Meanings and dilemmas of consent communication for sexual minorities

Research on consent communication focused on the experiences and perspectives of heterosexual individuals, leaving sexual minority individuals potentially vulnerable in their communication with partners. The current study relied on normative rhetorical theory and semi-structured interviews with individuals who self-identified as lesbian, gay, and bisexual. To participants, consent communication meant engaging in a clear, verbal discussion; showing enthusiasm; coming to an agreement; and, consulting with oneself and one's partner throughout a sexual encounter. Participants also shared consent communication dilemmas that were related to the difficulties of defining "sex" in same-sex sexual encounters, heteronormative consent standards, discomfort voicing one's sexual needs, partners who were resistant to sexual communication, and past sexual assault. The discussion reviews key findings, offers possible explanations with directions for future research.