Three Wrigleyville Bars Are Serving Up Pro-Consent Reminders This April

By Rachel Cromidas in News on Mar 31, 2015 8:25PM

A bar is probably no one’s favorite place to talk about sexual assault awareness, but that doesn’t mean we should shy away from these types of conversations.

Three Wrigleyville bars are trying to make those discussions a little bit easier for patrons this April, which is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, by passing out coasters emblazoned with tongue-in-cheek, pro-consent slogans. Being an active bystander never sounded so cool, bro.

Some of the coaster messages include: “Consent: Ask Early and Often!” and "So you've checked your phone, checked your hair. Have you checked in on your friend?"

They were created by Catharsis Productions, a local sex education and comedy theater company. Catharsis manager Brian Golden said the goal is to get people thinking about consent and watching out for one another in some of the places where they could be most vulnerable, like a boozy party or nightclub.

“Wrigleyville definitely has a reputation for being Skeezeball Central,” Golden said. “I think this is a non-intrusive, friendly reminder to look out for each other.”

Catharsis tested the project out last year by hosting a “Bystander Bar Crawl,” through Lakeview. Some of the coasters were emblazoned with the gentle reminder, “It’s the city of broad shoulders, not the city of douchebags,” and the poetic mantra, “Some cocks deserve to be blocked.”

Look for the coasters under your drinks at The Stretch Bar and Grill, Mad River and Bernies.