Amy Gahran, “Stepping Off the Relationship Escalator: Uncommon Love and Life”

Informed consent and assumptions

Informed consent can apply to any intimate relationship style, monogamy included. This takes work: specifically, introspection, inquiry and negotiation.

The catch is, social norms encourage assumptions. This can create dilemmas about consent. When people rely on assumptions, they often sidestep communication and negotiation. Making choices that impact others can seem less risky when you don’t expect them to object or raise questions. However, not giving people a fair chance to voice their wishes impairs their ability to consent. The stakes can be extremely high.