Consent

Consent can be defined as an enthusiastic "YES" spoken in the absence of coercion, intimidation, drugs, or alcohol.

MUTUAL agreement.

Consent MATTERS because without it, we end up making assumptions about what is OK and what is not OK. and too often those assumptions lead to harm in the form of crossed boundaries and violation.

By practicing skills of consent we radically shift the non-consensual world we live in by affirming and respecting each other's agency and autonomy.

POWER makes consent complex. It is difficult to say NO to someone who has power over. student/teacher, employer/employee, and social identities.

A NO to other's is a YES to self, and a YES to self may be a NO to others.

Boundaries mark the edges between what is OK for us and what is NOT ok.  Our bodies reactions can tell us how we are feeling.  Notice the sensations of our body that communicate comfort versus discomfort in response to situations. 

Skills of practicing good consent:

verbal and nonverbal cues: crossed arms, leaning away, looking around.

know boundaries and verbally communicate them.

ask rather than assume

receive a no gracefully

remember we can change our mind

We create safe and empowering connections!!!