This paper is about my opinion on public displays of affection. In this paper I will try to state some points from both sides of the argument. Depending on the person, each will feel differently about what is and is not acceptable as affection in public.

I’m sure that on the side of arguing for public displays of affection, we could state such things as, “We are making sure that they know we love them” or “We are making sure that everyone else around us knows that this person is mine so they don’t get any ideas about trying to take them from us.” The plain truth though is that if you try in other ways to do the smaller things that matter; like opening a door for your significant other, pulling out a chair, giving them things like flowers for no reason, or simply talking to them and actually listening to what they have to say in return, then rest assured that they will know that you love them, without the need for excessive public displays of affection. If you are doing the public display to assert to others what is yours, then that is not about love at all. Then it is about control.

Kissing as a hello or a good bye I think is more than fine, but when you find a place to sit down and make out for thirty minutes to an hour, then I feel that is over doing it. A kiss in public is fine as long as it doesn’t last longer than, say, maybe five seconds, but after that it crosses the line from a kiss into a make out session. When you make out in public, things that stereotypically cross people’s minds are, “Get a room you two!” or “Why don’t they do that in a room, I mean instead of being a bad role model for our children today?” Making out in the minds of many is anywhere from kissing to groping.

Hugging is a perfect example of appropriate public display of affection. It is not kissing to an excessive amount and it is just a hug. In my opinion, hugs always make people feel warm, cared for and safe. Granted, some people aren’t comfortable with hugs and if that is the case then you should respect their personal space but for the most part, a hug is an excellent way to communicate caring.

In my opinion, public displays of affection are to be kept at a minimum. When addressing this issue, you should really ask yourself if this is something that you would want to see other people do in public. Would seeing someone else do this behavior make you or others uncomfortable? Ultimately it is about respect for yourself, your loved one and others. Always remember that wherever you are, little children may be watching and you should communicate a healthy style of relationship for them to model.