Yes, yes, yes

David Thompson writes:

From the New York TimesJennifer Medina on sex education for teenagers:

Consent from the person you are kissing — or more — is not merely silence or a lack of protest, Shafia Zaloom, a health educator at the Urban School of San Francisco, told the students. They listened raptly, but several did not disguise how puzzled they felt. “What does that mean — you have to say ‘yes’ every 10 minutes?” asked Aidan Ryan, 16, who sat near the front of the room. “Pretty much,” Ms. Zaloom answered. “It’s not a timing thing, but whoever initiates things to another level has to ask.

So what I’m wondering is, how do you combine “making sure each step is met” with “oral assent” in advance – a kind of self-conscious box-tickery – with a sense of, well, wild abandon? “I’m planning to reach for your bra strap, my volcanic love muffin. Is that okay?” 

Probably not, and long gone are the days when resistance was overcome one word at a time:

O Sir Jasper do not touch me!

O Sir Jasper do not touch!

O Sir Jasper do not!

O Sir Jasper do!

O Sir Jasper!

O Sir!

O!

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One Response

  1. …if you have an opening available within the next 8-10 seconds could you please schedule me in to fill that slot and could I get that in writing, please, and thank you so very much and uh-ho, never mind.

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