Everyone should also remember that if they feel uncomfortable, they can simply say 'I don't feel comfortable with this' or 'I don’t feel I know you well enough for that yet' or ask 'Are you comfortable with this?' and say 'Please tell me if you want to take a break.'
If someone wants something to stop, they can calmly request exactly how they would like the other person to behave, such as 'Please can you stop doing …. and give me some space' or 'I need to take a break and work out how I’m feeling' or 'I would like end this date now.'
"Clear, honest communication is so important," Rachel New highlighted.
"All of this advice also applies to gender fluid, non-binary and trans people, especially with regard to safety and trust," Rachel New said. "If we start to notice the ways in which we categorize people by gender, we will see that we often make assumptions and jump to conclusions that aren’t justified."
"Rather than thinking of men and women as 'them' and 'us' – with 'them' a mystery to us - let's remember that we all have a range of personality traits, values, communication styles, and hang-ups. The latest research from neuroscience shows that the differences within a gender are greater than the differences between genders. If you’re feeling uncertain or insecure, they probably are too!"
