Assault on Hugs
A school enforces a ban on hugs, and what’s worse is that it’s not the first time I hear about something like this. They will allow holding hands or having one arm around another person’s shoulders, but no full-body or “romantic” hugs that last more than two seconds and certainly no kissing. Supposedly it’s because some students have expressed concerns about the public displays of affection they’re witnessing, and that’s really sad.
Let’s just look at the wording for a moment. Who exactly determines whether a hug is “romantic” or not? Who’ll time them to make sure they don’t exceed two seconds? How are they going to prove any such accusations? Have cameras look for criminal huggers? Round up the witnesses of a hug? It’s just silly!
But that’s not the main issue. The main issue is that something beautiful is being turned into a crime! How can you want to stop people from hugging? I’d also ask how can you want to stop people from kissing actually… I think that seeing two people, especially when they’re in their teens or early 20s, “romantically” hug or kiss in public is one of the most beautiful things you can ever see. It’s nice and sweet and expressive and… I don’t know about you, but it tells me there might still be some hope for us.
And it’s not just about those who are more than friends, but even about friendly hugs. There is no person that I wouldn’t mind spending time with that I wouldn’t hug, and it’d certainly last much more than two seconds, so I’m not even only talking about close friends. What’s wrong with greeting somebody with a hug or hugging them when saying goodbye? What’s wrong with whispering some things to each other while hugging, which will certainly make the hug last quite a while? As a matter of fact, what’s wrong with resting your head on somebody’s shoulder or in their lap, even without being in a relationship with them? (Ok, I didn’t see anything specific about those things being banned, but somehow I’m sure they either already are or will soon be if this keeps up.) Can’t these be simply nice gestures of friendship, signs that you feel at ease around the person you’re with at the time?
When schools are plagued by such horrible things as students being bullied, mocked, discriminated against, harassed and subjected to who knows how many other forms of torture, because that’s exactly what it is, they mean to eliminate one of the few beautiful things that can bring comfort… And they’re supposedly doing it because other students are complaining! I can’t understand any of this! How can students be bothered by hugs and how can those who supposedly have their “harmonious development” in mind support this attitude? Nobody’s making them hug others if they don’t want to, why do they make others stop hugging when they want to?
If anything, hugs, and public displays of affection in general, should be encouraged! They’re beautiful, they’re calming and few things can beat them when it comes to bonding. And such bonds are needed in this hellish world we created for ourselves, and especially in such a stressful environment as school.
So the next time you are with a friend or significant other in public, give them a nice, long, tight hug! If anybody doesn’t like it, they can just look away…
