I caught up with a friend – a high school teacher – over Christmas who played a video for me that Year 9s are shown as part of their Health studies. I won’t tell you how many times I’ve watched it (mostly because I’ve lost count) but it is a classic. It should be nominated for an OSCAR or something.
Q: What’s it about?
A: Consent.
Okay, don’t roll your eyes. If you value respect and you like tea – this is for you. Even if you don’t like tea, this is still for you. Take 2 minutes and 49 seconds out of your day and watch this …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7Nii5w2FaI
Nailed it, right? Totally. It’s an elegantly simple analogy.
Unfortunately though … I have an innate ability to complicate absolutely anything so I now have a problem with tea. Tea now has connotations.
My mother offered me tea the other day and I blushed.
‘What’s the problem?’ she asks. ‘It’s just tea.’
Of course it is! Only now … it isn’t. Not for me!
And when I offer people tea at my house, I feel like I need to follow up my offer with, ‘Are you sure?’
I’m sure you can see how this will play out.
‘Tea?’ I say.
Friend nods. ‘Yes, please.’
‘You sure?’ I ask.
Friend’s eyes narrow in suspicion. ‘Why? What’s wrong with it? Have you poisoned it?’
To be clear, I’ve never actually poisoned anyone. I just have friends who are suspicious by nature.
Anyway, while I’m confident my tea issue will eventually pass, in the meantime, I can see myself drinking too much coffee!