Great, Shannon! Consent can be really sexy. What isn’t is asking too soon. I am an advocate for friendship before intimacy… old fashioned, perhaps. Taking the time to know someone to me seems the sexiest approach. No one can read anyone’s mind, and body language is not too much better. Some people act sexy naturally, and others (the majority?) are awkward about this. Sexy body language, like flirting, does not necessarily indicate a wish for intimacy. Overestimating another’s attraction and acting on that can result in embarrassment or worse.

We, of course, have been in the age of instant gratification for a long time. The existence of online dating sites is based on the desperation many feel about connecting to another person. This desperation forces people to misrepresent themselves, which is very sad. I wish I had a solution, but I am pretty sure honest communiction will be part of it.