Soulmate Gem
Photo by Mikhail Nilov Pexels Logo Photo: Mikhail Nilov

Is kissing platonic or romantic?

“I believe if you're making out with someone, you have some sort of attraction to them, which makes it not platonic,” Williams said in an email. “Kissing is a romantic action, so treating it casually can make things confusing.” Williams said there are stigmas between friends who kiss, especially with women.

What 3 things make a relationship?
What 3 things make a relationship?

All healthy relationships share the following three core components: Mutual respect. Mutual trust. Mutual affection.

Read More »
What is the best age for marriage for female?
What is the best age for marriage for female?

Dr. Fisher believes that marriages that take place when the couple is in their late 20s to mid 30s are most successful. "By the time we are getting...

Read More »

National Kissing Day has come and gone, and many celebrated with their significant others. However, the day does not prohibit family and friends from doing the same. Platonic kissing is defined as a kiss between two people who are not in a romantic relationship and do not have romantic feelings toward one another. As “kissing the homies” is normalized more within younger generations, students shared their opinions about getting more intimate with their friends. Clara Williams, a junior studying studio art, said a small kiss on the lips or cheek as a greeting is normal, but she does not think platonic kissing can exist between friends. “I believe if you’re making out with someone, you have some sort of attraction to them, which makes it not platonic,” Williams said in an email. “Kissing is a romantic action, so treating it casually can make things confusing.”

Williams said there are stigmas between friends who kiss, especially with women.

“A lot of times, women kissing is seen as something hot and objectifying, which is very problematic,” Williams said. “This stigma with women kissing also invalidates actual lesbian relationships.” Deika Ahmed, a junior studying marketing, said her version of platonic kissing is through kisses on the cheek as a greeting. Ahmed is Somali and said this greeting is common in her culture. “I grew up greeting elders with kisses on the hand after a handshake and cheeks with female relatives,” Ahmed said in an email. “So kissing my ‘homies’ is literally so normal when I think of it from my Somali cultural upbringing.” While she uses platonic kissing in greetings, Ahmed said she does not kiss her American friends on the cheeks. She instead opts for hugs and only kisses the cheeks of her family members. Michael Kelly, a junior studying biological sciences, said his female friends occasionally kiss platonically but never his male friends. “I think my girl friends are more confident about their sexuality, and they do not really care about the stigma that comes behind it,” Kelly said. Kelly said there is a double standard between two men kissing or two women kissing, even if it is platonic. He said that many men find two girls a sexual turn-on and two guys kissing as weird. “If a bunch of guys are together in the friend group and two of them kiss each other, I think, just how society is, they are going to get, ‘Oh that is gay,’” Kelly said. “I think it (the stigma) boils down to people not being confident in their sexuality.”

Do twins have 1 soul?
Do twins have 1 soul?

Judaism, Christianity and Islam teach that every human, including identical twins who share an identical genome, have unique individual souls at...

Read More »
What zodiac is girly?
What zodiac is girly?

The feminine signs are Taurus, Cancer, Virgo, Scorpio, Capricorn, and Pisces. These signs turn our attention inward and compel us towards...

Read More »

Williams also agreed there are stigmas between friends who kiss, especially with women. “A lot of times, women kissing is seen as something hot and objectifying, which is very problematic,” Williams said. “This stigma with women kissing also invalidates actual lesbian relationships.” Ahmed said she has seen how certain men react to women kissing. She said it is common for them to comment on how “hot” it is for female friends to kiss in front of them. “It gives me the feeling that these men believe women are kissing for their entertainment, which is very sexist in my opinion,” Ahmed said. “We see it within our media how women are constantly sexualized for this.” Whether or not platonic kissing is right for everyone, Kelly thinks it varies from person to person. He said if he were in a romantic relationship with someone, he would only want that person to kiss him. “If you have a significant other, I think that is something that you and your significant other should talk about and communicate about to see where each other stands with that,” Kelly said. “Sometimes, people might not be open to that.” Ahmed said some people might not believe in platonic kissing because it is not normal in many cultures. She also said many may be closed-minded to the idea of friends being that intimate. “I think it’s important to be open to the idea that people express love and respect differently,” Ahmed said. “Thinking it is not okay for you is fine, but judging others for their forms of expression is something I would advise others not to do.”

@hannahcmpbell

hc895819@ohio.edu

How do you know if he's keeping you a secret?
How do you know if he's keeping you a secret?

6 Signs He's Keeping You a Secret You never meet his friends. ... He doesn't talk to you around others. ... He calls at random times. ... He brags...

Read More »
How will a girl react if she knows you like her?
How will a girl react if she knows you like her?

Stay attentive of her actions. If she knows and does like you back she will talk to you more, walk near you, sit next to you, make eye contact,...

Read More »
Is it a red flag if he says I love you fast?
Is it a red flag if he says I love you fast?

1. They rush a new relationship forward too quickly. Popularly referred to as “love bombing,” this red flag isn't necessarily about the new partner...

Read More »
Do girls like six pack?
Do girls like six pack?

Sure, women love a guy with a chiseled six-pack. But that's not the only body part they check out at the beach (or in bed). And while each woman...

Read More »