PDA.

This is going to be a little off-topic compared to my normal posts, but as some of my friends know, this is something I feel strongly about so I thought I'd have a little rant about it on here.  I know as well that I'm very extreme with my views on this so please look at this light-heartedly and feel free to disagree! I also just want to say before I start, that I'm not just having these views as a single woman, but I felt just as strongly about this when I was in a relationship.

The issue: 
PDA (Public Displays of Affection)

I really feel (and I will definitely apply this in my own future relationship with a guy) that when a couple are coming together to meet friends, they have chosen to spend that time with their friends as well as each other. Therefore, sitting on each other's laps, kissing, holding hands, having their own private conversations - I just think that that is disgusting for everybody else to see and it's just massively inappropriate. I can understand, especially if the relationship is pretty new, that the couple may feel they want to always be touching each other or whatever; however, if they could just take a step-back for a minute and imagine what it's like for all the single people in the room, or the girls whose boyfriends are not there, to see their PDAs being rubbed in their faces and how they would feel about that. Unhelpful. And just a bit rude, really. I know that PDA couples don't mean to hurt other people but sometimes if they could just employ a bit of empathy, then they would avoid this altogether. Moreover, if the couple are glued together at the hip all the time, they are not developing their friendships with other people in the room - they are not giving up their time to solely listen to other friends. The group dynamics work out that the rest of the room refer to the couple that are sitting so close together that they look like one person as just that: one inseperable being. The individuals within this PDA couple are not being known for who they are. We all have seperate identities, we are all unique - I want to know both these people as individuals and not think of them as "oh that's just so-and-so's boyfriend/girlfriend". 

Of course, there are some times when PDAs are more appropriate than others. For example, if a couple was on a double date, or in a room full of couples, then that might be acceptable to hold hands or give the occasional quick kiss to my other half, but I still think I'd prefer to speak to all the members of the group and get to know them as individuals. Similarly, if I was meeting my boyfriend's friends for the first time, then I might appreciate sitting/standing next to him although I hope that I'd be able to seperate from him quickly and hold my own in the room, so that his friends could know me for who I am and not just think of me as just their mate's girlfriend. 

I recently went on a coastal walk along the South Devon coast from Lympstone Village to Topsham (it's beautiful if you're ever in the area). I was going to go with my two male friends, when at the last minute they both brought their girlfriends. I thought it'd be fine. And one of the couples in particular were really aware of how I might feel a bit of a fifth wheel and were good at allowing me to talk to them a bit. The other couple however... I didn't see them at all - it was like they were on their own private walk, even when I turned to try and talk to them they didn't make it easy to do that to do at all. I didn't get to know this friend's girlfriend at all because they only had eyes for each other. It was unbelievable. 

Anyway, I probably sound very angry in this post - sorry about that...I just feel strongly about this!