James Howe, the husband of leading Australian anti-abortion campaigner Dr. Joanna Howe, has stated that he does not adhere to the concept of consent, making the assertion during a video critical of consent education initiatives. The remarks were made in a 35-minute video where the couple addressed Chanel Contos, founder of Teach Us Consent, and the Australian government's decision to award her organization $3.5 million.
In the video, titled 'The RADICAL Feminist Behind Albanese's Social Media Crackdown,' Mr. Howe referred to Ms. Contos, a 27-year-old activist, with derogatory terms, questioning her advocacy for teaching teenagers to seek permission before engaging in physical intimacy. Dr. Howe also accused Ms. Contos of exaggerating the risks of sexual violence and suggested that men are not solely responsible.
During this discussion, Mr. Howe interrupted his wife to state, "I just don't do consent. I don't, like, we don't do consent." When his wife cautioned that his words could be misconstrued, he responded, "I don't give a s**t." He further elaborated, "I do marriage, man. Like I don't I don't do consent." He expressed disapproval of teaching children to ask for consent for actions like removing clothing, calling it "creepy."
Ms. Contos gained prominence in 2021 with a petition advocating for earlier and more comprehensive consent education in Australian schools. She has also focused on the influence of social media on young people, arguing that online content undermines formal consent education. Earlier in the month, Ms. Contos warned at a National Press Club speech about teenagers, particularly boys, being exposed to misogynistic material via social media algorithms.
Dr. Howe, a prominent anti-abortion activist, has attracted support from notable political figures. Her husband, a furniture designer and former journalist, has built an online following for his commentary on architecture and housing. The couple, who have five children, have increasingly appeared in videos together discussing social and political issues.
The video featuring Mr. Howe's comments has drawn criticism online. Social media users have expressed concern, with one commenter noting that schools teach consent to help children learn about boundaries, respect, and communication, extending beyond just sexual situations. Another user stated that consent education is a vital part of everyday life.
The public discourse occurs amid broader concerns about sexual violence among teenagers. In the preceding month, the New South Wales government announced crisis talks with school leaders following a series of teenage sexual assault cases. Ms. Contos's current initiative, Fix Our Feeds, advocates for greater user control over social media recommendation algorithms. In response, the Australian government has proposed a 'My Feed, My Way' initiative, which would offer users a choice between algorithmically recommended content and a feed limited to accounts they follow.