We all strive for enthusiastic consent, but what if you can’t tell the difference between feeling nervous and feeling unsafe? I’m super pumped to be partnering with @loversstores to talk about navigating boundaries and enthusiastic consent! For survivors of trauma as well as some neurodivergent folks (and I’m sure, many others), the feeling of an “enthusiastic” yes may feel utterly foreign. But does the absence of an enthusiastic yes automatically mean that consent can’t happen? Not necessarily! When you’re a survivor, sometimes your brain doesn’t let go of the responses it utilized during traumatic events or time periods, so you may find yourself fighting off over-active alarm bells as you heal. This is especially relevant to sexual scenarios - you trust your partner(s), negotiated your boundaries, and you want to play but you still feel that sense of unease before play. Neurodivergent folks may also struggle with this as well due to over or under-active sensory receptors, making it difficult to correctly interpret what certain internal or external cues mean. But again, this doesn’t mean that neurodivergent folks aren’t capable of participating, enthusiastically, in play! It just means that more time and communication is necessary to make play as safe as possible for all involved. So how do we combat this? My go-to tips are: - Choosing quality partners - Experiment with using an “opt out” model of consent - Pre-negotiate aftercare Check out my blog post on @loversstores and tune in for an IG Live this Wednesday at 3:30 pm ET to learn more about consent and for an additional tip on how to create safer play environments when enthusiasm feels out of reach!