Do you shake hands with women, the same way as you do with men?

[Picard]

Before everyone says YES!!! ... I'll say, I do too ... in a professional, work or formal context.

But what about in a social context.

For example: this afternoon in PnP I bumped into couple I've only met once or twice before. I shook hands with the man and chatted politely with both of them and when we said all the trivialities that could be said in a shopping isle, I shook hands with the man said goodbye to both of them, and off we went.

...Nothing strange about this situation ... I'm sure we've all have done it hundreds of times.

Question is, would you also shake hands with the woman. Like I said, we've only met each other I think twice before and I'm certainly not at the peck-on-check (or the airy wafts of kissing that women with too much make-up on are so use to doing) stage with her yet.

What do you do? Do you also just shake the man's hand and leave the woman hanging dry with just a perfunctory good-bye???
Or do you do the same as the flamboyant renaissance gentleman with an extravagant kiss on the hand?

 

[Spliffcat]

Shake her hand very gently, more of a squeeze than a up and down pounding.

 

[saor]

Shake hands with both of them or not at all. I feel uncomfortable engaging just one person physically and ignoring the other person...and I've also walked away from situations like that thinking about how silly it is, especially when you hardly know the people. Obviously if it's friends that are a couple it's different - and you greet them in a way that you're familiar with (shake/hug/whatever). Again - it feels weird only engaging one person like that.

 

[froot]

Socially, yes. Obviously much lighter and not as firm and all that.

 

[Mortymoose]

If "head office" ain't lookin' try slipping the tongue...

 

[MKFrost]

Shake both when first introduced, afterwards only the guys while greeting both

My wife do not like shaking hands, not even with people she knows so I take it from that. For men its normal to greet each other with a handshake so I will shake the guys hand while extending a warm greeting to both i.e. make sure the wife is included in the greeting.

 

[SoulTax]

I also sort of only shake hands with a woman the first time we meet. Thereafter, if I am not on hugging terms with her, then polite greetings is all I do.

I find that a handshake with a guy after the first time that you meet them is more of a testosterone thing. You are greeting them of course, but on some primal level you are re-acquainting yourselves physically. I see no need to do that with a woman. She either gets a peck on the cheek or a polite greeting.

Although most women that I have met for the first time, I will shake their hands in greeting and then give them a hug as a farewell. This I find breaks the ice for the next time, then they stay on the hugging list for life . I like to feel a variety of breasts, pressed against my chest.

 

[Mortymoose]

Bum rubs are also acceptable in certain countries or is that noses?

 

[HavocXphere]

Generally no - it somehow always ends up being awkward.

Unless its a formal type introduction as in "Havoc, this is Anne - she is the financial manager". Then a fairly very light handshake (as in just hard enough to avoid the dead fish syndrome).

I've got a colleague at work (male) who does the dead fish thing to the max. Not sure what to make of it tbh.

 

[Cicero]

If "head office" ain't lookin' try slipping the tongue...

Bum rubs are also acceptable in certain countries or is that noses?

I lolled. myBB never ceases to entertain

 

[Picard]

I lolled. myBB never ceases to entertain

Stick around. It's Friday. Something special always pops up over the weekends.

 

[Mortymoose]

I lolled. myBB never ceases to entertain

Ja... I'm on a roll tonite, that's what happens if younstart suiping Whk draught at 14hoo.......

 

[Picard]

Ja... I'm on a roll tonite, that's what happens if younstart suiping Whk draught at 14hoo.......

I've got 6 Windhoek draughts in my fridge.

 

[Venomous]

Ignored....

Is this the middle east where women have to walk a step behind the man, may not drive a car ....?

If you shake hands with the guy at least shake her hand too.

 

[Mortymoose]

I've got 6 Windhoek draughts in my fridge.

So proude of you dude..... Know go make a log fire in your lounge, just like my current log fire....... In jest...... Often wonder what a feckin awesome night we would have here in Nam with all you forum members here, as bob dylan sings knocking on heavens door....

 

[Mortymoose]

Ignore the above post, gesuiped on the ipad keyboard does not work, now kris is singing sunday morning coming down....

 

[Cicero]

Ja... I'm on a roll tonite, that's what happens if younstart suiping Whk draught at 14hoo.......

The bum rubs comment got me cracking up bro, well played.

I'd say rather shake hands with both, but not a manly shake. Its less awkward that way.

 

[Creag]

Shake her hand very gently, more of a squeeze than a up and down pounding.

This would be my approach too.

 

[OGroteKoning]

I know some women don't like to be greeted by hand, so I refrain from doing it as far as possible. I normally end up shaking the man's hand - quite firmly and then give the lady a 5 second hug and a smile with a wink right after. But never longer than 5 seconds since that could make things a bit awkward.

 

[bromster]

I have pondered over this topic for a long time. What works for me in a social setting is to do a normal handshake, but take my other hand and put it over the reverse side of her hand, enclosing it. This, coupled with a smile and a "Nice to meet you" seems to be well received.

The next time I meet her I will initiate a hug. It is actually quite funny watching women decide what course of action to follow. One never really claims to understand the inner workings of the female mind, but it seems as though women are relieved when the other person just decides what to do and rolls with it. The awkward "I don't know what to do" dance is both terrible and comical.