I not only mean it as in ‘french-kissing your partner’, but also things like ‘kissing someone’s hand out of reverence’ and ‘kissing the kids good night’.
Kissing can definitely be weird in the US but it kinda depends: Kissing a kid on the forehead? Ok. Kissing a kid on the lips? Weird.
On a related note: Don’t kiss babies at all because, regardless of the culture they live in, their immune systems are still developing - don’t let anyone kiss your baby even if they claim they’re healthy (imagine having lifelong herpes because your parent let some dipshit kiss you when you were a baby). Don’t give an infant honey either.
I’m Chinese American and my entire family of origin are born in China (including me), parents grew up in Taishan and got married via arranged marriage… and… I never saw my parents kiss… like… NEVER
Their room is open and as a kid, I went to sleep in their room, and like their room door is open I suspect that THEY NEVER HAD SEX except like the two times to create me and my older brother and like they have busy work schedules so I doubt they had time to do it in the day, and at night… well they can’t be fucking when I’m literally sleeping in between them.
Never even saw them HUG
seriously, if they didn’t have kids, the US immigration officials would’ve probably suspected marriage fraud or something lmfao
My parents never really kissed me… I hate that stuff since in my mind, I thought that’s only for romance, but I remember my mom wanted to kiss my cheeks and I was like: “eww saliava” so I refused.
But I did cuddle with mom often as a kid.
One of my aunt said I was clingy to my mom lol
My mom would encourage cuddling.
I remember when I was a kid, I get tired on the NYC subway, and I rest my head on my mom’s lap and sort of take a nap… so like its sort of cuddling, like I’d just lean very close to mom.
My mom would hold my hand as a kid when we walked around on the streets.
'Murican male culture isn’t real keen on kissing. It is reserved for your romantic interest. It would be very inappropriate to give a peck on the cheek or even blow a kiss to a friend or acquaintance.
To clarify, I don’t mean American culture, I mean 'Murica. White Christian small town America.
I don’t know that I’d describe that as exclusively 'Murican…
No, but there are so many American sub cultures, I didn’t want to try to include them all or speak for any others.
In India, it’s a huge taboo to kiss anyone whom you’re not married to. Public affection in general is mostly frowned upon there, and sometimes charged as a crime depending on where you live.
That’s why you never see lovers kiss in Bollywood movies. They always just hug or hold each other at arms length. They would be outraged if two actors who aren’t married to each other kissed on screen.
Cultures enduring a plague
Fun fact: a handshake transfers more viruses and bacteria than a kiss, especially one on the cheek.
How do I tell my kids that I can’t give them a firm handshake goodnight anymore?
