Hugs

Personally, I love hugs. I love leaning on people and I love cuddling with them (especially since my body temperature is usually very chilly, so they make excellent radiators).

However, it must be explicitly stated that hugging, leaning on, or even touching people has to be mutually okay. Now, we're not getting into molestation territory here (mutual molestation??? whoa this is getting all NSFW up in here) - just basic acknowledgement of personal space.

Don't be a Voldemort.

I, for one, even though I like having physical contact, cannot stand when people I do not know and do not want to be close to get in my face. Being an attentive listener does not mean channeling their words into your spirit by permanently keeping your hand up their butt. Nodding along, tapping someone on the shoulder, and making affirmative sounds will do. You do not have to touch me. You do not have to rest your hand tenderly upon my waist whilst gazing into my eyes as though they were the most enticing of woodland pools. I'm OK with you not doing that. Seriously. It's cool.

(In less facetious terms, people who insist on keeping physical contact throughout a conversation kinda give me the heebie-jeebies.)

Another thing I despise is when people slip their arm through mine. To me, walking armsie in armsie with another chick feels kind of like being chained to a massive morningstar-style prison ball by heavy indestructible links. That, or as if they're urinating on me. I am not your territory. I want to be able to drift away without needing to wrest my arm free first. Since I'm so uncomfortable with this gesture, I usually kindly tell people this, and they'll let go. But some people just don't get it. One time I escaped from an arm link only to feel the same arm wrap constrictingly around my shoulders. Flesh status = crawling.

Point: Hugs and touching is great and cozy and fantabulously fuzzy ... if the other person is OK with it. If you aren't certain they are ... don't touch them. At least not if that person is me.