Editing Hug (section)

==Cultural aspects==
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While less common, hugging may be undertaken as part of a ritual or social act in certain social groups. It is a custom in some cultures such as France, Spain and Latin America for male friends to hug (as well as slap each other on the back) in a joyous [[greeting]].<ref>William Cane, ''The Art of Hugging: The World-Famous Kissing Coach Offers Inspiration and Advice on Why, Where, and How to Hug'', St. Martin's Griffin, US, 2013.</ref> A similar hug, usually accompanied by a [[kiss on the cheek]], is also becoming a custom among Western women at meeting or parting. In Portugal and Brazil, it is common, mostly among males, to finish letters and emails with {{lang|pt|Um abraço}} or {{lang|pt|Abraço}} ('a hug', or 'hug') followed by the sender's signature. Similar formulas may be used in oral communication. In the [[Roman Catholic]] rite of the [[Holy Mass]], a hug may be substituted for a kiss or handshake amid the [[kiss of peace]] ritual.

In May 2009, ''[[The New York Times]]'' reported that "the hug has become the favorite social greeting when teenagers meet or part these days" in the United States.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/28/style/28hugs.html |title=For Teenagers, Hello Means 'How About a Hug?' |date=2009-05-27 |first=Sarah |last=Kershaw |access-date=2009-05-29 |work=[[The New York Times]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714020842/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/28/style/28hugs.html |archive-date=July 14, 2011 }}
</ref> A number of schools in the United States have issued bans on hugs, which in some cases have resulted in student-led protests against these bans.<ref>{{cite web |last=Grant |first=Denise |date=2010-04-15 |title=Students pan hugging ban |url=http://www.thecourier.com/Issues/2010/Apr/15/ar_news_041510_story1.asp?d=041510_story1,2010,Apr,15&c=n |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320005015/http://www.thecourier.com/Issues/2010/Apr/15/ar_news_041510_story1.asp?d=041510_story1%2C2010%2CApr%2C15&c=n |archive-date=2012-03-20 |website=The Courier}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=2008-03-02 |title=School Bans Hugs Over 2 Seconds |url=http://www.kpho.com/news/15456156/detail.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080917165700/http://www.kpho.com/news/15456156/detail.html |archive-date=Sep 17, 2008 |website=kpho}}</ref>

A Canadian journalistic investigation in 2015 noted the popularity of the hug in [[bromance]] among young francophone adults in [[Quebec]], Canada.<ref>Lili Boisvert, radio-canada.ca, [http://blogues.radio-canada.ca/originel/2015/01/19/bromance-ces-gars-qui-craquent-pour-leurs-amis/ Bromance : ces gars qui craquent pour leurs amis] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160911215636/http://blogues.radio-canada.ca/originel/2015/01/19/bromance-ces-gars-qui-craquent-pour-leurs-amis/|date=2016-09-11}}, Canada, January 19, 2015.</ref>

Unlike some other types of physical contact, a hug can be practiced publicly and privately without [[social stigma|stigma]] in many countries, religions and cultures, within families, and also across most age and gender lines,<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Duranti |first=Alessandro |date=1997-06-01 |title=Universal and Culture-Specific Properties of Greetings |url=https://anthrosource.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1525/jlin.1997.7.1.63 |journal=Journal of Linguistic Anthropology |language=en |volume=7 |issue=1 |pages=63–97 |doi=10.1525/jlin.1997.7.1.63 |issn=1055-1360|url-access=subscription }}</ref> but is generally an indication that people are familiar with each other. Moving from a [[handshake]] (or touch-free) relationship to a hug relationship is a sign of a closer friendship.

An unexpected hug can be regarded as an invasion of a person's [[personal space]], but if it is reciprocated, it is an indication that it is welcome. Some Western culture commentators advise avoiding hugs at work to prevent uncomfortable moments, especially with people who dislike hugging.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/2014/01/11/261467123/a-new-rule-for-the-workplace-hug-sparingly|agency=NPR|title=A New Rule For The Workplace: 'Hug Sparingly'|date=2014-01-11}}</ref> Also, a person, especially a [[child]], may caress and hug a [[doll]] or [[stuffed animal]]. Young children also hug their parents when they feel threatened by an unfamiliar person, although this may be regarded as clinging onto rather than hugging because it demonstrates a need for protection rather than affection.

Some cultures do not use hugging as a sign of affection or love, such as the [[Himba people|Himba]] in [[Namibia]].{{Citation needed|date=March 2012}} During the Islamic fasting month of [[Ramadan]], it is [[halal]] (permissible) for someone to hug one's significant other during daylight hours if one has self-control. However, if accompanied by libidinous urges, it is [[haram]] (sinful).<ref>[http://www.onislam.net/english/ask-the-scholar/acts-of-worship/fasting/fasting-rulings-and-regulations/169766-hugging-ones-spouse-while-fasting.html?Regulations=]{{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141020091114/http://www.onislam.net/english/ask-the-scholar/acts-of-worship/fasting/fasting-rulings-and-regulations/169766-hugging-ones-spouse-while-fasting.html?Regulations=|date=October 20, 2014}}.</ref> Hugging between the opposite gender outside the same family is uncommon and often stigmatized in many traditional Islamic communities.<ref>{{cite book |last1=C. Arnold |first1=Elizabeth |last2=Underman Boggs |first2=Kathleen |title=Interpersonal Relationships: Professional Communication Skills for Nurses |date=8 January 2015 |publisher=Elsevier Health Sciences |isbn=978-0323328579 |page=129 |edition=7th}}</ref>