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https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/friend/2017/06/tickling-trouble?lang=eng This story is a few years old (from 2017). However, I feel that it fits nicely with a recent article in the Liahona which essentially states that married people have a right to refuse sexual contact from a spouse.
This story is the more kid friendly version that teaches kids that they can say no to physical contact (of any kind but the story mentions pokes, tickling, and hugs) from siblings, peers, and also adults, authority figures, and parents. Stop means stop.
I celebrate the message.
:thumbup: Absolutely. The general message of bodily autonomy and the right to set boundaries, with anyone, is important. I hope it is repeated in multiple ways and multiple editions.
Ouch. Touchy topic for me. As someone who lived in a sexless marriage over a decade, I have problems with a black-and-white approach to sexual contact — that every spouse has the right to refuse contact from their spouse. While I believe there should be agency, I am aware of the suffering it can cause in a relationship, divorce, family break-up, propelling the rejected spouse into other people’s arms — a lot of hardship. I would much rather temper that statement with commentary about what service means to marriage. About emotional needs, one of which is sexual fulfillment for some people (men, and women), and that service in marriage is partly about learning to meet the needs of your spouse as an act of love, even when it takes discipline to do so.
Yes, I know that this black and white approach does not perfectly fit every situation. If someone is determined to distort and twist what is said to the extremes, I would much rather that a spouse withhold sexual activity than have a spouse force sexual activity upon the other spouse.
Now, I also believe that the church can only really give “general advice” that may not be as applicable for individual circumstances. Absolutely, spouses should look to help the other spouse find fulfillment (including sexual fulfillment).
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