Side hug

The Christian Side Hug is an asexual greeting where one hangs their arm over the shoulder of the person beside them.

Origin

Though side hugging for religious reasons is not new, it was first labeled as the "Christian side hug" in a rap song written by Ryan Pann of California. The song was performed as a skit at the 2009 Encounter Generation evangelical youth conference (EG), hosted by The Fathers House church in Vacaville, CA. The song's lyrics make it clear that attendees will be sent home if they "front hug," so they should opt for the "Christian side hug" instead. The song's video, which has become somewhat of an internet hit, attempts humor by including gunshot sounds, sirens, and performers dressed like street thugs.

Pann has come out and said the song was satirizing the Christian habit of side hugging, but another mock rap video from the conference reinforces the Christian Side Hug song's message, making it clear that organizers were serious about keeping physical interactions to a minimum. The list of EG conference rules also includes a ban on public displays of affection.

The Christian Side Hug within the Abstinence Movement

The Christian side hug itself is consistent with the broader pro-abstinence movement. It is comparable to other widespread abstinence-related phenomena, such as purity rings, the virginity pledge, and "holy courtship" (see also Bill Gothard). The Christian side hug's recent notoriety and exposure all but assures its more widespread implementation by at least a deeply conservative subset of abstinence activists, notwithstanding its context at the 2009 EG conference. EG is not the only religious youth organization to encourage side hugs over front hugs, with Brio magazine (published by Focus on the Family), advising readers to refrain from front hugging members of the opposite sex as far back as 2007. Also, rules against front hugging are part of at least some youth leader employment agreements.