TIL: Men were far more affectionate with each other in the 1800s compared to modern times due to changing social beliefs stigmatising such close affection.

I was watching an old, old Soviet era film (in Russian) and there was a scene in which two old male friends are reunited after a long absence, and the two men hugged and kissed on the mouth, repeatedly, for quite a long while, in the middle of a train station.

Being a bisexual male, I can plainly tell you that if I were to ask anything like that in public in the US, right now in today's era, people would stare, and some guy would yell cat calls at us. I know of very few gay men who would feel comfortable acting in public in the manner that those two Soviet-era straight men were portraying in that film....

What we all need to realize is these mores are inculturated ideas, and have no reality as being either moral or immoral. Those kissing Russian men in that film were absolutely NOT being "gay" with each other, they were simply doing what was normal in the culture, at that time period.

I find that the younger generation of men are much more likely to touch each other physically now without it being a "gay" indicator, and I consider this healthy, although I must admit that as an older guy, I'm unaccustomed to having other guys touch me without it being a come-on.

/r/todayilearned Thread Link - heatoncollege.edu