Holding hands

Two or more people voluntarily hold hands, as distinguished from a handshake:

• to express friendship or love,
• to enjoy physical contact (not necessarily of erotic character),
• for emotional support,
• to guide (a child, a blind person, in darkness, etc.)
• to urge to follow,
• to keep together (in a crowd or in darkness),
• to help the other walking, standing or climbing up,
• in certain religious services, to pray,
• to dance.

Whether friends hold hands depends on culture and gender: in the Western culture this is mainly done by women and small children. In Arab countries and some parts of Asia it is done also by men.

See also

• Physical intimacy
• Public display of affection
• Hands Across America (1986)

External links

• Pictures: [1] [2] [3] [4]