people having more social standing and more rights has somehow ruined straight relationships is laughable. You’re saying that when being gay was literally a criminal offense straight guys didn’t have to worry about holding hands?

[tifik]

> ruined

Parent didnt say or even suggest that.

> when being gay was literally a criminal offense straight guys didn’t have to worry about holding hands

He's making an observation. Have you been to Turkey at around the same and have a different experience?

[dmitriid]

You are completely misreading what the person said.

Holding hands between people of the same gender is now seen as a sign of a gay relationship (aka: couples holding friends). Therefore holding hands is no longer the sign of just friendship.

This is especially true in countries like Turkey where being gay is not really accepted.

[cookieswumchorr]

well, yes. Having gay sex was criminal, holding hands was totally fine. Hell, forget holding hands, how about kissing each other on the lips? This used to be an acceptable behavior for straight folks. Remember the Brezhnev-Honecker portrait?

[emptyfile]

>You’re saying that when being gay was literally a criminal offense straight guys didn’t have to worry about holding hands?

Is that really so shocking to you? You can observe this in any Arab Muslim country today.