Questions

The reason I ask this somewhat oddly specific question is because me and my girlfriend went on a beach trip with her best female friend tagging along and when hugging goodbye I 100% expected for them to put their clothes on first and then hug but to my shock they hugged each other while still in their bikinis.

And if it matters at all it wasn't like a side hug or whatever it was a full body tight hug similar to the example. And both were in revealing bikinis too so there was a whole lot of skin contact going on including bare cleavage pressed against bare cleavage.

And it just occured to me that that's the equivalent of me and a male friend gave each other a long tight full body hug while both in speedos and there's just no fucking way that's happening regardless of how close I am to you.

Are friendship standards for men and women really all that different? That women don't mind hugging other women while they're both practically naked?

I'm afraid to ask my girlfriend directly because I don't wanna feel like I'm judging her friendship with her best friend and also because I don't wanna look like a fool if this is something women normally do and I just wasn't aware of it.

hm? you denied you were meant to be!