Northern Kentucky University

Visualizing Sociology in Everyday Life

21. How do you express deep feelings toward same-sex friends?

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photo: Lisa Southwick

photo: Katie Englert

In many societies such as Papua New Guinea, men walk arm-in-arm in public without others assigning sexual motives. In contrast, the United States is a society that discourages such expressions of friendship. Norms in the United States dictate that touch between adults usually indicates a romantic relationship.

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