Sexual Consent and Communication Among the Sexual Minoritized: The Role of Heteronormative Sex Education, Trauma, and Dual Identities

Abstract

Prior research and the #MeToo movement have recognized the complexities of sexual consent and how it contributes to experiences of sexual violence. A heteronormative perspective often dominates discussions on sexual violence at the expense of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other sexual minoritized individuals’ (LGBTQ+) experiences. Utilizing focus groups with LGBTQ+ people to discuss sexual consent, themes relating to sex education, defining sex in queer relationships, trauma and victimization, and overlapping gender and sexual orientation identities emerged. Findings are presented in the context of feminist and queer theoretical perspectives with particular focus on power inequity.

The Sexual Scripts of Transgender and Gender Diverse Emerging Adults: A Thematic Analysis

“…Most notably, more than half of the scripts of TGD students included an open communication theme. This finding parallels prior research, which has found that open communication is common among LGBTQ+ individuals’ sexual scripts and is much more prevalent in LGBTQ+ individuals’ scripts than in heterosexual individuals’ scripts (de Heer et al, 2021; Gabb, 2022). This likely reflects, at least in part, the perceived importance of communication in ensuring safety and in preventing potentially triggering experiences during sex for TGD college students.…”

“…However, informed by the sexual scripts of LGBQ+ individuals, it seems likely that TGD college students’ scripts will diverge from the cisgender and heterosexual narratives woven into the overarching culture, given that these scripts do not likely encapsulate the experiences of TGD college students. Again, research among LGBQ+ individuals and couples demonstrates this, as their scripts often reflect engaging in more open communication about sexual preferences, desires, and boundaries, whereas these discussions are much less common within heterosexual individuals’ and couples’ scripts (de Heer et al, 2021; Gabb, 2022). This also appears true for LGBQ+ college students, as there is quantitative evidence that LGBQ+ college students adhere less to gendered sexual scripts than heterosexual college students (Fournier et al, 2022).…”

Trauma-informed Consent Education: Understanding the Grey Area of Consent Through the Experiences of Youth Trauma Survivors

“…Moreover, shifting to a trauma-informed, anti-oppressive framework for consent education that does not rely on a binary concept opens up the possibilities for addressing persistent systemic forms of oppression that create grey areas for all youth. Notably, future research should examine the lessons for consent education from BIPOC, Two-Spirit, queer, trans and/or non-binary communities who cite a legacy of challenging binaries and refusing a normative model of consent (see Bauer 2021;Beres 2021;de Heer et al 2021). Principles of disability justice should also be incorporated into anti-oppressive, trauma-informed consent education (Wright 2021b).…”

Risk factors for perpetrating sexual aggression among adolescents: Differences by gender and sexual orientation

“…Qualitative research may be especially useful in deciphering factors that facilitate sexual aggression among heterosexual girls, as well as among sexual minority boys and sexual minority girls. In qualitative research, many sexual minority young adults noted that the lack of a clear sexual script (i.e., the man initiates, the woman is the gatekeeper) in same‐gender interactions both requires more discourse about consent and leaves space for miscommunication (de Heer et al, 2021; Jozkowski et al, 2014). It is also important to note that the current study did not assess whether endorsement of these risk factors was associated with the perpetration of sexual aggression in the study.…”