# Males and females kissing on greeting. Which countries?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/males-and-females-kissing-on-greeting-which-countries/777200>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 15, 2017, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/males-and-females-kissing-on-greeting-which-countries/777200 "2017-01-15T02:39:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Gymnopithys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/fbc32d/32.png) [@Gymnopithys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gymnopithys)\
**Post date:** [January 17, 2017, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/males-and-females-kissing-on-greeting-which-countries/777200/21 "2017-01-17T12:44:25Z")

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> [@Hari\_Seldon](#):
>
> That surprises me because I once saw my Swiss friend meet his wife in an outdoor location–and they shook hands. They were both from Zurich, but they had been living in a French canton for decades.

That’s a freezing cold reception for a married couple. Perhaps they weren’t in speaking terms 🙂

(Swiss guy here)

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**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\
**Post date:** [January 17, 2017, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/males-and-females-kissing-on-greeting-which-countries/777200/22 "2017-01-17T14:38:58Z")

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This is common in Egypt. I don’t know if it’s historically Middle Eastern or if it was imported by the French under their rule.

> [@Evan\_Drake](#):
>
> On the other hand, people in Britain and other countries are _amazingly_ puzzled by American men embracing with big hugs.

This is quite normal in the U.S. although you must clap the other man on the back a couple of times to signify “this is not a gay hug.” 😉

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**Author:** ![leahcim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b4bc9f/32.png) [@leahcim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leahcim)\
**Post date:** [January 17, 2017, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/males-and-females-kissing-on-greeting-which-countries/777200/23 "2017-01-17T16:40:02Z")

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> [@CookingWithGas](#):
>
> This is quite normal in the U.S. although you must clap the other man on the back a couple of times to signify “this is not a gay hug.” 😉

On the other hand, a firm cupping of the buttocks is required to signify “this _is_ a gay hug”.

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**Author:** ![Orwell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/dfb087/32.png) [@Orwell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orwell)\
**Post date:** [January 17, 2017, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/males-and-females-kissing-on-greeting-which-countries/777200/24 "2017-01-17T19:19:45Z")

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> [@CookingWithGas](#):
>
> This is common in Egypt. I don’t know if it’s historically Middle Eastern or if it was imported by the French under their rule.
> 
> This is quite normal in the U.S. although you must clap the other man on the back a couple of times to signify “this is not a gay hug.” 😉

Or you do the “man hug”, where you shake hands first, and keep the right hands and arms in between so as to minimize torso contact and absolutely, at all costs, prevent hip or groin contact.

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