Poll: Appropriate physical affection between heterosexual men.

[SilentCom]

I find that a manly hug is the limit. Anything beyond that illustrates a possible romantic affection.

 

[monstersquad]

I know whenever I visit other countries, I often find myself asking "Gay or European/Canadian?".

You shouldnt equate European with Canadian. We are waaaayyyy too different. In europe, girls hold hands all the time, they walk down the streets with linked arms. In Canada, if two girls (ie.grown, sexually active females) are even holding hands, it could be construed that they're in a sexual relationship. The Canadian difference is that nobody really gives a fuck if you're gay or not.
As for men, hugging is pretty much the acceptable limit for heterosexual men, in Canada at least. Some men don't even shake hands unless you're meeting someone for the first time, or making a deal, I'm like this. In that case, what some people think is handshake worthy is more of a fist bumpable occasion.

 

[PureLocke]

Depending on your level of attachment (acquaintance, friend, bro, brah, broseph, best friend, family/adopted brother, heterosexual life partner) intimacy may be handshakes, roman handshake/chest pound/half hug, walking with eachother's hands on the shoulder opposite to them(can't remember what that is called), "patented" handshakes, "Bros before hos" priority. There is also some wiggle room regarding age differences and possible mentor/fatherly relationships. Also as previously mentioned, gay chicken may pop up anywhere from friend to HLP. It's also called a bromance, a few classic and contemporary examples: Watson and Holmes(by extension Wilson and House), Frodo and Sam, J.D. and Turk, Flashes and their Green Lanterns, Cable and Deadpool:

 

[XandNobody]

Speaking from a North American standpoint, I'mma break this down because a poll doesn't quite cut it really.

Handshake, expected. Hugging, just means you are close. Hand holding, will bring a few off looks. Kissing on the cheek, you had better be family. Kissing on the mouth, yea, you are probably gay (not that there is anything wrong with that). Cuddling, is awkward in public no-matter who is doing it, but, probably a gay vibe, yea.

 

[SilentCom]

How to give a MAN HUG:

 

[The Artificially Prolonged]

Handshakes all the way, though hugs are acceptable if you are both trapped in a blizzard and need each others body heat to survive. Why yes I'm British

 

[brunt32]

In England (Or at least where I come from) anything more then a handshake is an inappropriate affection for heterosexual man. I come from quite a 'conservative' little town so homosexuality isn't welcome here. Not that I'm homophobic. I personally do not care about anyone's sexuality. Probably due to myself being Asexual. However I do not like boys kissing in front of me however I do not like the same from same sex kissing.

 

[Ironman126]

Handshakes all the way, though hugs are acceptable if you are both trapped in a blizzard and need each others body heat to survive. Why yes I'm British

Hey, you don't have to be British to completely agree with your sentiment.

 

[MikeOfThunder]

I find kissing on the cheek weird for any reasons other than romantic ones (or affection for younger children), so ima go with that.
Probably because of the British "No Touching" attitude.
Big fan of bro hugs though, with the right people.

Oh yeah a bro-hug isn't something you just throw around on a night out! It's a gesture of bro-hood and bro-respect!

Me and my friends will do the whole 'chicken' thing in the street holding hands... only one of my friends ever actually wins because he is really strange and enjoys embaressment.

 

[Treblaine]

Sodomy.

But no eye contact, that would be weird.

 

[sunburst]

I have gay friends so I get kissed on the cheek all the time. I hug my close friends pretty much every time I see them (sorry people I don't hug). Walking with arms around shoulders is expected in any moment of bonding. Holding hands is fine under some circumstances but a bit weird. I don't kiss anyone on the mouth unless I intend to sleep with them and I've honestly never considered cuddling with any platonic male friends. Also, masturbating together has some extreme connotations no matter the genders and professed sexualities involved.

So that's where I stand (grew up primarily in 'Merica).

 

[blankedboy]

Brohugs are everywhere. Hand-holding seems a bit too much for straight guys unless you're like, 4.

Actually, brohugs are probably more common in New Zealand than anywhere else. I guess it's a Maori thing.

 

[Dags90]

You shouldnt equate European with Canadian. We are waaaayyyy too different. In europe, girls hold hands all the time, they walk down the streets with linked arms. In Canada, if two girls (ie.grown, sexually active females) are even holding hands, it could be construed that they're in a sexual relationship. The Canadian difference is that nobody really gives a fuck if you're gay or not.
As for men, hugging is pretty much the acceptable limit for heterosexual men, in Canada at least. Some men don't even shake hands unless you're meeting someone for the first time, or making a deal, I'm like this. In that case, what some people think is handshake worthy is more of a fist bumpable occasion.

I've only ever been to Eastern Canada, Montreal specifically. Every time I go there all the guys seem so effeminate that I wonder how they do all that lumberjacking Canada is so famous for. Lumberjacking isn't some gay slang, is it?

 

[Laser Priest]

If they're not doing any form of interaction generally reserved only for lovers, I'd say it's fine.

And holding hands falls more under a "family" tier for me.

 

[Optimystic]

Its not just men who are subject to this; anyone else remember the recent tabloid fodder over a certain woman holding her grown child close and kissing him affectionately on the face? "

Yeah, but I thought male/male would make for the most interesting thread because I've noticed that there's a large difference between countries about it. Especially between the U.S. and Europe, and this forum has a fair amount of both categories.

Also in hispanic countries people act much closer on a physical level.
No espanol aquí, aunque.

Which irritates the hell out of me because they constantly give my gaydar false positives.

It doesn't help that the totally hot and totally available latin guy at my office keeps smiling at me...

 

[Simili]

I am personally not a huge fan of PDA at all. Affection is a private thing, so keep it private. hugging ok, but I'm not keen on any couple making out in public. it just seems crude. It makes no difference to me the gender of the couple involved.

 

[Dango]

It depends on the person and it depends on the context.

 

[BlumiereBleck]

What is surprising to me is that "hetrophobia" isn't a word or considered a "real fear"