Live and in-person, finally! But now, post-pandemic with social distancing in place, do we need ways to easily ask people if it’s okay to hug them? Tracey Anne Duncan asked psychologists how to navigate requesting consent when you want to embrace someone with whom you are less familiar.
We’re all navigating unfamiliar terrain with rusty social skills right now and there is something inherently awkward about asking for a hug” – Annalise Oatman
Source: MIC, May 25, 2021. Link. Oatman basically advises trying not to overthink a hug or try to make it seem overly important. Keep it casual. You can hug or not hug as you see fit. You can not hug hello and still hug goodbye, and the only rule is: Ask for consent every time.
. . . take a more playful approach. . . lead with a question like, ‘Are we doing hugs?’ or simply, ‘Hugs okay?’”