I think about platonic physical affection ALL THE TIME. As a queer person who ended up in a long-term heterosexual relationship, I chose someone who doesn’t have the “all your male friends/colleague want to fk you” but still walk on eggshells when it comes to physicality. Is it appropriate to hug a male friend? To sit close on the couch when my partner is not around? It baffles me because it’s totally fine with my female friends (despite being pansexual so...?) but lifelong social conditioning and negative experiences with past partners still sounds alarm bells off in not only my partner’s head, but those of MY friends as well. I’m also not sure how to talk to them about these thoughts, which feels like the necessary first step.
I think about platonic physical affection ALL THE TIME. As a queer person who ended up in a long-term heterosexual relationship, I chose someone who doesn’t have the “all your male friends/colleague want to fk you” but still walk on eggshells when it comes to physicality. Is it appropriate to hug a male friend? To sit close on the couch when my partner is not around? It baffles me because it’s totally fine with my female friends (despite being pansexual so...?) but lifelong social conditioning and negative experiences with past partners still sounds alarm bells off in not only my partner’s head, but those of MY friends as well. I’m also not sure how to talk to them about these thoughts, which feels like the necessary first step.