“Every Man Understands Consent.” Read That Again.

You ever see something online that hits you so hard you have to scroll back up and read it twice?

That was me with this:

“Touch his car. His phone. His wallet. His daughter. His ego. His reputation. His masculinity. Every man understands consent.” — Tim Gathima

Pair that with the photo of men wearing “Consent Is Simple” buttons at a rally, and you get something undeniable. Consent isn’t confusing. It’s just selectively respected.

That hits home for coaches, too. Because what we’re modeling in our programs isn’t just about dating or sexual boundaries—it’s about how we handle power, control, and respect in any context. Are we building environments where players feel safe saying “no”? To a drill? A bus conversation? A joke in the locker room?

Consent isn’t a lesson for them. It’s a mirror for us.

Coach Prompt: When’s the last time your players felt like they could say “No” to something you asked—without punishment, sarcasm, or backlash?

Optional Player Prompt: What’s one thing you’ve gone along with—on a team, in a group—because it felt like you couldn’t say no?

#Consent #CoachPrompt #PowerDynamics #EmotionalFluency #LockerRoomLeadership