Quarto Kids | 05 Jan, 2021
Meet the Author: Justin Hancock

Justin Hancock, author of Can We Talk About Consent?, answers some questions about his debut book and his work as a sex and relationship advisor working with young adults.


Can you tell us a little bit about yourself (career, background) and why you decided to write Can We Talk About Consent?

My training is in youth work and in sexual health workshop facilitation. These both involve creating learning environments where people can reflect on their own experiences, practices and values in their own learning. I’ve learnt loads from the thousands of people I’ve worked with in real life, so I’m really grateful for that. Over the years I’ve developed some expertise in creating resources around sex and relationships and our relationship to ourselves and the world.

I set up my website bishuk.com as a place where I could refer young people to if they had any specific questions I couldn’t answer in-person. I’ve written extensively about consent on the website, as young people were asking me about it more and more. I wrote Can We Talk About Consent? after the publishers asked me to! So that, in itself, was an exercise in consent.

What do you hope kids, parents, and educators will take away from your book? Why do you think a title like this is necessary for young people?

I don’t think young people need another adult just to tell them what consent is, how they should do it, and how important it is. What I want people to take away are practical tools, conversation starters, and ideas that are actually useful for their everyday lives. They need to learn for themselves how consent feels, how we nurture our agency, and the practical measures we can take to increase the capacity for freedoms and choices for everyone in the world. I think this title is necessary for everyone because consent is something that we should all be practising every day.

What is your process like for paring down so much information into bite-sized pieces geared specifically toward younger readers?

Great question! I have to give myself a lot of time to write because getting complex ideas down in easy to understand language takes ages. I have had a lot of practice because I write for young people every week at my website, answering their questions and writing new articles. Something I have found really useful for me is to read what I have written out loud when I edit. I spend a lot of time doing this so that the work sounds conversational, chatty, and friendly – without it being patronising or overly simplistic.

What piece of advice do you find you give the most? Why do you think so many people are often seeking the same information?

I think the main theme of the advice I give is the importance of being able to tune into ourselves and how we can help others to do the same for themselves. That this is really difficult, especially when it comes to sex and relationships, is due to the many Should Stories that exist in society about what is ‘normal’. These expectations are something that we all grapple with and find difficult because we all live in the same society. The expectations might be different from person to person, but they all come from the same place.

What are you working on now?

I’m continuing to work on my website for young people. I’m also relaunching a podcast for adults called Culture Sex Relationships, which features interviews, chat, and advice. I’m hoping to learn a lot from it!


About the author:

Justin Hancock is a UK-based sex educator with over 20 years of experience. His website, BISHuk.com, is a leading sex and relationships advice resource for users aged 14+, and receives thousands of visits per day. In addition, Justin works with practitioners in sex and relationships, education and sexual health services, providing training and resources

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