I do not say making love, because this is not what he's doing. Copulating too would be inaccurate, because it would imply two people and only one is involved. Nor does rape cover it: nothing is going on here that I haven't signed up for. There wasn't a lot of choice, but there was some, and this is what I chose.
The quote reflects a complex understanding of consent and intimacy, suggesting that the act being described lacks genuine connection. The speaker distinguishes between terms like making love, copulating, and even rape, highlighting that while she is engaged in sexual activity, it feels fundamentally different from the emotional or relational experience typically associated with those terms.
Instead, the speaker acknowledges a nuanced form of choice in her situation, indicating that although her options are limited, she still made a decision regarding her participation. This reinforces the theme of conflicted agency, where the speaker’s circumstances dictate her experience of intimacy, revealing the stark reality of her existence within The Handmaid's Tale.
