Students on UT’s campus may have noticed people wearing a colorful array of “Consent Is” T-shirts. These shirts, which feature messages such as “Consent is Specific” and “Consent is Ongoing,” are part of the Consent Campaign, an initiative within the Center for Health Education and Wellness that aims to educate students on consent and sexual assault.
T-shirts are given to students for free at any “T-Shirt Tuesdays with CHEW” event, which typically takes place on the first Tuesday of each month. The next opportunity to get a shirt will take place at The Rock on April 1 at noon, when CHEW hosts its Sexual Assault Awareness Month Kickoff Event. To get a shirt, students just need to check in using their event pass or by scanning a QR code.
Another event where a Consent Is shirt can be obtained is the Vols Walk for Sexual Assault Awareness Month at the Student Union on April 10 at 11 a.m.
Since its inception in 2015, the Consent Campaign has undergone significant changes due to factors like the COVID-19 pandemic and attempts to increase reach. One of the most notable of these changes happened in 2020 when the campaign’s previous focus of “Consent is Not” was revised to “Consent Is.”
“This campaign has gone through an evolution and continues to evolve. Its goal remains the same: to raise awareness and educate about consent and sexual assault,” said Kayley McMahan, a relationship & sexual violence prevention coordinator for CHEW.
Between August and November 2022, 1,037 individuals participated in the Consent Is campaign, over 95% of them being first-time participants, per CHEW. Seventy-six percent of the participants were undergraduate students.
In total, CHEW has distributed approximately 2,300 consent shirts during the 2023-2024 academic year, having already surpassed the 2,000 given out in 2022-2023.
“The students really seem to be enthusiastic about the shirts. We also try to host other consent-related events where students can receive shirts,” McMahan said. “I also think one of the most appealing things about the events is just that the students are excited to see that the university supports this work and supports them.”
Patrick Miller, a sophomore studying finance, decided to participate in the Consent Campaign after seeing fellow students’ T-shirts on campus.
“I mean, part of it is, it is a free shirt, and it’s a good message,” Miller said. “I think this message being on a free shirt was a really good idea. You know, getting free clothing and free stuff definitely draws people in and gets their message out because realistically — we’re college students — some of us are broke.”
Outside the Consent Is initiative, CHEW continues to introduce programs on campus in an attempt to combat misconceptions and the lack of awareness around sexual activity, including a mandatory education program aimed at preventing sexual assault.
“We’ve begun this effort already by implementing an online required module, Sexual Assault Prevention for Undergraduates, that incoming students will take before arriving to campus,” McMahan said. “I would like to see students engage in consent education beyond this module, once they get to campus, by participating in our various consent-related events, requesting and attending presentations, and even just coming by to chat with me.”
Coordinators like McMahan serve to answer the questions and misconceptions surrounding consent and sexual assault any student may have. This approach focuses on defining and understanding what consent is, rather than imposing any personal beliefs. They are available to all students for any scenario or question you may have.
“My dream would be that all of our students receive education about consent and making informed decisions,” McMahan said. “With enough time and support, I believe we can make this happen.”
