In any given context, a person is said to consent when something is agreed upon in advance in the same sense. In common speech, “consent” can also mean “to give permission”, or “to yield”. Consent can be given or taken away at any time. But only by you.

Your body and your mind belong to you and you alone. No one can demand or take or pressure you to give your consent, it is yours to give freely to whomever you want, whenever you want.

You do not have to yield to anyone you do not wish to. It’s easy to forget but try to remember.

I’m not only talking about sexual consent but consent in general. Consent to let someone into your life, to share your thoughts and feelings with. To share your life with. To share yourself with.

This is something I wrote back in February 2016 that I recently found and decided to share. I can’t believe that the concept of saying no can be so easily dismissed by some instead of accepted. That the fact that someone can make someone else uncomfortable can be refuted by some. If someone tells you no they mean no, accept it. If someone tells you that you or something you are doing makes them uncomfortable, accept it. There is no refuting their feelings or their declining to give consent, just accept it and move on.

Lizzie X