I Didn’t Understand Consent Within a Relationship Until #MeToo
For so many years, I accepted that my body belonged to the men in my life — not anymore
As someone who was born into Gen X, I’m finding the #MeToo movement a thrilling time of empowerment. You see, my parents didn’t teach me that my body was my own. The word “consent” was never uttered in our household.
In fact, my dad, who was raised deeply entrenched in the values of the patriarchy, told me that I had to learn to “put up” with what men wanted to do to me. That I should be careful, because if I wore certain clothing or said certain things, a man would expect me to put out — and I would have to, whether or not I wanted to.
I grew up believing that what happened to my body would never be determined by me, but by the men in my life.
So it’s no surprise that I struggled in romantic relationships. My first boyfriend didn’t always enjoy foreplay or putting in the effort to get me off. If he wasn’t in the mood to do anything but achieve his own climax, I felt I had to accept it.
I grew up believing that what happened to my body would never be determined by me, but by the men in my life
