The hug line

Started by Dagger-6, May 26, 2009, 06:54:26 PM

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lyricaldanichan

#121
It would be nice if they did this outside or not at all. It was embarrassing guiding the GOHs from the Hilton into the SJCC and seeing this train wreak. I understand people are having fun, but it was a bit much and awkward. I guess it could be worse.

Quote from: Liquid on January 22, 2010, 03:20:37 PM
lol, so true. I love hugs. The hug line never gave me a reason to disperse them. I never really witnessed them harassing anyone and I was always asked for a hug before being hugged.

I can understand though that there are people out there who don't even want to be approached and asked for a hug. Because even though they don't want a hug they are generally good natured and will feel pressured to say yes. Personally, I'd like to see if we could keep the hug line against the wall and attempt to keep them from approaching individuals directly, to narrow down the awkwardness some feel. However, we will have to discuss this topic with the Rover heads at one of the next meetings for an official ruling.

PrincessPolka

Things get a little wacky at the con. I don't see it as harmful in any way. The last time I went, I think it was 2006, (havent been for awhile) someone did glomp be without permission and that was very annoying to say the least. The signs are part of the fun I think. Not only did people have signs for free hugs, but a bunch of other silly things as well, and it's just silly fun. Of course, some do get carried away, and that's when harmless fun becomes creepy to me. I don't want to be hugged by total strangers without my consent, that is upsetting. I'll get in the con spirit like many others and act like a goof, but I am not going to subject others to my silliness. Save it for your friends.

PyronIkari

Quote from: PrincessPolka on January 26, 2010, 07:41:16 PM
Things get a little wacky at the con. I don't see it as harmful in any way. The last time I went, I think it was 2006, (havent been for awhile) someone did glomp be without permission and that was very annoying to say the least. The signs are part of the fun I think. Not only did people have signs for free hugs, but a bunch of other silly things as well, and it's just silly fun. Of course, some do get carried away, and that's when harmless fun becomes creepy to me. I don't want to be hugged by total strangers without my consent, that is upsetting. I'll get in the con spirit like many others and act like a goof, but I am not going to subject others to my silliness. Save it for your friends.

Let's turn it this way. Don't look at it from your perspective but from someone else.

Imagine, you are with your 5 yr. old daughter and you're walking down the hall. A guy, seemingly in his 20s who is shirtless is standing next to a very scantily clad girl maybe 16 and they're both holding signs that say free hugs, and are asking people to hug them. As a parent, who doesn't know much about cons and decided to take her 5 yr. old daughter to this convention because she likes anime, how would you feel? Are you going to go "WOW this environment is great for my daughter, and I want her to be here". Or even "Wow, when my daughter grows up, I sure want her to be going to this place alone!"

It's fun and games to you, but it's not to other people, and it can be really disturbing, problematic. Like, I saw people going up and hugging "kids"(tweens/preteens/and barely teenagers) without them asking, and even though some said it was ok, they weren't with a parent or anything. This really is kinda disturbing realistically.

Persona

^ Agreed.

Personally, I found the lines annoying and disturbing. I was a proponent of Free Hugs back when it was on college campuses and it was a pretty safe and neutral affair: we carried signs, smiled, and didn't get into people's faces. People who didn't want hugs politely declined and we respected their wishes, and people who wanted hugs got fully-clothed, generous-but-not-groping hugs. If the huglines were more like that, i.e. "I want to give you a hug to brighten your day" and not "You need to give us attention", I wouldn't have a problem with it at all, but unfortunately they're not -- they cross too many boundaries of appropriateness by being shirtless and aggressive, and by invading other people's personal space.

I can understand why the people in the huglines would behave the way they do; after all, they're just having a bit of fun, and those who decline or try to stop it are just uptight and mean. However, no matter where these activities take place, be it at a mall or a con, personal boundaries need to be respected, and if someone doesn't want to have a hug, then don't give them one and send them on their merry way.

I think there needs to be a panel on this.

Nina Star 9

Quote from: Persona on January 27, 2010, 12:30:31 PMI think there needs to be a panel on this.
Basic Manners 101 -- What your parents should have taught you but apparently didn't

Hopefully people would actually listen to it. ;P

PyronIkari

Quote from: Nina Star 9 on January 27, 2010, 10:46:09 PM
Quote from: Persona on January 27, 2010, 12:30:31 PMI think there needs to be a panel on this.
Basic Manners 101 -- What your parents should have taught you but apparently didn't

Hopefully people would actually listen to it. ;P

Chances are it'll just turn into a big argument of people going "WE WANT TO DO IT AND YOU CAN'T STOP US! WE LIKE HUGGING PEOPLE, WE ARE NOT WHAT YOU DESCRIBE!" and "YOU REALIZE YOU'RE NOT EXACTLY GIVING PEOPLE SPACE, AND DISTURBING LOTS OF PEOPLE RIGHT?!"

HelloDolly

Quote from: Nina Star 9 on January 27, 2010, 10:46:09 PM
Quote from: Persona on January 27, 2010, 12:30:31 PMI think there needs to be a panel on this.
Basic Manners 101 -- What your parents should have taught you but apparently didn't

Hopefully people would actually listen to it. ;P

I think "basic manners" includes keeping your shirt on in public, not soliciting, and being aware of others' personal space. At least, that's what MY parents taught me.

My opinion- I don't care for hugs, but the line bothers me because of the crowdedness and crampedness that it creates in the area. Traffic is always sluggish which disenchants me to even go around there.

PyronIkari

Quote from: HelloDolly on January 28, 2010, 11:50:49 PM
Quote from: Nina Star 9 on January 27, 2010, 10:46:09 PM
Quote from: Persona on January 27, 2010, 12:30:31 PMI think there needs to be a panel on this.
Basic Manners 101 -- What your parents should have taught you but apparently didn't

Hopefully people would actually listen to it. ;P

I think "basic manners" includes keeping your shirt on in public, not soliciting, and being aware of others' personal space. At least, that's what MY parents taught me.

My opinion- I don't care for hugs, but the line bothers me because of the crowdedness and crampedness that it creates in the area. Traffic is always sluggish which disenchants me to even go around there.

Eh keeping your shirt on isn't required... but it's creepy when a guy without a shirt is like "WILL YOU HUUUUUUG MEEEEEE?" If a guy is walking without a shirt, doing his thing, eating some nachos and smoking a cigarette, I'm not going to think anything of it. If he's asking me to hug him... that's totally different.

Liquid

Quote from: PyronIkari on January 28, 2010, 11:54:32 PM
Eh keeping your shirt on isn't required... but it's creepy when a guy without a shirt is like "WILL YOU HUUUUUUG MEEEEEE?" If a guy is walking without a shirt, doing his thing, eating some nachos and smoking a cigarette, I'm not going to think anything of it. If he's asking me to hug him... that's totally different.

Note to self: Try to find someone willing to play as a creepy guy with no shirt that has a cigarette and is eating nachos...and pay them to stalk Mikey around Fanime asking him if he wants a hug. :D
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PyronIkari

Quote from: Liquid on January 29, 2010, 10:23:41 AM
Quote from: PyronIkari on January 28, 2010, 11:54:32 PM
Eh keeping your shirt on isn't required... but it's creepy when a guy without a shirt is like "WILL YOU HUUUUUUG MEEEEEE?" If a guy is walking without a shirt, doing his thing, eating some nachos and smoking a cigarette, I'm not going to think anything of it. If he's asking me to hug him... that's totally different.

Note to self: Try to find someone willing to play as a creepy guy with no shirt that has a cigarette and is eating nachos...and pay them to stalk Mikey around Fanime asking him if he wants a hug. :D

So you want me to stalk myself, minus the hug part?

Liquid

LOL! A part of me would like to see how exactly that would work, but then again another part of me is not sure I'd want to see that at all. :D

However, we could always film the incident and make it our Rover educational video on how not to be creepy, with you playing the role as the bad example.
Tyler R. - Fanime Staff
2009 & 2010 Rovers - Suits
2011 Rovers - Graveyard Base
2012 Rovers - Second & Head of Suits
2013 Con Ops - Assistant Trouble Shooter

Tony

Quote from: PyronIkari on January 29, 2010, 11:41:45 AM
Quote from: Liquid on January 29, 2010, 10:23:41 AM
Quote from: PyronIkari on January 28, 2010, 11:54:32 PM
Eh keeping your shirt on isn't required... but it's creepy when a guy without a shirt is like "WILL YOU HUUUUUUG MEEEEEE?" If a guy is walking without a shirt, doing his thing, eating some nachos and smoking a cigarette, I'm not going to think anything of it. If he's asking me to hug him... that's totally different.

Note to self: Try to find someone willing to play as a creepy guy with no shirt that has a cigarette and is eating nachos...and pay them to stalk Mikey around Fanime asking him if he wants a hug. :D
So you want me to stalk myself, minus the hug part?
Bonus points if it's "Pants around the ankles, smoking a cigarette, reading a laptop while on the toilet" Mikey that's stalking real Mikey for hugs.
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PyronIkari

Quote from: Tony on January 29, 2010, 02:48:21 PM
Quote from: PyronIkari on January 29, 2010, 11:41:45 AM
Quote from: Liquid on January 29, 2010, 10:23:41 AM
Quote from: PyronIkari on January 28, 2010, 11:54:32 PM
Eh keeping your shirt on isn't required... but it's creepy when a guy without a shirt is like "WILL YOU HUUUUUUG MEEEEEE?" If a guy is walking without a shirt, doing his thing, eating some nachos and smoking a cigarette, I'm not going to think anything of it. If he's asking me to hug him... that's totally different.

Note to self: Try to find someone willing to play as a creepy guy with no shirt that has a cigarette and is eating nachos...and pay them to stalk Mikey around Fanime asking him if he wants a hug. :D
So you want me to stalk myself, minus the hug part?
Bonus points if it's "Pants around the ankles, smoking a cigarette, reading a laptop while on the toilet" Mikey that's stalking real Mikey for hugs.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHHA How did you see that pic? I don't think I've ever posted it on these forums! That pic is so awesome though, it's like my most favorite pic of myself.

RooBird

Quote from: suna_no_yoroi on May 26, 2009, 07:37:07 PM
The people were ordered to stay against the wall so they wouldn't be in the way.  If you didn't want to be hugged you didn't have to.  I honestly thought it was a positive experience, people are so closed off and apathetic towards eachother in society anymore that I thought it was cool that people were willing to show a little love to all genders/orientations/cosplays etc.
This. So much. The hug line and people wearing hug signs helped to strengthen the positive experience I was having for my first convention ever; And to be honest, the first thing that comes to mind when I think of my time at Fanime was the warmth and kindness of the people who were willing to give a little love to random strangers. It really made me happy, and it does upset me that other people did not feel the same thing. Anyways, in my opinion, it was a great thing.
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LastExile

The hug line did annoy me. I don't care about people with free hugs signs in general, so long as they're standing off to the side, being quiet, and not heckling people.
But I don't appreciate it when scantily clad cosplayers and non-cosplayers of any gender yell "FREE HUGS" at me then proceed to hug/glomp me without my permission.
:/
I think everybody just goes crazy once they're in a big group and feel empowered.

Vensy

As long as they don't harass people, forcefully make you hug them, it could be okay...

My cosplays are always very fragile and I like to avoid hugging if possible, especially sudden hugs w/o being asked. >.>

Every time I walked by them I was nervous.. TwT
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Loktera^2

Quote from: mDuo13 on May 29, 2009, 11:43:21 AM
I was mildly pleased to see that there were almost no dumb signs on Friday, and somewhat miffed when by Saturday the "Free Hugs" phenomenon was back with a vengeance. It doesn't intimidate me or anything, but it's kind of embarrassing that by going to the con I am associated with these people.

I'm in agreeance with mDuo. Even though I was once like this, I have since grown up and matured a little (okay, not a whole lot, but just enough to know better.) It is embarrassing to see people behave like that, especially when we are both attending an event.

So, as a word from the wise, it's not as cute as you think it is. It's also really damn annoying sometimes.

Just keep in mind. This was me in 2004.



Also, I still have that sign, and No, I will not bring it out of retirement, and NO I will not destroy it for the better of mankind.
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