So India is in the middle of a storm right now, with a quirky campaign titled "Kiss of Love", which started out in Kerala against moral policing.
India is very conservative - public displays of affection are very much frowned upon. Basically we don't kiss and we don't tell - in public.
Several times "moral policing" by right wing Hindutva groups have gone to an extreme point of ridiculousness - like calls to ban Valentine's Day or force girls to tie raksha bandhans to unmarried male companions.
There have been frequent campaigns against moral policing almost bordering on funny. A few years back when some of these groups wanted to ban Valentine's Day, people sent them their pink underwear or a Valentine's Day card as retaliation.
This campaign though has taken it to a point of being sensationalist and provocative.
It encourages people to kiss in public - gay or straight. While many point out how it erodes "Indian culture" , there are many more such arguments about "rape culture" and what not.
(Basically it's a bunch of nonsense and too much hot water to navigate through. There are other more pressing issues in my opinion.)
Coming to the point of this thread, I did notice that western cultures were much more free with regards to PDAs.
While in the USA, it seemed quite the norm to kiss one another in public. Many of you warned me that I would face a culture shock, and I pooh-poohed the idea- well I did
However it didn't really bother me. I learnt to NOT LOOK (stare with shock) . I also pegged it as being part of the environment that I was in, so I brushed it off.
However the idea of this happening in India irritates me. I don't want India to turn into a free for all - gay or straight kiss fest!!!
As a Christian, I just feel that all these things should be private between a husband and wife and not for public consumption at all.
So what do you guys think?
Options that I am posting -
1. Yea ( People should be free to show their affection if must in public)
2. Slightly uncomfortable with PDA but I survive.
3. Very uncomfortable, I tell people off if they cross a line.
4. Nay (all forms of PDA should be banned)
5. Other opinion.
India is very conservative - public displays of affection are very much frowned upon. Basically we don't kiss and we don't tell - in public.
Several times "moral policing" by right wing Hindutva groups have gone to an extreme point of ridiculousness - like calls to ban Valentine's Day or force girls to tie raksha bandhans to unmarried male companions.
There have been frequent campaigns against moral policing almost bordering on funny. A few years back when some of these groups wanted to ban Valentine's Day, people sent them their pink underwear or a Valentine's Day card as retaliation.
This campaign though has taken it to a point of being sensationalist and provocative.
It encourages people to kiss in public - gay or straight. While many point out how it erodes "Indian culture" , there are many more such arguments about "rape culture" and what not.
(Basically it's a bunch of nonsense and too much hot water to navigate through. There are other more pressing issues in my opinion.)
Coming to the point of this thread, I did notice that western cultures were much more free with regards to PDAs.
While in the USA, it seemed quite the norm to kiss one another in public. Many of you warned me that I would face a culture shock, and I pooh-poohed the idea- well I did
However it didn't really bother me. I learnt to NOT LOOK (stare with shock) . I also pegged it as being part of the environment that I was in, so I brushed it off.
However the idea of this happening in India irritates me. I don't want India to turn into a free for all - gay or straight kiss fest!!!
As a Christian, I just feel that all these things should be private between a husband and wife and not for public consumption at all.
So what do you guys think?
Options that I am posting -
1. Yea ( People should be free to show their affection if must in public)
2. Slightly uncomfortable with PDA but I survive.
3. Very uncomfortable, I tell people off if they cross a line.
4. Nay (all forms of PDA should be banned)
5. Other opinion.