How acceptable is PDA in Britain?

Keep your clothes on and don't go groping the important bits and nobody will care. Tame stuff like kissing and hand holding won't even catch anyone's attention

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Just my experience that most people don’t care with you’re straight, LGBT or anywhere in between, however, there will occasions where some cretin doesn’t like it. I don’t like any PDA in general but that’s just me, and I don’t care really about anyone else so long as they’re not bumping into me whilst they’re kissing and as long as that’s as far as it goes.

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gerrineer@reddit

No nobody cares ...although a few years ago I had a window seat in a town centre pub having dinner when a tramp decided to finger his girlfriend on the bench outside ( put me off the toad in the hole a bit)

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AmpleApple9@reddit

I laughed too hard at this

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GooseyDuckDuck@reddit

Yeah, no one will care.

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Hertfordgal@reddit

Yes

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RoutineCloud5993@reddit

It's location specific. There will be some people who have an issue solely because it's LGBT than because it's PDA. That's a little harder to say specifically, because I don't fall into that category. If there are a lot of people around, you'll probably be fine. If not, read the environment and act accordingly

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Internal-Scarcity672@reddit

How do you be LGBT all at once pray

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Enough-Web2203@reddit (OP)

I am the whole alphabet hahaha, i am just gay

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Bifanarama@reddit

I've been listening to too much Radio 4 and I think I might be turning a bit GQT. No one's given me any weird looks so far, thankfully.

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Altruistic_Dare6085@reddit

That kind of depends on the location. Do you know any other gay couples in your area?

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Altruistic_Cress_700@reddit

Why wouldnt it be? Same rules apply. Everything in moderation. Because you aren't in private, then it is rude if you are going to be the centre of attention. But, it also depends on the situation. Standing to one side is totally different than being in the centre of the walkway. At a train station where people say goodbye to each other, the rules are different because it's more expected. But there's no different rules for LGBT people vs anyone else. Everyone has an equal right to be themselves.

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TheAdamena@reddit

I love the reddit trend of everyone always trying to be the funniest person in the room. Anyway, yeah only really holding hands, hugging, and light kissing is accepted.

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FumbleCrop@reddit

In the UK we call Pubic Displays of Affection "dogging", and they are completely acceptable **in the right locations**. Ask the city council for a list of licensed dogging sites.

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Neither-Albatross866@reddit

Ffs 🤣🤣 Public Dogging Areas right?

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DutchOfBurdock@reddit

There are Private ones. But these are generally referred to as brothels.

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gerrineer@reddit

Or the house of lords.

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zagreus9@reddit

Where else would you do it?

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Neither-Albatross866@reddit

In the other PDAs Private Dogging Areas

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Radiant_Office6445@reddit

Oi! Av yew gotta loicense for that there shagging on the backseat? ---er yes officer... One second. I have the full license for both front seat AND rear seat encounters, the boot only with the seats down and lights on. Aaah yes, son. You're all up to date. As you were... Mind if I have a watch from behind the bushes? ---er yes officer... Fine, but we're only showing tonight no incl... YOU'RE NICKED SON!

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Neither-Albatross866@reddit

You've mixed like 3 different British accents here 🤣

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Radiant_Office6445@reddit

Wel, yo I hope da fam hu reedin dis find it gert lush, they do. Gert lush.

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Neither-Albatross866@reddit

Dear Lawd this is atrocious😭

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Radiant_Office6445@reddit

Why-aye Man! Dan mekk me ganna Dan toom your ends or I shall be required, of course, to render unto yourself a beating of a kind. Yeyeye, wotch aht ferral dem sneks bro, ye?

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Radiant_Office6445@reddit

True story

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Worried-Penalty8744@reddit

There’s also cottaging if it’s a bit cold

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SCP_XXX_AR@reddit

what the hell is PDA

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Dogemann1366@reddit

No one cares. We are a mostly secular, liberal and free society.

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ManicMudslide@reddit

I draw the line at shops, I mean if you've just been bought an engagement ring at the jewellers - fine, but don't block the aisle in Tesco's.

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MutedMusic_182@reddit

well, i for one enjoy the interpol song titled pda from their debut 2002 album 'turn on the bright lights' ...

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propostor@reddit

Depends on the extent of the PDA and the location. On the tube? Bit weird. In a park on a beautiful sunny day? Go for it.

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Phat-Lines@reddit

Is it that weird? I don’t live in London so I rarely get the tube. On a regular train I don’t think it’d be odd or even notable for someone to give a quick kiss to their partner, hold their hand, lean into one another if sat side by side. Is there a reason it’s different on the tube? Other than the tube being presumably more packed.

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Hot_College_6538@reddit

Oh you country bumpkins with your thoughts of seats. On the tube we stand and you get knifed for eye-contact As with anything it's about context, and whether you are inconveniencing other passengers. On a quiet off peak tube what you say would be fine. On an 8am central line to stand in the pack and have you [tongue](https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=3bfd357771d07d42&sxsrf=ANbL-n4sSJPP_OfRdnRFAzT0PCPqZtrgOQ:1778855950875&q=tongue&spell=1&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjTzrvowruUAxWXWkEAHRfDBzUQBSgAegQIDxAB) down someone else's throat will probably be tutted into oblivion.

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propostor@reddit

I don't live in London either but the question asked about it. The tube feels a lot more exposed and busy than a typical train, also I was imagining a little bit more than a small kiss.

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Objective_Mousse7216@reddit

I stopped using my PDA in 2007 when I got my iPhone. /s

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split-tennisball@reddit

So glad you confirmed it was sarcasm. Don't think I would have got it if didn't.

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sheepandlambs@reddit

It's sarcasm because they actually still use their PDA regularly.

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Objective_Mousse7216@reddit

Redditors are getting thicker by the hour.

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Toon1982@reddit

It's the lack of exercise

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Objective_Mousse7216@reddit

I like thicc redditors.

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Neddlings55@reddit

I only know of pathological demand avoidance.

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Frodo34x@reddit

Yeah, I've been reading / watching too much content by autistic people lately to read it any other way

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Venus_Gospel@reddit

Real af, get a diagnosis and your algorithms are on that shit right away

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Enough-Web2203@reddit (OP)

Do brits have the same ‘german stare’?

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AshamedAttention727@reddit

Well??? How acceptable is it in public?

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blanketred4@reddit

It's not gonna get you in legal trouble or told off like in Islamic countries, but I'd say generally the unspoken rule is don't do anything you wouldn't see in a PG movie unless it's in an adult establishment (like a nightclub/bar etc..). So like hugging, holding hands, playing with each other's hair, light pecks - all fine. Making out, groping each other etc... - not fine.

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Enough-Web2203@reddit (OP)

Yea i was just asking about holding hands , thank you

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blanketred4@reddit

Ah fair, holding hands is completely normal here dw. It's hardly even considered PDA it's so common.

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singingcr@reddit

We call them smartphones here. How I feel about it? Better kept in secure place, to avoid walking into others.

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Sea-Still5427@reddit

Fine unless you're close enough for me to hear noises.

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Harald_TheEnduring@reddit

PDA? You’re a bit fancy aren’t you? I’m still using a pager.

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Enough-Web2203@reddit (OP)

Take care, pagers sometimes explode

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spinningdice@reddit

I used to have a Palm Pilot about 15 years ago, but I think mobile phones have taken over their niche now.

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neuraljam@reddit

A palm pilot is an alternative name for someone who frequently has PDAs on their own

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spinningdice@reddit

What are you trying to say about my Personal Digital Assistant?

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M27TN@reddit

People should Ipaq it in and get a room

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Ashbuck200@reddit

Depends on how well you know the person and where you happen to be there and then

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Enough-Web2203@reddit (OP)

My bf, but we are gay so i was wondering how okay is it to hold hands

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spinningdice@reddit

In my experience as a trans woman with a long term girlfriend about 98% of people either won't notice or care if you're holding hands. the 2% might give you scornful looks or mutter about it but won't do anything. I'd say it's pretty much the same if it's a quick kiss, if you're outright necking in public you'll either get mutters or cheers depending on the crowd.

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Foxtrot7888@reddit

PDA as in public display of affection?

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Objective_Mousse7216@reddit

Another fucking Americanism slipping in....

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jarvi123@reddit

They absolutely love abbreviations for some reason, makes them feel smart or something haha

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Chevalitron@reddit

That and talking really fast. Smart people never breathe, apparently.

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PoolRamen@reddit

Depends where you are. Exercise your judgement In British parts, PDA should be fine as long as it's not PDL In non-British parts, probably less so

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dandorios@reddit

What? Every part of britain is a british part because its britain.

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LoccyDaBorg@reddit

PDAs were very popular in the 90s and early 2000s, from companies like Palm, and the legendary Nokia Communicator. But with the advent of smartphones they kind of faded away.

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Frodo34x@reddit

https://www.reddit.com/r/Scotland/comments/imt00/losing_your_hand_at_tinthepark_and_other_stuff/ It's popular

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Enough-Web2203@reddit (OP)

Thats cute thank you

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DutchOfBurdock@reddit

Pathological Demand Avoidance is very common in the UK. You'll find it in most work environments, on the road and just in general you'll find members of the public

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electact@reddit

These kind of threads are always so annoying, everyone just gives their personal opinion and acts like that's what the whole country believes.

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CicadaSlight7603@reddit

Kiss on the lips briefly, holding hands, sitting with hand on partner’s thigh, cuddling, arms round each other are ok in social situations (not professional situations). If other people see actual tongue or thigh skin etc or hear slurping noises then it’s probably not acceptable unless in a club though you may see teenagers indulging on buses and back seat of the cinema etc. People tut a little at that though as it’s not really considered appropriate. Also what is ok at a teen party (snogging) might raise eyebrows at a cocktail party full of thirty year olds.

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Tactical-Chunderer@reddit

Heavy petting is banned in swimming pools.

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VariousClassroom8056@reddit

So is bombing but it doesn't stop me trying out my standup routine.

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jarvi123@reddit

A kiss or 2 would be fine, but eating each other's faces is super weird and will make others uncomfortable, I've travelled a lot and have never been somewhere where that kind of thing wasn't weird in public settings.

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Hertfordgal@reddit

Where are you from? What makes you think it may not be acceptable? People here simply don’t care about things like that.

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Puzzleheaded-Web1519@reddit

I obviously don’t care, as I didn’t even know what PDA was.

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FakeNordicAlien@reddit

Holding hands, leaning against each other, hugging, kissing - fine anywhere. Making out - depends on the location, in most places it’ll make some people somewhat uncomfortable if it goes on more than a few seconds, but unlikely anyone will call you out on it if you’re an opposite-sex same-race couple (results for same-sex and interracial couples may vary, and may be dependent on where you are). Groping - very frowned upon, may possibly get you arrested depending on who’s around. That said, a quick squeeze over the clothes is more tolerable than something prolonged under the clothes (even if body parts aren’t exposed). Sex - only OK in sex clubs and at specific events. Even then, ask about the rules before doing anything. That said, it does somewhat depend on *how* public. Hiking trail or deserted field where you could technically be seen but it’s unlikely in practice will be more tolerated (if someone does happen to see) than in the middle of a crowded station or the high street on Saturday afternoon.

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Emergency-Tower-8933@reddit

Public Displays of Affection

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TheSmokeyGiant031@reddit

Banned. Death by Guillotine at dawn, if caught.

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Boboshady@reddit

In general, no problem at all. There's absolutely a difference between 'heavy petting' and basically having sex on the street, and there is 100% a sliding scale as to what people will deem acceptable and not...but generally speaking, kissing, holding hands, cuddling etc - no problem at all. As with everything, what someone thinks is perfectly acceptable, someone else somewhere is guaranteed to find the most mortally offensive thing they've ever seen.

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GeggingIn@reddit

Ooo, love a snog on the bus. 💋

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Dennyisthepisslord@reddit

We get our fans out and waft them about before fainting

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ImpactAffectionate86@reddit

Holding hands is borderline

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WalkerJoggerSprinter@reddit

Criminal offence for anything more than a hug

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Tall_Stick5608@reddit

For me personally I think it’s quite cute to see a couple displaying PDA instead of being cold / arguing however there is a line and it’s probably inappropriate to have your tongue down someone’s throat whilst grabbing their butt considering most places are family family friendly. That doesn’t happen quite frequently though.

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ryanw095@reddit

I've literally seen guys with hands down there gf jeans in the UK I dont think anyone cares aslong as jts not in a restaurant haha

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Row_Echelon_Form@reddit

PDAs are obsolete technology now surely?

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Original_Document748@reddit

Its quite common , I suppose it depends on how comfortable each person feels about it but no one here is going to give a second thought to a couple showing pda

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