Relationship Bill of Rights

1. Be from violence, coercion, and intimidation - when you have a healthy relationship, you should not have to worry about (or experience) aspects of Power and Control. You have the right to feel safe in all of your relationships!

2. Have my boundaries respected - when you set a boundary with a loved one, they need to respect it! Sure, they may need a few reminders about some of your boundaries when you first set them, but they should hopefully care about you enough that they will comply with and respect the boundaries you have for them.

3. Do what I want with my property, body, mind, and life - even if your loved one does not agree with your choices, they do not have the right to try and force you to do anything with your property, body, money, or life that you are not comfortable with or do not want to do.

4. Withdraw my consent - even if you consented to doing something (such as a sexual activity) and you decide to change your mind right before or in the middle of the activity, your loved one is required to acknowledge and respect your withdraw of consent. A great depiction of this can be watched in the Tea and Consent video.

5. Have honest conversations - having honest conversations with a loved one can be hard. Being honest with your loved one can mean being vulnerable and risking you getting your feelings being hurt, your loved one’s feelings being hurt, or potentially losing your relationship with your loved one. When we have honest conversations with our loved ones, we are making our perceptions of the relationship and our feelings clear so no one is feeling confused about what is happening in the relationship. Having honest conversations in your relationships can make them stronger!

6. Express my feelings without being criticized - You have the right to express feelings without someone judging you for them, gaslighting you, or making you feel unsafe for sharing them.

7. Make mistakes, learn, and grow - We are human. We will all make mistakes. You have the right to make mistakes, learn, and grow in your relationships without your loved ones constantly judging you, undermining you, or making you feel bad.

8. Take time for yourself - There is nothing wrong with taking space away from a loved one. You are a priority! You have the right to engage in activities without your loved one to “fill your cup” and get some quality you time.

9. Have opinions of my own - We are all different, and that’s ok! Having differences in a relationship is what makes all of our relationships unique. You do not have to share the same opinions as your loved one in order to have a relationship with them.

10. Feel safe - You have the right to feel comfortable and safe in your relationship.