Member-only story
There’s No Such Thing As Too Much Consent
Why healthcare and helping professionals need to do better in creating safe spaces for better care
I was nearly 30 years old before I fully understood how consent works in places outside of sexual relationships.
It was hammered into my head that “No,” means just that, and anything other than an enthusiastic and fully consensual “Yes,” was the same as a “No.” Even still, I had my share of questionable experiences where lines were blurry. But one thing was always understood. Conversations about and the acknowledgment of consent was expected as the bare minimum when relationships got physical, and anything less than that incredibly low standard was unacceptable.
That’s my privilege showing because to fully execute your right to grant or withdraw consent, you must first feel safe. Safe enough to raise your voice and risk putting yourself in a situation that’s uncomfortable
(at best) or dangerous (at worst). For me, that’s nearly always been the case. For others, that’s never been the case.
And that’s why healthcare and helping professionals must do better when it comes to creating a safe environment for all people to feel secure and supported.
