Editing Public display of affection (section)

==Worldwide==
=== China ===
Historically, Chinese culture has regarded the overwhelming majority of physical contact between opposite sexes as unacceptable. The earliest iconic record of such view is ''[https://ctext.org/mengzi/li-lou-i?searchu=%E6%B7%B3%E4%BA%8E%E9%AB%A1%E6%9B%B0%EF%BC%9A%E2%80%9C%E7%94%B7%E5%A5%B3%E6%8E%88%E5%8F%97%E4%B8%8D%E8%A6%AA%EF%BC%8C%E7%A6%AE%E8%88%87%EF%BC%9F Mencius: Li Lou I]'' ([https://zh.wikisource.org/zh-hans/%E5%AD%9F%E5%AD%90/%E9%9B%A2%E5%A9%81%E4%B8%8A 孟子 · 離婁上], written in the [[Warring States period|Warring States Period]]), in which [[Mencius]] ({{lang-zh|孟子}}), a Confucian scholar and philosopher, states that it is "etiquette that males and females shall not allow their hands to touch in giving or receiving anything" ({{lang-zh|男女授受不親}}),<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mengzi: Li Lou I - 淳于髡曰：「男女授受不親，禮與？ - Chinese Text Project |url=https://ctext.org/mengzi/li-lou-i?searchu=%E6%B7%B3%E4%BA%8E%E9%AB%A1%E6%9B%B0%EF%BC%9A%E2%80%9C%E7%94%B7%E5%A5%B3%E6%8E%88%E5%8F%97%E4%B8%8D%E8%A6%AA%EF%BC%8C%E7%A6%AE%E8%88%87%EF%BC%9F |access-date=18 June 2019 |website=ctext.org}}</ref> a view that is still prevalent today.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://zh.wikisource.org/zh-hans/%E5%AD%9F%E5%AD%90/%E9%9B%A2%E5%A9%81%E4%B8%8A|title=孟子/離婁上 - 維基文庫，自由的圖書館|website=zh.wikisource.org|access-date=18 June 2019}}</ref> Younger generations in more developed parts of China are less afraid of displaying their affections towards their partners in public (partially affected by the emergence of Western culture). It is common to see males and females holding hands or wearing coordinating outfits in urbanized cities, with some commentators suggesting "mass availability of condoms and hyper-sexualized advertisements" as the cause for China's increasing acceptance of PDA.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://china.davidson.edu/blog/chinas-public-display-of-affection/|title=China's Public Display of Affection|website=china.davidson.edu|access-date=18 June 2019}}</ref> However, traditional ideals still have a strong influence on social norms of relatively remote regions.

In the first few decades of the 21st century, Chinese [[netizen]]s coined the expression {{lang|zh|秀恩爱}} ({{lang-zh|p=xiù ēn'ài|l=to show off love and affection}}) for public display of affection. The neologism quickly popularized and gained the connotation of "being lovey-dovey to piss off single people." According to a 2004 research by Weiyi Zhang, a researcher from [[Fudan University]], the dissemination of PDA culture in China is largely ascribed to an ultramodern desire to gain public recognition and reality confirmation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://cdmd.cnki.com.cn/Article/CDMD-10246-1015426762.htm|title=影像传播与亲密关系：社交网络秀恩爱仪式研究--《复旦大学》2014年硕士论文|website=cdmd.cnki.com.cn|access-date=18 June 2019}}</ref>

Mothers from the [[Manchu people|Manchu]] minority ethnic group, as only researched in the 1900s in [[Aigun]] of Northern [[Manchuria]] where the researcher [[S. M. Shirokogoroff]] personally believed the Manchu element were "purer" than those of Southern Manchuria and Peking (now Beijing),<ref>{{cite journal|last = Laufer|first = B.|date = 1924|title = Book Reviews|jstor = 661399|journal = American Anthropologist|volume = 26| issue  = 4|pages = 540–543| quote = The author's researches were made at Aigun in northern Manchuria where the Manchu element is preserved in a purer form and less influenced by Chinese than in southern Manchuria and Peking.| doi  = 10.1525/aa.1924.26.4.02a00100|doi-access = free}}</ref> used to show affection for their children by performing [[fellatio]] on their male babies, placing the penis in their mouths and stimulating it, while they regarded public kissing with revulsion.<ref>{{cite book | last=Shirokogorov | first=Sergeĭ Mikhaĭlovich | title=Social Organization of the Manchus: A Study of the Manchu Clan Organization | year=1924 | publisher=Royal Asiatic Society| page=i, 1–6, 122 }}</ref>

===India===
Public display of affection might be regarded as socially unacceptable in [[India]] if it disturbs others or creates nuisance. Same-sex physical contact is allowed. Under [[section 294 of the Indian Penal Code]], causing annoyance to others through "obscene acts" is a criminal offence with a punishment of imprisonment up to three months or a fine, or both.<ref>{{cite web |title=Criminal Law - Indian Penal Code,1860 - Section 294 - Obscene acts and songs |url=http://www.indianlawcases.com/Act-Indian.Penal.Code,1860-1742 |website=Indian Law Cases |access-date=10 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180105073053/http://www.indianlawcases.com/Act-Indian.Penal.Code,1860-1742 |archive-date=5 January 2018}}</ref> For example, in 2007, when actor [[Richard Gere]] kissed [[Shilpa Shetty]] in an AIDS awareness event in New Delhi, a warrant for his arrest was issued by an Indian court, which was overturned by a higher court. However, the [[Supreme Court of India]] on various occasions have said that kissing or hugging between adults in public is legal.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/change-laws-according-to-change-in-society/articleshow/64011340.cms|title = 'Change laws according to change in society' &#124; Kolkata News - Times of India|website = [[The Times of India]]| date=3 May 2018 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/richard-gere-kissing-incident-love-affair-with-akshay-kumar-raj-kundra-pornography-case-5-times-shilpa-shetty-made-headlines/photostory/84829695.cms|title=Shilpa Shetty: Richard Gere kissing incident, love affair with Akshay Kumar, Raj Kundra pornography case: 5 times Shilpa Shetty made headlines|website=[[The Times of India]]|date=29 July 2021}}</ref> In 2009, the far-right group [[Sri Ram Sena]] physically attacked couples celebrating [[Valentine's Day]] in [[Mangalore]], stating that it goes against Indian culture.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/india/4447238/Hindu-extremists-will-attack-Valentines-Day-couples.html | work=Telegraph, UK | title=Hindu extremists 'will attack Valentine's Day couples' |  first=Ben| last=Farmer| date=3 February 2009 | access-date=16 October 2010 | location=London}}</ref> In the state of [[Kerala]], a public kissing display named [[2014 Kiss of Love protest|Kiss of Love]] was held in November 2014 in protest against [[Moral police|moral policing]].<ref name=Toix1>{{cite news|last1=B|first1=Viju|title='Kiss of love' movement: They came, dared the mob, did it|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Kiss-of-love-movement-They-came-dared-the-mob-did-it/articleshow/45016955.cms|access-date=3 November 2014|work=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref>

===Middle East===
{{Verification|section|date=April 2025}}
Middle Eastern countries such as [[Iraq]], [[Saudi Arabia]], [[Jordan]] and [[Egypt]] are predominantly Muslim cultures. Although public displays of affection generally do not fit the local culture and customs, it varies even among these countries.{{Citation needed|date=April 2025}} Decency laws do not allow public displays of affection. Penalties can be severe based on the action in different countries.{{Citation needed|date=April 2025}}

For example, travelers to [[Dubai]] have been given jail sentences for kissing in public. In 2009 a British couple caught publicly kissing in Dubai were sentenced to deportation following a three-month prison sentence.<ref name=":0" />{{Better source needed|reason=The current source is insufficiently reliable ([[WP:NOTRS]]).|date=May 2025}} An unmarried Indian couple, who were in a taxi, were sentenced to one year in prison for hugging and kissing.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=http://thriftytraveling.com/going-to-dubai-better-know-the-law/|website=Thrifty Traveling|title=Going to Dubai? Better Know the LAWS |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140626085809/https://thriftytraveling.com/going-to-dubai-better-know-the-law |archive-date=26 June 2014}}</ref> The taxi driver drove the couple directly to a police station.<ref name=":0" /> Kissing is considered "an offence to public decency".{{Citation needed|date=April 2025}}

=== Western world===
[[File:Man and woman hugging at beach.jpg|thumb|A couple hugging at a beach in the United States]]{{Needs expansion|date=April 2025}}
In most of the [[Western world]], such as [[Western Europe]], [[Australia]], [[New Zealand]], [[Canada]], the [[United States]], and [[Latin America]], it is very common to see people holding hands, hugging and sometimes kissing in public.<ref>{{cite web |title=Kiss & Tell: A couple's guide to PDA around the world |url=https://stowawaymag.byu.edu/kiss-tell-a-couples-guide-to-pda-around-the-world |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230610212756/https://stowawaymag.byu.edu/kiss-tell-a-couples-guide-to-pda-around-the-world |archive-date=10 June 2023 |access-date=8 September 2023}}</ref> It is not usually socially acceptable to be overly explicit, such as engaging in sexual activities.<ref>{{cite web |title=Public Displays of Affection Abroad (PDA) - Expat Guide Asia |url=http://www.expatguideasia.com/public-displays-affection-pda |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170524131242/http://www.expatguideasia.com/public-displays-affection-pda |archive-date=24 May 2017 |access-date=10 October 2018 |website=Expat Guide Asia |url-status=usurped |quote=That said, no-one’s going to arrest you if you’re kissing or snuggling your partner in public; likewise, hand-holding, a casual arm round the waist and the occasional cheeky bum squeeze aren’t going to get you in trouble. Most people will even tolerate the exuberant (if sick-making) lovey-dovey touchiness of some couples, especially if they’re young and obviously smitten – which sets us apart from many cultures in the world in which romantic love is either not expressed in public, or expressed in very different ways.}}</ref>