When Green Flags Become Red: Sexual and Gendered Scripts in Norwegian Student Culture

Norway consistently ranks high on international gender equality indexes. Yet sexual violations, particularly against young women, remain a pressing concern, with reported cases increasing in recent years. Universities are positioned to play a key role in preventing sexual misconduct, but institutional cultures may also reproduce the conditions that enable it. This exploratory study analyzes 340 handwritten anonymous student notes from the 2024 inviting students to post green (acceptable) and red (unacceptable) flags representing sexual behaviours in public spaces on campus. Drawing on sexual script theory and concepts of power, gender and embodied agency, the analysis explores how students construct meanings around sexuality, consent and ethical boundaries. The findings illustrate tensions between enduring gendered norms that normalize coercion and perspectives that emphasize mutual sexual consent and care. The study contributes to research on campus sexual cultures by exploring how student-generated notes reflect tensions between gendered norms and expectations of mutual consent within an institutionally framed campaign. The findings may inform reflections on consent education in higher education.