I don’t like seeing us drift apart, physically or otherwise, whether because of shame or peer pressure or whatever. People need physical contact. We shouldn’t feel bad about it. We shouldn’t be made to feel bad about it.

I went backpacking in Europe in the mid nineties, and I remember seeing lots of Italian men walking along holding hands, with their arms over shoulders and around waists. You don’t see that there as much now. So, I think it’s cultural: times change, people’s attitudes change, acceptable public behaviour changes. Even as recently as 1995 it was acceptable for grown male friends and family to hold hands and embrace in public in some places. I think I’d agree that it’s possibly fear of being labeled “gay” that has caused this to fall away. Kind of unfortunate. Even women aren’t demonstrative in public much in North America. Well, def more public affection in Mexico.