A hot topic on college campuses today, as well as among younger kids, is the issue of consent. Pete Wallis and Thalia Wallis tackle the issue in What Does Consent Really Mean? Their story, told in comic book format with illustrations by Joseph Wilkins, follows a group of high schoolers talking about sex, relationships, and consent.
The first thing I noticed about the book is the assumption that teenagers are going to have sex. The idea that sex should be reserved for one person after you're married is not even hinted at here. Call me old-fashioned, but I believe that is the ideal and standard that should be held out, especially among teens. What Does Consent Really Mean? has a very open attitude--everything is OK, as long as the people involved are in agreement. I just wish abstinence had been a part of the discussion.
That said, I know the reality is that many teens have sex, want to have sex, and talk a lot about sex. So the clarity that Wallis and Wallis bring to consent is welcome. One of the characters says, "Consent is NOT the absence of No, it is an enthusiastic YES!" They discuss going along with a partner just to avoid conflict, the fact that if you do something one time it doesn't mean you have given consent to do it every time you're together, and what to do when someone asks you to do something you don't want to do.
The authors want this book to be a resource in classrooms and school libraries. At the end they include several web pages listed on a variety of related topics, all of which can help a kid with questions. Kids are always going to have sex. Some kids, especially girls, are going to give more than they wanted to. What Does Consent Really Mean? can help to start conversations and spur some reflection that can stem the tide of unwanted contact and sexual activity.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!
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