Sunday, 26 January 2014

Touch Me Parties - A Touchy Subject?

Would you allow a complete stranger to touch you?

For most people, the answer would be a firm no, but not at Touch Me parties, the latest trend from Korea to hit the clubbing scene from Singapore.

At these parties, clubbers are given stickers with a hand or a pair of lips on them representing touching and kissing respectively. The clubbers then paste these stickers on any part of their body to show that they consent to being touched there.


An example of how to use the stickers given at Touch Me parties:
(Photo credits to www.thydowager.com)

Mr Jurrel Toh from events and marketing company Revolution Singapore said reception towards the new concept has been “really good so far, averaging 500 partygoers on each volume. Their feedback has been good as well, stating that they feel safer letting people know where their comfort zone is.”

However, some like 20-year-old Sharmaine Goh, feel that a Touch Me party isn’t safe.

“Personally, I don’t think it’s a very good idea because I’m not comfortable with people touching me or me touching somebody else if I don’t know them.”

She added that one of her biggest concerns about the parties was that clubbers could be taken advantage of.

“What if you are touched in a way that you’re not comfortable with? What could go wrong is the violation of personal space and modesty, especially if you’re a girl, and I think if you want to go for this kind of thing you have to be prepared for it and be able to cope if something does go wrong.”


Touch Me parties are said to be safe, but some worry that the parties could easily get out of hand.
(Photo credits to www.thydowager.com)

But Mr Toh stressed that the parties were “in no way taken as a way to allow molestation or people being taken advantage of”, and were only to allow clubbers to express how comfortable they were around other people.

He added that partygoers were mostly invited guests who were chosen from a strict selection process, and bouncers were on hand to make sure guests behaved appropriately.

Even with these strict rules, some remain wary.

46-year-old administration manager Nancy Tai said: “The party just seems like a good opportunity to violate girls, plus it gives people the impression that you’re ‘easy’ and willing to be touched by strangers. There’s no right or wrong for this, but I don’t think it’s appropriate.”


She added: “I’m worried because I have a daughter and I wouldn’t want her or her friends to go to this kind of party because what if something happens? People may think it’s safe but you’re pasting stickers on your breasts and your bottom… You’re encouraging openly sexual touching and by that you’re inevitably encouraging something else.”

An example of what a Touch Me party is like:

(Video taken from YouTube channel insiteTV1)

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