Yes Means Yes

In 2014, California Governor Jerry Brown signed into law the "Yes Means Yes" bill, which requires colleges in California to have clear sexual assault policies that shift the burden of proof from the victims to the accused. The "Yes Means Yes" movement stems out of the "No Means No" movement that was created in the 1990s by the Canadian Federation of Students in order to combat sexual violence.[4]

The original movement focused on the idea that when two people are engaging in sexual intimacy, if the word "no" is not present then their sexual acts are consensual.[5] This belief led to ambiguity in court cases that pertained to sexual assault allegations.[6] With the "Yes Means Yes" law in place, affirmative consent is now defined as, "an affirmative, unambiguous, and conscious decision by each participant to engage in mutually agreed-upon sexual activity."[7] This law is to be enforced on college campuses throughout California, and clearly outlines that consent is received through a verbal or physical "yes".[5]

Andrea Levy argues that the book does not challenge readers to take action against the complex issues that arise when facing "the oppressive mainstream of North American progressive political culture."[8] Levy continues by explaining that works like Friedman and Valenti's are accompanied by a "liberal-democratic" understanding of how the world works, but it hinders the ability to be able to see how things happen socially.[8] Further, Levy states that the struggles against colonization and white supremacy are seen as peripheral, which could lead to discrimination against marginalized communities.[8]

Other topics included in the book are body image, self-esteem issues, incest, and the societal views on rape.

Jessica Valenti's other works include He's a Stud, She's a Slut, and 49 Other Double Standards Every Woman Should Know, Sex Object: A Memoir, The Purity Myth, Why Have Kids?, and Believe Me: How Trusting Women Can Change the World (2020).