Nothing wrong with affection towards friends, female friends that might even be appropriate, though I only had a couple I did that with, and frankly, I wanted to get with hone of them. Now, no.. way too autistic, and i'm married an my wife might not apprecaite it.
But with strangers, or casual co workers, no. The current trends in social thought, though I believe are misguided, do not condone this at all. Treatr women like you would men, and legally you are gold.