within a
heart symbol Homoaffective practices may include
kissing,
hugging, any type of
physical intimacy in public spaces,
holding hands, and affectionate words between persons of the same sex. Such actions can be performed by individuals of any
sexual orientation. In other words, two people of the same sex may kiss on the cheek, embrace, or otherwise express mutual affection without necessarily being
gay or
bisexual. Depending on the social context and historical moment, these practices may be more or less tolerated. The term has also been adopted in gender studies, where it refers to the sense of
brotherhood and appreciation one person may feel toward others of the same sex. A paradox of homoaffectivity is that such behaviors are tolerated differently depending on the perceived sexual orientation of those involved. For example, in many Muslim-majority countries, it is common for two friends regarded as heterosexual to kiss or embrace in public, while similar behavior between two homosexual men is not equally accepted. The adjective is used by the Brazilian
LGBT organization ABRAFH (
Brazilian Association of Homotransaffective Families), which articulates demands for the rights of
homoparental families. The word polyaffectivity, describing
polyamory or
polyfidelity juridically, also uses the same suffix. == See also ==