Could Mary have said “no?” a contemporary feminist analysis of consent, examined through the context of Marian representations that originate from the Annunciation

Providing a framework for consent analysis, this research primarily focuses on Mariology derived from the Annunciation as interpreted by Mary Daly. Daly’s representations of Mary as a Model for all Women, a Marionette, a Rape Victim, and a Goddess are considered in turn. Through an exploration of these Mariological images, this research explores the intricate factors influencing an individual’s capacity to provide consent, with a focus on limitations to an agent’s autonomy and voluntariness. Specifically, this study emphasises the significance of characterising interactions between agents as competitive or non-competitive. This research indicates that in situations where interactions between agents are competitive, the ability for an agent to give consent is severely limited. In contrast, in scenarios where interactions between agents are non-competitive, the capacity for consent is higher. This research highlights the need for a movement towards non-competitive interactions to protect and empower women’s consent. Additionally, a reimagining of the Marian image as a model of non-competitive collaborative agency is proposed as a guide to further discussions of consent, moving towards a more equitable and inclusive relationality.