What is Consent

Planned Parenthood Graphic Uses Fries To Explain Consent In A Way Anyone Can Understand — Click the image to learn more about consent F.R.I.E.S from Planned Parenthood.

Consent, at its most basic level means "permission for something to happen or agreement to do something." We use consent every single day- from asking permission to sit next to someone or to borrow a pen to requesting physical touch or engaging in sexual situations.

When talking about sexual consent, it is important to know that, in New York State, college campuses use the "affirmative consent" definition. This means that consent is not just an absence of "no" but the presence of "yes" - and that yes must be unimpaired, informed, and uncoerced. All parties must be informed as to what they are consenting to, be free to say yes or no without interference or pressure from others, mutually decide to engage in activity, and not be incapacitated by substances. All parties are free to change their minds and to revoke consent at any time. Most of all, consent may not be assumed!

Going on a date doesn't imply consent for sexual activity.
A person's clothing doesn't imply consent for sexual activity.
Consenting to one type of activity doesn't imply consent to all activities.
Consenting to an activity once does not imply future consent.
You do not "owe" sexual activity to anyone - EVER!

What Consent Is	What Consent Is Not
Freely given - you are free to say yes or no Reversible - you can change your mind and revoke consent at any time Informed - you know exactly what you are saying yes or no to Enthusiastic - you want to, and are excited to be engaging in the activities you are consenting to and have said YES! Specific - you are consenting to specific activities and are asked for consent for every activity, every time	Coerced - you feel as if you have to say yes or no Unchangeable - you feel as if you can't change your mind or say no later Confusing- what you are being asked to consent to isn't clear Absence of "No" - the absence of a "no" doesn't indicate consent and if someone seems unenthusiastic, that's a cue to stop and check in Vague - you haven't been asked for consent for every activity that is happening or consent is assumed based on past encounters

What Consent Is

What Consent Is Not

Freely given - you are free to say yes or no
Reversible - you can change your mind and revoke consent at any time
Informed - you know exactly what you are saying yes or no to
Enthusiastic - you want to, and are excited to be engaging in the activities you are consenting to and have said YES!
Specific - you are consenting to specific activities and are asked for consent for every activity, every time

Coerced - you feel as if you have to say yes or no
Unchangeable - you feel as if you can't change your mind or say no later
Confusing- what you are being asked to consent to isn't clear
Absence of "No" - the absence of a "no" doesn't indicate consent and if someone seems unenthusiastic, that's a cue to stop and check in
Vague - you haven't been asked for consent for every activity that is happening or consent is assumed based on past encounters

REMEMBER: You have the right to consent to activities that make you feel good and you have the right to say no to activities that don't feel ok or safe to you. You always have the right to change your mind and no one has the right to force or coerce your consent.