Consent Is Sexy

Looking for ways to be sexy? Harvard’s Office of Sexual Assault Prevention and Response has two suggestions: 1. Get consent. 2. Wear an OSAPR t-shirt.

The OSAPR Student Alliance will be giving away ten free “Consent is Sexy” t-shirts to the students who offer the most creative and effective ways to ask for consent before engaging in sexual intercourse. Suggestions must be e-mailed to OSAPR@fas.harvard.edu by Nov. 12, with the subject line “Consent Contest.”

The list of top ten suggestions will be distributed along with condoms—whose wrappers will read “Got consent? Ask before unwrapping”—and informational flyers at the Harvard-Yale game on Nov. 20, according to OSAPR’s Prevention Specialist Seth D. Avakian. “Consent is Sexy” t-shirts will also be on sale in front of the Science Center.

“There’s some hesitancy to ask the phrase, ‘Would you like to engage in intercourse with me?’” Avakian said. “There’s different ways to check in with people.”

Student Alliance member Jack J. Holuba ’13 offered some ideas: Should I get a condom? Are you ready for this?

While there are a lot of “playful” options, Holuba said, if consent is established “you avoid so many other issues.”