The animal rights movement is having another #MeToo moment right now. So, my fellow men, let's talk about consent:

In a healthy relationship, both (or all) partners are able to openly talk about and agree on what kind of sexual or physical activity they want to engage in. It's really important for everyone in the relationship to feel comfortable with what’s happening.

You've heard of "no means no", and that's totally true, but it doesn't provide a complete picture of consent because it puts the responsibility on one person to resist or accept an activity.

Relying solely on "no means no" also makes consent purely about what someone doesn't want to do, instead of being about openly expressing what they do want to do.

Some people worry that talking about or getting consent will be awkward or "ruin the mood", when in fact the mood is much more positive when both partners feel safe and can freely communicate about what they want.

It's a good idea to take the opportunity when you're not being physically intimate to discuss how you and your partner prefer to communicate when you are being.

If you are in the heat if the moment, here are some suggestions of things to say:
- Are you comfortable?
- Is this okay?
- Do you want to slow down?
- Do you want to go any further?

What consent looks like:
- Communicating every step. Don't assume what your partner is comfortable with.
- Respecting that not saying "no" doesn't mean "yes". Consent is a clear and enthusiastic yes! If someone seems unsure, doesn't respond, says "maybe"… they aren't saying yes.

Red flags that indicate your partner doesn't respect consent (pt1):
- They pressure/guilt you into doing things you may not want to do.
- They make you feel like you owe them.
- They react negatively (with sadness, anger or resentment) if you say no, or don't immediately consent.

Red flags that indicate your partner doesn't respect consent (pt2):
- They ignore your wishes and don't pay attention to nonverbal cues that could show you're not consenting, e.g. pulling/pushing away.

In a healthy relationship it's important to regularly discuss and respect each other's boundaries. It's not okay to assume that once someone consents to an activity, it means they are therefore consenting to it anytime in the future.

Nobody is ever obligated to consent to something, even if they've done it in the past. A person can decide to stop an activity at any time, even if they agreed to it earlier. Above all, everyone has a right to their own body and to feel comfortable with how they use it.

I took this information from @loveisrespect and put it into tweets in the hope that more people would engage with it. https://www.loveisrespect.org/healthy-relationships/what-consent/