Since the beginning of the deconfinement, this must have happened to you: you find friends, one of them dangerously approaches and begins the age-old (and very French) ritual that is "the kiss". Caught off guard, a drop of sweat on your forehead, you politely refused at the last moment, or you reluctantly complied. But, in this month of June, some took another decision: that of completely letting go of the bridle.
We asked our internet users who opted for this third option the reason why they abandoned the barrier gestures, despite the risks. And, from their testimonies, it is a visceral need for proximity, human contact, which stands out.
"It is not by rebellion"
Among them, Sandrine is categorical: “No more barrier gestures, except in places where there is no choice, because I think the Covid has taken people away from our previous lives. And this "life before" is one "where smiles were seen, hugs, etc." Certainly, the virus is still present, but is it better to die (or not) from the Covid without having benefited, or to benefit and die (or not) from the Covid? For me, the choice is made… ”, she concludes. Nadège made the same decision: “It is not by rebellion. But if I don't stick with anyone, why impose this on me? We are not sick. We will not transmit anything. The kisses ? Impossible not to do them. You don't erase a life with a snap of your finger, ”she tries to explain.
Patricia suffers from an autoimmune disease, but has nevertheless decided to do without the barrier gestures: "I dropped all anti-Covid measures when I had strictly observed them during all confinement" explains- it, mainly for the possible psychic effects that this distancing could cause. For her, everyone will suffer "from being alone, from losing their job, from losing small pleasures, escapades, being with others, their humanity ... We have to stop all this, it just became ridiculous. "
A question of consent
However, among this flow of messages overflowing with affection, another parameter, more measured, returns. It is that of consent: “I always ask the question, to know if the person wants to respect distances or does not care. If she says "ok", I don't respect her. I couldn't resist the temptation to hug. It's selfish, but it feels great after two months of confinement. I wanted to live in the present moment. Explains Sofiane. Like him, Natacha prefers to ascertain the state of mind in which her interlocutor finds himself: “I decided to respect barrier gestures only out of respect for people who prefer to keep them. I ask before kissing or shaking a hand if the person agrees. ” Overall, these readers, like Mathieu, want to regain proximity "before": "It is time to take advantage of lost contacts and exchanges. This goes, of course, through more freedom, ignoring these common barrier gestures and distanciations. But, since everyone's freedom stops where others' begins, "respecting those who want to keep them as much as possible." "
The exception of "fragile" people
Finally, even for those determined to embrace, there is something that is not far from being unanimous: it is the principle of precaution towards people called "at risk". There are many testimonies similar to that of Jessica: “After five months of confinement alone in an apartment abroad, I decided to hug my loved ones in my arms without a mask. But not for my grandparents, whom I consider fragile. For them, I kept the mask. "
To come back to this famous "kiss" that is sometimes tricky to avoid, Julie concludes: "During the music festival, I was in Paris and even if I wanted to distance myself from people, they came to me naturally. From the moment I met someone I knew, he would approach me to kiss. The French tradition is well established and has a hard life. Unfortunately, the pandemic has changed almost nothing ”.
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20 seconds of context
This article is intended to be the synthesis of the 72 testimonies that we received at the time of these lines. They answer the question "Kisses, hugs, proximity ... Have you stopped respecting barrier gestures?" Tell us." There is no question of encouraging these behaviors.
- Covid 19
- Deconfinement
- Coronavirus
- Society