Male Kissing – It’s A Guy Thing (here in Belgium…)!

There’s no denying that we Americans are a bit prudish when it comes to physical contact. A firm masculine handshake is nearly always the correct choice when men meet, whether for the first time or as long-lost buddies. Once in awhile we might consider something a tad more “intimate,” such as a touch (very brief, if you please) on the arm, maybe even up to the shoulder (normally reserved for WW I trenchmates who have just been reunited in a nursing home after not seeing each other for 90 years…) . But for anything beyond that, well, in our culture there just has to be a female at the other end.

Not so over here in Europe! As 19 year-old Robb will tell you, you cannot be considered a real friend among the guys without a cheek kiss whenever you meet up with your male buds. This is a requirement each and every time you come together, not just on birthdays or other special occasions. It wasn’t easy for him to adapt to this cultural norm, but he is now a full-fledged male kisser, and seems no worse for the wear, so to speak. I’m happy to say that I’ve never been put to the test yet (a Belgian dude probably would not appreciate a low-pitched scream slipping out of me without warning).

I’ve found that different countries have differing requirements for the number of pecks to be shared by male acquaintances (I call it the Kiss-Factor, or K-F). Here in Belgium, a K-F of one is standard. In other European countries, I’ve often seen it raised to a K-F of two. Down south a bit and in other far-flung areas of the continent, I’ve even seen a K-F-3 several times. Picture this: ten guys get together for dinner and begin a K-F-3 ritual. Face it, everybody’s eating cold food tonight! But I believe three is the max, as well it should be. Anything beyond K-F-3 and I don’t think we’re in the just-friends category anymore. I mean, why do you think they call it fourplay??