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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

In thinking that this FREE HUGS campaign is dangerous

27 replies

BingeDrinkerPro · 26/10/2009 16:58

Last weekend my DH went to a convention in London and was shocked at the amount of young teenage girls walking around with boards saying FREE HUGS, The amount of strangers that the girls were running up to and hugging shocked him and he has'nt stopped ranting about it since? One poor girl aged about 13 got a hug from a much older man who even lifted up her skirt. Its not the campaign itself we are against but the fact that we feel its dangerous for young girls who are dressed very provacatively to take part without supervision.

OP posts:
SimonHowl · 26/10/2009 16:58

the dressing issue aside.
they are prob over 16 promo girls

LetThereBeRock · 26/10/2009 17:00

Well it's certainly dangerous for anyone who attempts to hug me.

Jamieandhismagictorch · 26/10/2009 17:01

I'm sorry, I don't know what you are talking about. Is it to do with Kleenex tissues ?

MaryMotherOfHellFire · 26/10/2009 17:02

what campaign?

dittany · 26/10/2009 17:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

serenity · 26/10/2009 17:07

He went to the London Expo didn't he? It wasn't just girls it was boys too, and it was only those that were cosplaying (so I presume it was something to do with that)

It was all rather sweet actually, but I have to say I didn't see anyone abusing it.

MaryMotherOfHellFire · 26/10/2009 17:09

Cosplaying???

Now I'm even more confused.

serenity · 26/10/2009 17:14

Cosplaying - grown up fancy dress Basically you dress up as your favourite character, but the term originated from people dressing as Manga/anime characters, and I think people tend to roleplay as well.
About 70% of the people there were dressed up (there was a sub-convention within the Expo for cosplayers) DCs want to dress up when we go next year!

This is a free hugs campaign, I wonder if it's too do with that?

Original poster
BingeDrinkerPro · 26/10/2009 17:14

Yes it was the London Expo and was mainly the Cosplay kids but the girls were definately not over 16 or promo girls and there seemed to be no adult supervision.

OP posts:
stuffitllllama · 26/10/2009 17:16

yuk how revolting

have no idea if it's dangerous but it's definitely revolting and if you saw it being abused then yanbu

serenity · 26/10/2009 17:17

Lots of the girls were dressed as characters from Sailor Moon which are rather short.

fairycake123 · 26/10/2009 17:22

I don't think it's dangerous, I just think it's irredeemably naff.

serenity · 26/10/2009 17:23

Anyway, based on being at the event the OP's other half was at for the entire day I'm going to say YABU. I didn't see a single hug that was anything other than that. Most of the hugging was going on between the teen cosplayers anyway.

colditz · 26/10/2009 17:23

they will not be 13.

They will be at least 18 for insurance purposes.

Original poster
BingeDrinkerPro · 26/10/2009 17:24

He does'nt mind the cosplay and says some of the costumes were really good its just the hugging of strangers he's concerned about?

OP posts:
serenity · 26/10/2009 17:32

If it was free kisses, or sex I would be agreeing with you, but it was just a hug. I'll admit I was rather bemused by it all, but more because I didn't know what the story was behind it than because I thought there was anything inherently wrong with it (tbh it would have been the sort of thing I'd have done at an event when I was 14/15/16)

Morloth · 26/10/2009 17:33

LOL at cosplayers, were there furries?

serenity · 26/10/2009 17:35

One or two

Goblinchild · 26/10/2009 17:37

My daughter and her mates were there, all over 18 and in costume and had a wonderful time. Just like the last two times she's been, and will go again in May.

Free hugs was one of the highlights. They were supervised by each other and stayed in a group. Just like going out to the pub, strength in unity and a swift kick for inappropriate prats.

Goblinchild · 26/10/2009 17:39

Why was your OH at the convention OP?

Original poster
BingeDrinkerPro · 26/10/2009 17:41

Computer games and works in comic industry.

OP posts:
Morloth · 26/10/2009 17:44

Hah, as long as they were not baby furs.

Damned youngsters, in MY day we were a bunch of dangerous (we thought) goths.

serenity · 26/10/2009 17:49

Ditto Morloth. They made me feel all maternal and ancient. I wanted to hug them all even without the signs.

Goblinchild · 26/10/2009 17:49

Perhaps he could work on a campaign to make comic books and computergames less sexist in their depictions of the female form, and then the costumes will be more seemly?

serenity · 26/10/2009 17:55

I don't think OPs DP minded the costumes Goblinchild just the hugging. In a mild defence (very mild, because I happen to agree with you about the depiction of women in manga/anime/games - there are some kickarse characters, but they're overshadowed most of the time. It is improving in games though) a lot of the boys were showing flesh as well.