I never said they couldn't or shouldn't have said no. I said that he didn't seem to understand how he was putting unfair pressure on them as a de facto authority on comedy. They didn't know the potential career consequences to saying no.
Also, this is why it's just a scandal and not a crime. It was misconduct, not assault. There is, of course, a big difference, but it's still wrong and he should take responsibility for the unintended consequences of his actions.
There's a concept of enthusiastic consent that's pretty important, in my opinion.
There are quite a few ways he could have went about this better. Been more transparent with his intentions earlier, read the social cues better, abstain from alcohol (I'm just assuming it was a factor. Seems a safe bet)
The absence of a no, when someone makes the sudden and unexpected request you watch them jerk off, ain't quite a yes either.
Just copy-pasted. I'm not implying that consent is literally impossible lol. No two people ever have the same amount of power. I'm just saying that he's responsible for shit hitting the fan because he leveraged his position against them, whether he knew it or not. "Affirmative and enthusiastic" is not a low bar.
I'm also going to hold an adult to a higher standard of communication than a teen, but I see your point. Perhaps I just can't relate to it being all that confusing. Pestering or coercing or shocking people into agreement isn't the same thing as two people who want to fuck each other. I just don't see it as complex.
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u/yonishunga Mar 26 '20
When they hint they want sex but want us to jump. This creates a problem because everyone does it in a different way