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Beyond 'yes' and 'no': reimagining consent education through boys' reflections on power, emotion and relational uncertainty.

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Title: Beyond 'yes' and 'no': reimagining consent education through boys' reflections on power, emotion and relational uncertainty.
Authors: Setty, Emily1 (AUTHOR) emily.setty@surrey.ac.uk
Source: Gender & Education. Aug2026, Vol. 38 Issue 6, p616-632. 17p.
Subject Terms: *Sex education, *Social norms, Sexual consent, Ambivalence, Power (Social sciences), Teenage boys, Dialogics
Abstract: This paper explores teenage boys' perspectives on sexual consent through qualitative research conducted in three English schools and a follow-up workshop. Participants described consent as emotionally complex and shaped by peer cultures, reputational anxieties and conflicting gender norms. While some echoed widely circulated narratives, such as fears of false accusations, these were often expressed with ambivalence and used to navigate uncertainty and vulnerability. The study highlights limitations of risk-based, procedural consent education, which boys can experience as accusatory or reductive. Instead, it argues for a relational, dialogic approach that supports emotional literacy, critical reflection and ethical engagement. The paper foregrounds boys' capacity to engage with nuanced accounts of power, intimacy and responsibility when given the space to do so. It concludes that meaningful consent education requires structural support, not just improved messaging, enabling educators to create relational and reflective learning environments amid contested cultural terrains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Gender & Education is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Education Research Complete
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  Data: Beyond 'yes' and 'no': reimagining consent education through boys' reflections on power, emotion and relational uncertainty.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Setty%2C+Emily%22">Setty, Emily</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> emily.setty@surrey.ac.uk</i>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Gender+%26+Education%22">Gender & Education</searchLink>. Aug2026, Vol. 38 Issue 6, p616-632. 17p.
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  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sex+education%22">Sex education</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+norms%22">Social norms</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sexual+consent%22">Sexual consent</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ambivalence%22">Ambivalence</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Power+%28Social+sciences%29%22">Power (Social sciences)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teenage+boys%22">Teenage boys</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Dialogics%22">Dialogics</searchLink>
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  Data: This paper explores teenage boys' perspectives on sexual consent through qualitative research conducted in three English schools and a follow-up workshop. Participants described consent as emotionally complex and shaped by peer cultures, reputational anxieties and conflicting gender norms. While some echoed widely circulated narratives, such as fears of false accusations, these were often expressed with ambivalence and used to navigate uncertainty and vulnerability. The study highlights limitations of risk-based, procedural consent education, which boys can experience as accusatory or reductive. Instead, it argues for a relational, dialogic approach that supports emotional literacy, critical reflection and ethical engagement. The paper foregrounds boys' capacity to engage with nuanced accounts of power, intimacy and responsibility when given the space to do so. It concludes that meaningful consent education requires structural support, not just improved messaging, enabling educators to create relational and reflective learning environments amid contested cultural terrains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Gender & Education is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1080/09540253.2025.2568415
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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        PageCount: 17
        StartPage: 616
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Sex education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Social norms
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Sexual consent
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Ambivalence
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Power (Social sciences)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Teenage boys
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Dialogics
        Type: general
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      – TitleFull: Beyond 'yes' and 'no': reimagining consent education through boys' reflections on power, emotion and relational uncertainty.
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              Text: Aug2026
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              Y: 2026
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