However, I am free to decide who I would rather do business with/work with. And as such I am free to prefer to work with people who shake my hand.
As for the pandemic, I don't think it will remain an issue for forever. And even if it does, I don't mind carrying a bottle of hand sanitizer around.
The pandemic has dragged on a lot longer than expected. We still don't have a clear end in sight and some people feel this is "the new normal."
I find it creepy and inappropriate that someone would feel that I need to service their touch starvation to do business with them when they can't be bothered to arrange their personal life to adequately meet that need for themselves. It smacks of something just shy of sexual favors since sex is a large part of how most people quench their need for physical touch.
No pressure.
Just an FYI: I'm a woman. In my experience, a lot of men looking for excuses to touch me, such as shake my hand, are really angling to get next to me sexually.
Maybe that's not a big issue in your life. It unfortunately is in mine.
Edit: just to be crystal clear, my reason for not shaking hands is germ control, as stated elsewhere.
But yes, in general if a society places enough value on a social norm to decide whether or not to do business with a certain person it is possible that certain people will be alienated based on their willingness to participate in such a social norm.
And, to address your edit: I am fully aware that we are currently in a pandemic and I am not saying that we should go around and start getting overly close to one another for no reason.
As the original content all the way up this chain I was mostly referring to a time post COVID, assuming that such an outset is realistic. If not then hand shaking will be the least pressing problem regardless.
I don't really think the pandemic will end without social norms changing. Handshakes are a social norm that spreads germs. I think we would do well to move to something else. In many cultures they bow.
So my belief is that we only get to post pandemic by doing away with things like handshakes. That's my opinion and I can't back it up with studies or anything, but your mental models and mine just don't mesh well in that regard.
You have a good day. I think you and I are likely speaking somewhat past each other and I'm not interested in engaging further in what is likely pointless miscommunication.
Yes, sure, people should make reasonable accommodations to help deal with your extreme minority situation.
But it is a sure for you to demand that everyone else change their entire lives, and perfectly reasonable preferences, to satisfy only you.
Not being able to hug my grandparents during the pandemic took a big emotional toll on me.
I pet my dog, hug my kids and shake hands with my friends. These are all examples of how I use touch to show affection in my life.
However, I strongly agree that your preferences should be completely respected especially in a business setting.
I am not sure why someone else's preferences would offend you so much.
Sometimes, different people just have different ways of interacting with each other, and that is totally fine, and you don't have to be friends.
There is no need to be upset at them.