Inappropriate touching

[HuskyNan]

If someone wants a hug, they open their arms to you. If they don’t, don’t hug them. How hard is that?

People usually indicate that your hug or touch is welcome. Spontaneously touching someone who hasn’t telegraphed that they’re open to your touch is inappropriate. If you misinterpret someone’s signal, apologize and say you misunderstood.

Communicate, people. So many problems could be avoided if people just talked.

 

[Waquoit]

A shoulder RUB is NOT A PAT.

It's worse. Much longer duration, the poor girls had to just sit there and put up with unwanted physical contact while an old guy stood above them looking down. Why do you carry water for creeps?

 

[Golden Husky]

In the newsroom they told us, "We live in a litigious society. Don't touch anyone. In fact, unless it's about work, don't even talk to anyone. Just do your job."

Like Ripley said when it was suggested they nuke the planet to obliterate the Aliens: "It's the only way to be sure."

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

I taught Elementary Physical Education, grades K-5 for 30 years and coached HS Wrestling my main sport for 32 .
In PE I taught a long lesson on Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field because all students can usually find one aspect that they can do well. Running, throwing, jumping, etc.
The rule was everyone had to try everything, but can spend the most time on their favorite.
In one class of 4th graders we were doing rows of 4 low hurdles ( I had a thin wood board lying on top of the hurdle not attached so if hit it fell off not the hurdle flipping over) and one boy was short and heavy, a great kid but he had obvious problems with the hurdles (he was great at shotput, discus, and javelin).
He would do the hurdles with no complaints but also no success until one day he made it over all 4 hurdles and the class went crazy cheering and calling out his name and his smile lit the gym! I ran over and hugged him and immediately felt should I do this but he hugged me back and it was one of those magic moments you get in teaching and coaching that makes all the BS worthwhile!
I'm a hugger, have been all my life, and my teams, girls Field Hockey and boys teams knew that and I never had one complaint in the 30 or 32 years I coached!
My teams were always FAMILY oriented very strict disciplined but loving and caring was the base!