New Times,
New Thinking.

  1. Culture
  2. Music
24 August 2016

Meet the pop star who wants to show you that consent is sexy

“I say yes if I want to.”

By Anna Leszkiewicz

If you’re familiar with Speedy Oritz, the band whose 2015 album Foil Deer made waves in alternative music circles, then you’ll already know a little about their lead singer, Sadie Dupuis. Dupuis is now striding out on her own, under the name Sad13, with a more bubblegum sound. She debuted her first solo single, “Get a Yes”, from the upcoming album Slugger, on NPR this week.

“Get a Yes” explores the idea of receiving enthusiastic consent before each sexual activity. She told NPR:

How many kids learn about sex from pop music? And how many fun-sounding pop musicians do a heinous job as sex-ed teachers? Like “Genie In A Bottle”, which characterizes sex as an internal conflict between the mind and the body — rather than something you should only do when the minds and bodies of all parties involved are synchronized? Or “Blurred Lines” in which the narrator presumes to know what his partner wants?

Instead, “Get a Yes” demonstrates how consent is sexy:

You can only get to that affirmative yes through a lot of dialoguing, and I think that process should be viewed as fun, sexy and not at all daunting. So I wanted to make a pop song that explores the excitement inherent in getting and giving consent.

Select and enter your email address Your weekly guide to the best writing on ideas, politics, books and culture every Saturday. The best way to sign up for The Saturday Read is via saturdayread.substack.com The New Statesman's quick and essential guide to the news and politics of the day. The best way to sign up for Morning Call is via morningcall.substack.com
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how Progressive Media Investments may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
THANK YOU

As Dupuis sings in the chorus,

I say yes to the dress when I put it on
I say yes if I want you to take it off
I say yes for your touch when I need your touch
I say yes if I want to
If you want to, you’ve gotta get a yes
Can I get a yes?

Listen to the song below.

Content from our partners
The UK’s skills shortfall is undermining growth
<strong>What kind of tax reforms would stimulate growth?</strong>
How to end the poverty premium