Terri Sucio is a phenomenal person and colleague. I always enjoy running into her at NCTE or at the ALAN Workshop. Right now, I have been lucky enough to be invited to work with Teri and others on a large research project. Without question, Terri is one of the scholars who has her finger on the pulse on the trends within Young Adult literature.
Getting Real about Sex: New YA Nonfiction on Consent
Terri Suico
As anyone who has or knows tweens and teens will tell you, the topics of sex and consent can be tricky to discuss and or even think about in relation to adolescents. The challenge of this hit home during a recent outdoor gathering with some vaccinated friends as we discussed YA book recommendations for their tween daughters. One mom had questions about the content of a popular YA book series, and when told that there was a lot of violence but no sexual content, her first response was, “Okay, it’s fine then.” She immediately asked, “Why am I okay with my daughter reading a book with lots of violence, but I worry about her reading about sex?” It was a fair question and one I’m glad she brought up.
She certainly isn’t alone in worrying about her child reading about sex. According to the American Library Association, one of the top three reasons for a book being challenged is sexual explicitness. This concern with sex is certainly not limited to just adults talking to teens. A 2014 study found that early adolescents were reticent to communicate with others about sex, with over half of the participants not discussing any sexual topics with their romantic partners and many not communicating with their parents or best friends about sex. While the idea of leaving such a provocative subject unspoken might mean that teens do not need to think about such issues, this is obviously not the case. Furthermore, recent research indicates young adults, despite their apparent reticence, want more information and guidance from trusted adults. This is particularly true when it comes to consent, since research has found that young adults have heard about consent and sex from the media but that they didn’t necessarily feel well-informed about these issues. Given the attention consent has received since the renewed interest in the #MeToo Movement in 2017 (the term was first used by Tarana Burke in 2006) and calls to teach children of all ages about consent, this is certainly an area that needs more attention.
Can We Talk about Consent? A Book about Freedom, Choices, and Agreement by Justin Hancock and illustrated by Fuchisa MacAree provides an excellent starting point for tweens/teens and parents, guardians, or trusted adults to start introducing and exploring consent. The illustrations make the book appear geared to younger readers, and it is one of the least explicit books here; besides one chapter, helpfully titled “The Sex Bit,” Hancock describes consent in more general terms, such as examples that involve choosing pizza toppings or a movie to attend with friends. While the examples might seem a little young at times, their strength is showing just how consent works beyond sexual relations. Thinking about consent in general, rather than it just being about sex, gives young people the chance to practice their agency in other situations, which will hopefully translate to more knowledge and confidence when it comes to using their consent in sexual encounters. Chapters on elements that can complicate consent, such as consent in groups, gender messages, and “isms” are especially helpful at encouraging readers to think about different aspects of consent and how consent works.
The Big Questions Book of Sex and Consent by Donna Freitas offers a more expansive approach to consent by considering it in relation to concepts such as friendship, sexual and gender identity, vulnerability, and even social media. The sections on what it means to be a boy/guy/man and a girl/woman offer an especially intriguing look at gender expectations and how they can be limiting (and sometimes toxic) to individuals and to society at large. Furthermore, Freitas tackles issues, such as the fear and shame that can surround sex and the overemphasis on virginity, that need to be part of the larger conversation regarding sex but are often ignored or accepted as fact without any interrogation. I was especially impressed by Freitas’s willingness to address the role of religion can play when it comes to fear and shame regarding sex. Her overall approach to this matter and to others is not to lecture or judge but to offer information for the reader to take in and consider.
Other features include journal prompts at the end of each chapter, “Advice to Our Younger Selves” by young adult authors, and suggestions for further reading. Overall, The Big Questions Book of Sex and Consent provides a solid introduction to consent grounded in the importance of knowing oneself and being aware of relationships, gender, and sexuality, and it would be a good starting text for readers who want to learn more about these subjects in a supportive and nonjudgmental way.
Other features include journal prompts at the end of each chapter, “Advice to Our Younger Selves” by young adult authors, and suggestions for further reading. Overall, The Big Questions Book of Sex and Consent provides a solid introduction to consent grounded in the importance of knowing oneself and being aware of relationships, gender, and sexuality, and it would be a good starting text for readers who want to learn more about these subjects in a supportive and nonjudgmental way.
#MeToo and You: Everything You Need to Know about Consent, Boundaries, and More by Halley Bondy and illustrated by Timothy Corbett is a good resource about issues surrounding sexual harassment and abuse. As the title indicates, Bondy centers her book in the #MeToo movement and offers readers some background on the movement and what it means for them. Besides including definitions of terms often used in discussions regarding sexual harassment and abuse (such as words and phrases that describe types of abuse and signs of abuse to look out for), there are also sections focused on power dynamics, myths regarding sexual abuse, and how to be an ally. Interspersed are stories and scenarios, some of which are fictional and some of which are true (both types of are labeled), that provide examples of the issues being described and offer readers opportunities to think about the issues and ask questions.
While the book is marketed toward tween readers (the back cover states that “this book is the tween reader’s one-stop shop for learning all about consent, boundaries, abuse, and more”), the examples, while not graphic, are realistic and can be triggering. Some younger readers might not be ready for encountering these scenarios. However, although the anecdotes might be upsetting, they also emphasize how consent does or does not operate in different scenarios and given different dynamics. The final two chapters (on being an ally and taking action) offer some valuable advice on what readers can do, which is a much-needed reminder of the agency readers have after reading about the myriad examples of abuse. Given the focus on consent as it relates to abuse and harassment, this book would make more sense as a useful supplement to some of the other texts listed here rather than as a starting point. Also, previewing the book and knowing readers’ sensitivity and readiness for these topics are key steps for adults.
While the book is marketed toward tween readers (the back cover states that “this book is the tween reader’s one-stop shop for learning all about consent, boundaries, abuse, and more”), the examples, while not graphic, are realistic and can be triggering. Some younger readers might not be ready for encountering these scenarios. However, although the anecdotes might be upsetting, they also emphasize how consent does or does not operate in different scenarios and given different dynamics. The final two chapters (on being an ally and taking action) offer some valuable advice on what readers can do, which is a much-needed reminder of the agency readers have after reading about the myriad examples of abuse. Given the focus on consent as it relates to abuse and harassment, this book would make more sense as a useful supplement to some of the other texts listed here rather than as a starting point. Also, previewing the book and knowing readers’ sensitivity and readiness for these topics are key steps for adults.
A Quick and Easy Guide to Consent by Isabella Rotman with coloring by Luke B. Howard is true to its title by offering a fast and approachable introduction to consent. Done as a graphic novel, the book follows Sergeant Yes Means Yes from the Consent Cavalry, who appears to answer questions related to consent. Throughout the text, Rotman provides clear information on affirmative consent, which she notes is “the gold standard” (p. 16), through definitions and examples of how to get and provide it. She also acknowledges that “At its core, consent is simple… [but] there are so many factors that go into consent!” (p.21). To emphasize this, she provides different scenarios, such as making sure that sexual partners are fully informed about various aspects (like sexually transmitted infection [STI] status and risks and contraception), to help readers get a better sense of what consent involves. Backmatter, including information on reducing risk of STI, an activities checklist, and bibliography, provide further information and resources. This book is definitely frank in the terms and visuals it uses, but it isn’t salacious or demeaning, and the forthright use of language about sex and sexuality can even put readers at ease and help prevent the confusion that often comes with euphemistic terms.
| Terri Suico is an associate professor of education at Saint Mary’s College, where she teaches courses in literacy, secondary education methods, and English education. Her scholarly work has been included in several books. Most recently, her chapter on using Loving Vs. Virginia to teach and contextualize the struggle for marriage equality appeared in the book Breaking the Taboo with Young Adult Literature. She currently serves as the book review and interview editor for Study and Scrutiny: Research on Young Adult Literature. |  Terri Suico |
Until next week.
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