Words by Sinope

Absolutely! Permission is always, always important, regardless of the combination of genders involved. (Or, for that matter, with animals -- petting pets or service animals without explicit consent from their owner is also Not Okay.)

I think that the reason I focused on guys touching women without permission is that (at least in my personal experience), while women may be more likely to hug other women without asking, I personally feel more uncomfortable when my space is being violated by a hetero man, thanks to the long history of male violence against women. There's a certain level of sexualization there that makes it particularly squicky, even with touches that aren't specifically sexual.

But I really appreciate you pointing out that it's certainly not a one-sided problem. Thanks for stopping by!