i don't hug my male relatives b/c i don't want to make them uncomfortable. b/c they know i'm gay and i don't want them to think i'm coming on to them or feeling them up for a cheap thrill. it's my own internalized homophobia that i project on them which creates distance between us. it makes me very sad.

same w/my friends - even my GAY friends. i don't hug many of them for this same reason. i said above - i have gay friends i've known for 15 yrs and i can count on 2 hands the number of times we've touched beyond a hug. and i wouldn't need all 10 fingers. that too makes me sad.