[Jamestown1630]

About five years ago, my husband spent many weeks nursing his father who was dying of cancer. There was lots of intimate touching, helping, hand-holding, lifting up off of the floor, and kissing.

God help you, if you never have an experience like that. It could be your father, your brother, or your best friend. There would be many moments when your heart impelled you to simply hold the other man, and kiss him. I’d be very sorry for you, if you didn’t respond to that impulse - and, frankly, very sorry for you if you never experienced it.

Life often sends you sidewinders; and when it does, you find out what you’re really made of.

[bagster]

God help you, if you never have an experience like that. It could be your father, your brother, or your best friend.

Now you know this isn't what the article was about, right?

Let's not cheat, young lady.

The article was talking about casual platonic touching between men in general. Not family members, dying fathers, etc.

Another helpful reminder.

How often do men actually get the opportunity to express affection through long lasting platonic touch? How often does it happen between men? Or between men and women? Not a hand shake or a hug, but lasting physical contact between two people that is comforting and personal but not sexual.

Between persons who are not lovers and never will be. Think, holding hands. Or leaning on each other. Sitting together...And if you are a man, imagine a five minutes of contact with another man. How quickly does that idea raise the ugly specter of homophobia? And why?