Rape is inexcusable and deserves to be discussed seriously, but the current nationwide push for "yes means yes" laws is likely to cause more harm than good. In brief, a "yes means yes" law puts into state statutes a legally binding requirement that all parties involved in a sexual encounter demonstrate an "unambiguous, affirmative, and conscious decision" to engage in voluntary sexual relations, to quote California's legislation, which passed last year. In practice, this means getting verbal consent - an explicit "yes" - at every progressive step in a sexual act. While this would appear to be a reasonable approach, it is both unreasonable and unworkable.