Public Displays of Affection

[B-Rye]

I personally am not touch-oriented when it comes to other people beyond a handshake, but public displays of affection really do not bother me so long as it is tame (i.e. hand-holding, cuddling at the park). Hell I don't even mind if a couple is making out on the bus; to each their own provided they maintain a distance from me of two and half meters. If I'm in a relationship, the only person I should have to prove my affection to is the woman I am with, not the random passerby or concentration of people in our general vicinity. If I commit any public display of affection it will be to get that point across to her, not the world.

 

[B-Rye]

I was at a Dream Theater concert on Sunday, and the couple next to me started fucking, and at one point were leaning on me. That pissed me off. Not the fucking, but the leaning.

I guess what I'm trying to say is shit only bothers me if it actually interferes with me. Or society as a whole. Which "PDA"'s don't.

Ha! Same thing happened to a friend at a Tool concert (except Tool was encouraging it, they even had roadies and other people handing out condoms to people in the pit, according to him).

 

[trollnystan]

Hand-holding and cuddling is fine to me, and so is kissing and touching even if it makes jealousy rage like an unholy green flame inside me... Ahem. It's when it degenerates in showing their tongues into each other's throats and/or looking like they're a few articles of clothing away from doing the beast with two backs, THAT'S when I have a problem with PDA.

Please don't make me witness IRL porn on the street. Porn is what the internet is for.

 

[silent_noir_67]

I don't really mind.

Face sucking is out...it's just too awkwards lol.

Anything before that? no worries. I'm good with holding hands, hugging and kissing.
I've been in pda situations and it gets so irritating when everyones bitching about it. i mean holding hands is offensive or lewd?

 

[Polarity27]

Hand-holding and cuddling is fine to me, and so is kissing and touching even if it makes jealousy rage like an unholy green flame inside me... Ahem. It's when it degenerates in showing their tongues into each other's throats and/or looking like they're a few articles of clothing away from doing the beast with two backs, THAT'S when I have a problem with PDA.

Please don't make me witness IRL porn on the street. Porn is what the internet is for.

If you're out in a group and have a napkin and pen, rate 'em like the Olympics.

I... err... may have actually done that once. To this day I'll never know if Blowjob Couple was upset that we all watched, or upset that two of us only gave them a 5. But y'know, if you're doing something like that in public (and not behind a bush in the woods somewhere where it's vaguely reasonable to expect that people won't be), you can't really complain when you draw an audience.

 

[Viral_Lola]

I know a couple that is very PDA heavy. If they could have sex in public, I'm sure they would. People have complained to them about it but nothing sticks.

 

[B-Rye]

For those who say you're not being forced to look... I'm always certain that's not always the case as some examples would suffice.

Well, given I've shagged in a public park with no more than a waist-high wall separating us from all the people who'd come to see the new Christmas lights around twenty metres away, I have no problems with public displays of affection. You're not being forced to look, after all.

This I can tell you right now is my biggest worry and nightmare. A paranoid concern you could say that one day I'll be out minding my own business and I'll accidentally spy a couple rutting around outside, where anyone can just walk over and see. All these people wanting to do public things. And I bet you didn't give a damn about whether you got caught because all you wanted was to get your rocks off. And this notion infuriates me.

I worry what I'd do if I caught a couple like you and your girl. Honestly, if you'd told me that you got sent to jail for a month due to public indecency, I'd laugh at you and say it'd serve you right.

Why does it worry you so? If you happen to catch sight of a couple shagging will you suddenly go blind? More importantly, why the hell is sex and/or nudity considered "indecent" in the first place? It's a perfectly natural thing for two primates to engage in. I think all the weight it's afforded is ridiculous.
We're not inconsiderate, if we were disturbing anyone, we'd say "sorry" and move to another spot elsewhere. I have been "caught" before, and all I got was a smile and a thumbs-up.

This likely is culture based. Just turn on the TV in whatever area you live and compare it to another region. In the US we have all sorts of violence on TV but not much in the way of sex. Its like the US is afraid that showing humans at their most primal and natural will destroy the country's moral foundations, yet in various European countries (filled with people who can be as moral and amoral as their US counterparts) their television is filled with plenty of sex (which has a humor of its own) but barely any violence. Just goes to show what a culture prioritizes...
...I think I want to move to some country in Europe now. Heh.

 

[infohippie]

...

You are completely inconsiderate. At the very least, you would be reminding me of what I can never have, and what everybody persists in making me feel like a freak for never being able to get. At the worst, you would actually nauseate me, and frankly, I don't like the taste of vomit at all. The idea of two other people engaging in sex actually makes me feel sick, and as such, you could be considered absolutely and entirely inconsiderate and perverted for engaging in sexual intercourse in public by my standards.

...

Why should people still be allowed to persist in insisting that I'm a freak and a monster because I can't find anybody who would ever want to be at all intimate with me? I know I'm a freak. It doesn't make it hurt any less when people keep on going on about it.

Does your name happen to be Joseph Merrick? If not than of course you can - and hell, you probably could even if you were him! There's all sorts of preferences in the world. Just drop the attitude, that's the only thing likely to be standing in the way of you getting laid.

 

[TheRightToArmBears]

The rules are no tongues and keep hands off bodies (except for hugs, of course).

I don't understand why that annoys people, unless they're just bitter and jealous. I which case, sucks to be you, don't take it out on other people.

 

[Griffolion]

Kissing, hugging, holding hands = fantastic, do it all you want

"Snogging", getting quite heated = bit uncomfortable, get a room

Everything else = seriously, please get a room


Nothing wrong with PDA's (never done that acronym before!) so long as they are in moderation and controlled, we gotta show the love after all!

 

[Adzma]

Hate it. Even hand holding, although that's largely because I'm so ronery. However, I can't change who I am and PDA shits me to no end.

 

[AngloDoom]

Hand holding is okay, but anything beyond that bothers me, because it shows that they think they are superior for being in a relationship and not single, and everyone else is an insignificant worm. At least they got the part about everyone else being insignificant worms right, but they don't accept that they are equally insignificant worms themselves.

To be honest, man, when I'm walking alongside a girl with my hand in hers, holding her waist, or with my arm around her shoulder the very last thing I'm thinking about is everyone else.

OT: I see nothing wrong with public displays of affection. When the action strays to sexual territory is when it gets awkward- but to be honest I still wouldn't care so much. I'll happily hold hands, hug, peck and kiss my girlfriend and I'll often put my arm around her waist while we walk because I think her curves are beautiful. However, I wouldn't start biting her neck in public and expect people not to get awkward.

EDIT -

I think full-on sexual acts in public don't fall into this debate half the time. People running off behind the bushes to have fun isn't intentionally done regardless of an audience - it's just horny and impatient people. If people want to and do have sex in front of an audience in the street it's illegal anyway.

 

[rokkolpo]

Love is in the air, Deal with it.

I'd say I don't like people French kissing in public, but I'd be a hypocrite.

 

[DefinitelyPsychotic]

The only place where I find PDAs a bit outlandish are at restaurants. "Come on people, I'm eating!"

 

[Vault101]

well I dont really care what other people do

but for ME no way...in fact even hand holding pissed me off (dude there's a time and place for it...this is NOT it)

 

[Eduku]

I don't see any reason to be remotely angry or annoyed with PDAs. Just seems angsty and bitter to me. I say if they want to, go for it, as long as it's not, er, illegal or anything.

 

[Meggiepants]

Asking them to stop seems a little ridiculous to me. I mean, I'm not being forced to stare at them. I do have the power to look away.

However, I do think overly physical PDAs are uncomfortable to watch. Mostly because I feel a bit like a voyeur when I see people doing this stuff, and voyeurism is not my thing.

 

[IamQ]

I generally go as far as making out and not very frequent quick gropes in public, if people don't like it they can avert their gaze, its not like complaining to me will actually get me to stop.

I never care. It's not like I am affected by them hugging, kissing or making out. I don't go all: "I saw a couple making out yesterday, didn't like it at all, and today when I woke up, I had leprosy. "

You Sir/Madam/Other have damn fine comedic taste.

Why thank you good Sir/Madam/Other.

 

[Phasmal]

Me and my boyfriend often cuddle in public if I'm cold or bored, but just cuddling, not face sucking or anything. And we always hold hands, I dont see any problem with it.
I've never really thought twice about it, me and my boyfriend are a couple, so we hold hands and hug. If you have a problem with it maybe you shouldnt be staring at strangers in public and get on with what you were doing.

Now everytime we cuddle I am going to think someone is watching... >.>