I’ve just read Polly Hudson’s piece about shaking hands and I disagree (Teenagers are calling time on the handshake. I salute them, from a safe distance, theguardian.com, 26 April). A hand contact is an open gesture, a mark of trust. It is meant to transmit our humanity. Being human is about learning to connect with each other and that can mean leaving our comfort zone, making the first step – or proffering the first hand – towards a stranger. That first encounter may lead nowhere, or it may be the beginning of an enriching relationship. Either way, to deprive yourself of all those possibilities because of hygiene worries would be so sad. Polly, you could always carry hand sanitiser in your pocket, but please be discreet when using it.
Priscilla Packer
Les Ponts de Cé, France
• I can understand how Polly Hudson feels about greeting someone with physical contact. A handshake is not a hug, kiss or curtsey. It is a simple greeting, with the hand extended and a direct look at who you want to meet and converse with. The contact shows an appreciation for each other not shown by a fist or elbow bump. I find women I meet at work and socially are very comfortable with a handshake rather than any other greeting. It is true that the initial contact with someone defines the rest of the relationship, both good and bad.
James Tuson
Hertford
