During the seven years I reported from Parliament House in Canberra I often had to attend dinners or events where I was the only woman present.
Businessmen or male MPs would frequently shake hands with all the male journalists and then get to me and go in for an air kiss.
It always made me feel uncomfortable because often I was meeting these men for the first time.
On one occasion a backbencher lingered way too long during the air kiss and actually sniffed my hair. It was gross. Another time, I had my hand out to introduce myself but instead of a handshake there was a moment of confusion resulting in a head bump.
When I raised the issue on Twitter, many people replied with similar experiences.
It’s clear that different people have different attitudes to the cheek kiss depending on their cultural background and many other factors. The double cheek kiss is almost a cultural institution in Italy.
In France, the business of cheek kissing (faire la bise) is complicated. The number of cheek kisses varies across different regions. In some parts of the country it can be as many as five.
Is it time to farewell kiss greetings? Is it a sexist anachronism or a tradition that has stood the test of time? Have you experienced an awkward professional situation? Let us know what you think in the comments below and share your own experiences.
