When it comes to the issue of public display of affection, people have varying opinions as to what the boundaries are.
It could be frustrating when people form an opinion on your public relationship with your spouse because of specific rules and regulations that they feel you should abide by.
The question now is where to draw the line, knowing that the concept of socially acceptable behaviors is relative to time and location.
However, the scrutiny of public display of affections has reduced drastically in this century as opposed to the 90s where people were overly sensitive to things.
But still, there is a limit to the things you can do in public with your significant other.
What exactly is a public display of affection?
Any form of public intimacy between two people in a relationship or having an affair is regarded as PDA. It is usually considered as a show off by a couple to give other people an impression that they are genuinely in love with each other.
Such an open display of affection includes holding hands, kissing, holding each other in sensitive places and whatever other physical contacts that may indicate that they are a couple.
Public display of affection can be cute to watch sometimes but can also be annoying to single adults around because they may feel it is a deliberate attempt to remind them that they have no lover to shower them with such affection.
While you may be considering showing your partner some public affections, have it in mind that there is a possible chance of getting embarrassed if you make certain moves your significant other is uncomfortable with in public.
For example, if you grab your girlfriend’s butt in your house and she’s cool with it, you might want to try it in the open, like at the beach expecting to get a welcome reaction, but then she turns around and snaps at you instead. Indeed, it is going to stir up some criticism from your audience, and you will come off as a jerk.
So, if she is cool with you doing it at home, why would she frown at you doing it in public? People tend to feel embarrassed about doing certain things in public even though they are comfortable doing them privately.
That is the reason why it is imperative to seek your partner’s consent and also identify what his or her public display of affection boundaries are.
As times change, so does the mode of doing some things, and PDA is one of those things. Showing open affection to your significant other has gone past touching in public places with people you can see.
With social media sites like Facebook that allows you to post pictures of your everyday life, some people have seized the opportunity to virtually display their affection for the people they are in an intimate relationship with.
Social media enables you to post pictures and videos of kissing, hugging, or even posing in a sexually suggestive position with your partner. Your five thousand or more online friends can see how much in love you are and also share your story virtually with their thousands of friends and so on.
Some people put up relationship statuses and even tag their lovers to enable the rest of the world view their lover’s profile and confirm that they are an item. This is the form of PDA with the highest audience since forever, and lovers can’t seem to get enough of it.
What comes to your mind when you see celebrities show off their relationship online? You probably would go all “Aww, this is so sweet” or get upset at how much they fill your timeline with what you feel should be kept private or minimized.
So, is PDA healthy for your relationship?
Well, publicly doing things that suggest the affection you have for your partner could boost their confidence in your relationship.
It makes your lover feel that you are not ashamed of them and you want everyone who is paying attention to know that your partner means so much to you.
Furthermore, your partner feels a sense of security when you engage in a public show of love. It eliminates all suspicion of infidelity because your significant other would think that the message of there being someone in your life has been communicated to any other person who is interested in having an affair with you.
It might interest you to know that PDA also has some mental health benefits. Displaying your affection for someone you love in a public gathering could help them deal with anxiety and feel more comfortable.
Imagine how a plus sized lady feels at the beach filled with skinny ladies with a flat tummy. Having her husband or man hug and kiss her in front of all the other ladies could help her feel more comfortable in her skin and loosen up.
Furthermore, psychologically speaking, watching parents engage in PDA is healthy for the mind and body of their kids.
In recent studies, it has been discovered that children respond emotionally not only to the love they are shown by their parents but also to the way their parents show they are in love. It is not rare to see kids cry or fall sick when there is friction between their parents.
However, kids who have allergic reactions or other health conditions are likely to feel better or at least have a lighter mood when they see their parents kiss because they find the act both cute and funny. But you do know there are levels to the things you should do in front of the kids.
Conclusively, PDA is great for your relationship as it is a way to express yourself without a care in the world if you are bold enough. About getting scrutinize by your audience; don’t worry about what they think.
As long as you do not go all the way to have sex publicly and you have the consent of your spouse, you are doing nothing wrong.
Enjoy every moment with the person you love and seize the opportunity of a PDA to strengthen your bond, reassure them of your loyalty, and improve your mental health. Go ahead and kiss your lover at that fancy restaurant after dinner!
