May i ask you first
1) Do u think it's normal for boyfriend and girlfriend walk hand in hand?
2) Do u think it's normal for girl walk hand in hand with girl?
3) Do u think it's normal for boy walk hand in hand with boy?
Most of you would have at least '1 yes' for those three questions, right?
Well, my answers are all ' yes'. ^^"
The first question is quite common for everywhere in the world, for a lover holding their hands.
The second question, it's also normal for Thai people as well. If you stay in Thai more than an hour, you would see many girls walk hand in hand, while they're shopping, walking across the street, or waiting for car at the bus stop. Me, as a girl, doesn't feel odd to hold hand with my friends who are the same sex at all.
However, it was my direct experience for me and my sister (we both hold hand with friends - different time and place) to have foreigner guys ask us whether we (me and my friend)(my sister and her friend) are lesbian? ^^"
Since the one who ask me, he's a friend of my and we are quite close so this kind of question just make me laugh~ and wonder why he perceive in that way. Anyway, he just only told to me that in his country(UK), girls will not hold hands with girl or else they're lesbian couple.
The last question...this one it's quite difficult for me to explain. I know that most of foreigners won't think it is normal if you see man hold their hands (which is not shake hand). Even Thai man also don't think they will hold hands with their same sex friends (which I ask from my brothers and his friends).
But do you know that in Korean society, a man hold hands with a man is common things, they are not gay. For Korean people, man can hold hands with man and it's show pure relationship and friendship among guys. If you don't know much about Korean culture, it would be very easy to misunderstand them.
Holding hands has many meaning in it.
It would means i feel safe when you hold my hands.
It would means I miss you so much.
It would means i'm scared...can you be my shelter?
It would means i rely on you.
It would means let's go together.
It would means I love you.
For all positive meaning, isn't it good to share love and care in a pure sense?
This is a very good example of non-verbal communication and the differences in how the same action is perceived by different cultures. In fact, in several 'traditional' or 'theocratic' cultures a boy and girl holding hands in public is considered very inappropriate and the girl's reputation would be put into question.
ReplyDeleteInteresting about the question received from your English friend. I was not aware that the associate of women holding hands and being gay was so strong. I do not think that is the case in the US where I have seen women holding hands while walking in a mall and did not associate that with their sexual preference.
In the Middle East (both in the Arab states and Israel) it is very common for men to hold hands while talking or walking. It is a sign of friendship and trust.
In present Boyfriend and girlfriend always walk hand in hand together. Today it was become normal in our Thai society. But for old Thai people may not agree with that because they still believe in the old way.
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