Sometimes I feel like I am in a cultural minefield. With every step, I may or may not make a mistake. Today I made a new one.
Back in Alberta, my labmates gave high-fives so hard that my arm ached at night. High fives were for celebration and greeting and were occasionally a supreme act of athleticism as the slap of the palms was combined with a run, jump and a 360 degree turn.
One of my labmates here had a great result while I was gone and when I held my hand up for a celebratory high five...
I was shafted.
Utterly.
Normally, I would feel hurt, but the shafter was the kind of person who would never be rude intentionally. So I just went on with my work. Later he came to me and shyly said "I hope you weren't offended, but there is a rule for religious Jews that we cannot touch a woman that is not our wife." I replied that I was in no way offended. (In fact, I was a little pleased that one of my labmates realized I was female under the very stylish lab coat and glasses.)
Five minutes later, after thinking about how often I give high fives, hugs and even handshakes to members of the opposite sex, I had to ask him for a clarification. Can he hug his mom? Apparently, moms are the exception. Sisters are officially OK too but still a bit taboo.
He asked me if my religion had such rules and I initially answered no. But now I realize that is not exactly true. All sexual harassment issues aside, we do have cultural taboos about how we touch the opposite sex. Many Canadian men are the kings of the weak two pat hug. And taboo and religion are almost one in the same, aren't they?
5 comments:
high five for that last line!
I have to give a shout out to little ol' Janet out there in the Holy Land for puttin the high 5 out there. Like Janet says, our old lab was all about celebration, the kind that hurts when you do it. High 5's are intense, and meant to be that way! Keep it real Jmac, kick ass out there and break some cultural taboos with the knowledge that it's all in good fun!
I should mention this rule is only for the very religious. Of my 15 or so male labmates, only one of them keeps this rule.
One of the non-religious labmates joked that I will be labeled a seductress for trying to give a high five and then promptly slapped me on the back.
hollah! super duper high-five action, coming at you down the hall with a 360° spin in the middle!
i have to say, our high-five heyday has diminished just in the slightest with your departure. i hope we can see each other sometime soon and break arms together!
Trying to seduce the religious folk with your high fives? You saucy minx!
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