Mike DomitrzPresident, Author, and Speaker on Respect, The Center for Respect, Inc. · Author & Speaker on Respect for Schools, Corporations, & the Military since 1990 (has reached

Saying No Is More Honest

18 Mar 2026 · 1 min

Watch on YouTube

0:33

In this monologue, the speaker presents a scenario where someone feels pressured to agree to a kiss despite not wanting it, leading to a brief relationship in which the consenting partner becomes increasingly attached while the reluctant partner feels trapped and miserable. After two weeks, the reluctant partner ends the relationship, realizing that saying "no" at the moment would have been kinder than a false yes. The speaker argues that refusing consent is not mean but an act of honesty and kindness, emphasizing the importance of respecting personal boundaries and the negative emotional consequences of agreeing to intimacy one does not truly desire.

Chapters

Somebody asked me for a kiss. I don't want to kiss them. I feel bad. So I say yes, we start kissing. Now I don't want to end this. So we date for a week or two. The person who was into this, are they getting more and more into this every day this exists? They're all in and getting more in every day the situation is taking place. While the person over here who never wanted it, it's getting more miserable every day because they feel trapped. Now they break it off after 2 weeks of this person thinking they're madly in love with this person after 2 weeks. Would they have been kinder honestly that night? Saying no instead of saying yes. No would have been nicer. So no's not mean. That's super important.