Hormonal Rant Two

I think it's kind of funny how for most of your adult life, people touch other people on the shoulder, arm, hand, give hugs and whatnot but that walking up to someone and just patting or rubbing their belly unsolicited would get you at the very least yelled at, but probably smacked. Yet during pregnancy, we females (Oh, alright and one person who is legally a guy) can be walking around, minding our own business, and perfect strangers do it and think it's ok. Even acquaintances and friends do it, and while they do it they say stuff like, "Oh I know this is rude to do without asking, but I'm doing it anyway." That's kind of messed up. What makes it worse is that people seem to have this sixth sense about when I'm feeling physically uncomfortable and do it then, which is the worst time to do it - I'm a well-trained animal, but even the most domesticated beast can bite when in distress. For the most part, you'll get the eye-roll, which is the surest indicator that you have crossed a personal space line without permission, but I did bark at a student one day who came at me with both hands out and moving at full speed. Another person ran up and did it while I was in a work conversation with one of my office mates, which really, and I do mean really honked me off (this also happened to be the person who had rudely come up and asked if I was just getting fat a few months back - thank you, random person; my self-image really needed that kind of boost right about then). I do get looks from people who seem to want to touch but are respectful - and if they ask, I would be ok with it unless I just weren't feeling well. Bottom line, society expects preggos to be gracious about unsolicited touching in an area of our bodies that we feel very protective and sensitive about - but remember, society: please be respectful and ask.