Sexual consent cues among sexual minority men in the United States

Abstract

ABSTRACT Sexual consent research often focuses on how those who identify as heterosexual communicate consent, with limited research examining how sexual minority (SM) men communicate consent. Factors that influence how people communicate consent – such as the type of sexual behaviour being consented to and the relationship status of those engaged in sexual behaviour – is understudied among SM men. The purpose of this exploratory study was to assess how SM men communicate sexual consent and examine if these factors influence how men consent to sex. SM men (N = 234) were recruited from social media and Qualtrics’ panel. Participants completed an open-ended survey assessing how consent was communicated during oral and anal sex and who their partner was during this encounter. Responses were analysed using an inductive coding approach. Six overarching consent cues emerged: Explicit Verbal, Explicit Nonverbal, No-Response, Implicit Nonverbal, Virtual Consent and Implicit Verbal. Sexual consent communication appeared to vary by sexual behaviour and relationship status. Overall, SM men and people who identify as heterosexual appear to communicate sexual consent similarly; however, some new cues emerged for SM men. Consent education initiatives should consider findings from more diverse populations when discussing sexual consent to take a more inclusive approach to sexual health education.