NuevaVida
Posts: 6707
Joined: 8/5/2008 Status: offline
|
quote:
ORIGINAL: JeffBC quote:
ORIGINAL: NuevaVida I've seen threads like this before, in which a lot of people seriously do NOT like to be touched. I have to say, it has always really, really surprised me, but has also opened my eyes about what an issue it can be for some people. ~shrug~ I can sympathize. I'm not a hugger and in fact don't like physical touch from anyone but Carol. Women, however, routinely take great liberties. I try to not over-react. The next time someone reaches to adjust my tie knot for me though you can bet I'll be pondering rape charges LOL. <Grin> I don't recall hugging you when I met you and Carol at a mutual friend's dinner get together. Nor would I dream of adjusting someone else's tie (unless it was the Mister or my brother or something). I wouldn't want charges pressed against me, after all. quote:
Honestly, I understand that some people are SO averse to physical touch that ANY uninvited touch is some sort of personal invasion. Such people should not go out int crowded public venues. I agree. quote:
As I think about all the venues I go to (and my association hosts a wide variety of mixers and the like) I'd bet I touched someone in some way or another at every single one of them if for no other reason than to get their attention so I could scoot behind/around them. Nobody has ever run out of the room crying rape. Nobody has ever, to the best of my knowledge, reacted at all other than to adjust their position so I could pass (or whatever else was going on at the moment). Right. I don't like crowds; I get claustrophobic. So I avoid large crowds whenever possible. He didn't understand the depth of this, and insisted, at one concert we went to, that we stand up front with the crowd instead of off to the side or finding a seat on the balcony. By the time the show was over I was frozen stiff with tears streaming down my face, from SO.MANY.BODIES pressed against me and bumping into me at once. But, I put myself in that situation (rather, he did, but that's not the point). To get upset at everyone for not respecting my personal space would have been illogical. Now that we know my reaction to crowds, we keep me away from them, when possible. The onus is on us, to keep me comfortable. Obviously the unavoidable contact in a crowd is different than people touching for whatever reason (ie; a hand on my shoulder with an, "Excuse me" as they pass). But I don't find the latter to be personally offensive, in fact, I find it polite. quote:
I had never heard of this personal space issue until coming to CM. Here and on fetlife. By the time I heard this first, however, I was already savvy to the difference between BDSM in the real world and BDSM online. SO I just asked our local BDSM friends the next time we were having dinner. They looked at me like... well... like I'd been reading collarme again. LOL no doubt. But it's a topic worth talking about. I'll have to ask people offline about it.
_____________________________
Live Simply. Love Generously. Care Deeply. Speak Kindly.
|