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Public canoodling faces divergent opinions
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Chinese couples often hide their affection within homes, and even holding hands in public was once an embarrassment. Social media now bring private moments into public scrutiny, but not everyone approves.
Public displays of affection (PDA) sparked heated discussion over the past month after controversial posts about canoodling couples on buses and metro coaches made the rounds online.
In one case, a senior citizen attempted to stop a couple who were cuddling and kissing on a bus in mid-July in Qingdao. His intervention, however, annoyed the male side and their row almost ended in a physical conflict. A local television broadcaster carried the news, which was later picked up by websites.
Two photos surfaced showing another couple fondling and kissing each other on a metro coach in Shenyang. The photos went viral soon after being posted on a microblogging platform.
Many Internet users commented that the Shenyang couple鈥檚 behavior was 鈥渆mbarrassing鈥 or even 鈥渄isgusting.鈥
Li Xiaotong, who studies mass communications at Peking University, disagrees. She admitted that there is a generation gap when it comes to public displays of intimacy, but she said, 鈥淭here is nothing to hide for young people.鈥
In another PDA scandal, a woman was caught feeding her boyfriend in their office by the company鈥檚 monitoring video. Both were fired for their show of intimacy at workplace.
Kissing selfies
Before they left, the couple took kissing selfies in the office and posted on the woman鈥檚 social media account, which other users called an act of 鈥渞evenge.鈥 The woman ridiculed PDA critics as 鈥渏ealous uncles and aunties.鈥
Professor Liu Neng, a sociologist at Peking University, said that people鈥檚 ideas about PDA have changed with the times and different generations define proper behavior differently.
鈥淭here is no doubt that Chinese are more open than before,鈥 Liu said. 鈥淧eople now tend to express their affection rather than suppressing it. That鈥檚 not bad for mental health.鈥
Liu argued that people鈥檚 attitudes toward PDA reflect how tolerant and liberal a society is.
鈥淢edia play a great role in exposing extreme PDA cases to stir a sensation, which creates the illusion that young couples are crossing the line,鈥 Liu said. 鈥淓xtreme PDA cases are not common in the country, and most people can control their behavior in public.鈥
Li, the Peking University student, supports the more relaxed attitude towards public intimacy. 鈥淎 more open culture creates an atmosphere for us to display our affection. When something interesting happens between my boyfriend and me, I like to show our affection on my Weibo and WeChat,鈥 Li said.
By displaying their affection on social media, Li said, she wants to share their happiness with social connections.
Liu said PDA is a kind of ceremony and a way to announce the establishment of a relationship, have it witnessed by friends, and to keep a record. 鈥淚t works as a direct and convenient commitment to the relationship,鈥 Liu said.
Businesses are even turning young people鈥檚 PDA into opportunities.
An online competition sponsored by a solar water heater manufacturer asked Internet users to send in pictures of their best romantic moments as part of a viral publicity campaign. The winners were awarded a trip to Milan, Italy, where the company is sponsoring the Chinese Pavilion at the World Expo.
Although attitudes are changing about PDA, many online onlookers still roll their eyes at frequent shows of intimacy between couples on Weibo or WeChat.
As one warning goes: The more you show your affection, the faster you will break up, which Liu said is not just a joke. 鈥淲hen exposed, a relationship will receive more external attention, interruption and pressure from family, friends and other relatives, and any negative influence from outside the relationship may directly result in a break-up,鈥 Liu said.
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