Asexuality in Fandom

Representation Matters and asexuality visibility in fandoms is important as part of that. This is the place to discussion readings of characters who could be on the asexual spectrum. Headcanons, fic ideas with an ace character, places for an ace character that could be placed in media of choice. It is also the place to discuss how the ace community is treated amongst fandom. If you have questions, put them in the ask box. If you'd like to submit a post, submissions are open. Please be respectful of others, not just on this page. Everywherem really.

[theasexualityblog-deactivated20]

Asexual Awareness Week Fandom Challenge 2015

physicsandfandoms submitted: 

Since there doesn’t appear to be an Asexual Awareness Week Fandom Challenge for this year I thought I might as well submit one. I welcome any edits or additions to encompass other people’s ideas as well.

I encourage people to respond to these prompts in all types of formats. Write meta, draw fanart, write fanfic, make playlists, post quotes, make aesthetic edits and GIFS, etc. Have fun with it!  As it was last year, the tag is “#AAWFC”

Day 1: Post about canonically asexual spectrum characters.

Day 2: Post about characters you headcanon as asexual.

Day 3: Post about characters you headcanon as grey asexual or demisexual.

Day 4: Post about a ship you headcanon as asexual.

Day 5: How you think these characters interact with the asexual community? Do they have any pride stuff (pins/shirts/flags/rings/etc.)? Are they part of any asexual groups (clubs/blogs/etc.)? If these characters are not from a modern Earth setting, what do you think the asexual community is like when/where they live? What would their experience be like in a modern Earth AU?

Day 6: How do you think these characters deal with allonormativity, acephobia, or other negative things related to being asexual?

Day 7: Why are asexual characters important to you?

[otpprompts]

Imagine one of your OT3 being asexual and the other two accepting that fact without leaving them out of the relationship romantically.

[terresdebrume-deactivated201410]

Okay I’m sorry my brain is stupid but all I can picture is the two sexual partners getting some sexytime in the bed after a date and the asexual on pulling the pillow on their head and going “Some people are trying to sleEP YOU ANIMALS”

[babylonsabby]

And the asexual person shows up the next night while the two sexual people are trying to sleep, banging two pans together like, “I DIDN’T GET NO SLEEP CAUSE’ O’ YA’LL! YA’LL GET NO SLEEP CAUSE O’ ME!”

[clocks-divorcing-ticks]

[spacebras]

I was watching Dude Soup today and they brought up that Master Chief has no sex drive….guys- that means Master Chief is pretty much a canon asexual.

Holy crap I’m so happy right now. For something as big as Halo to have an asexual character- dude dude. I can’t even put it into words.

Thank you so much funhaus <3

[redbeardace]

[aceinpoint]

Hi! My name is Katie Struck, and I am one of the co-creators of a Youtube web series called "Shrew That." It's based on William Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew." One of our main characters in the show, Bianca Baptista, is an out asexual played by asexual actor Rachael Laing. We would love for you to check it out and let us know what you think! The 4th episode called "Her Silence Flouts Me" is where she comes out for the first time to her sister. 

[fictionalaros]

And then there’s the representation of aromanticism in fiction. Oh, oh wait. No, there isn’t. There’s sexual aromanticism which is often misogynist (guy players are cool! girl players are hoors who need a man to settle her down!). Asexual aromanticism, however? That’s what you pull out when all your inhumanising methods have failed. The most normal thing in media is wanting a romantic relationship. If someone doesn’t want a romantic relationship (and if they’re not just waiting for the right man~~) they are probably going to commit genocide. On the flip-side: romanticism is often used to humanise and/or reward a character. It’s lazy and it’s cheap, but it works. Robots want to be human? The thing they want the very most is a romantic relationship. Ex-villain is being rehabilitated and redeeming themself? They’re gonna start dating. Previously creepy/whacky side character starts being more important? Get them a significant other stat. Saved the world? Get a prospective girl/boyfriend. Realised they don’t need someone to be happy? Suddenly: someone to make them happy. (This is why so many aces have a difficult adolescence. We know we’re different, but so often we don’t have the words for it, and no one understands when we try to explain. And then we finally recognise ourselves in a character on TV and… and they’re a serial killer or an alien, and a lot of people go “well no, they’re actually probably totes gay”. Media told me that — just because I didn’t feel like dating or having sex — I didn’t have the right to consider myself human. I am still — more than ten years on — dealing with the venomous headspace that created.)

Awesome stuff by pippin.. It’s titled asexuality in fiction, but there is a really cool section on aromantics too!

FONSFAQ post — asexuality in fiction

(via fictionalaros)

[lapisbitch]

when kinsey did his sexuality studies, he discovered there were individuals with no sexual attraction towards any gender, and put them in a “category x”

you know what this means guys?

i

am

one of the x-men

[subtract-me-from-your-heart]

ASEXUAL EDUCATORS

IF YOU DON’T CALL YOURSELVES “PROFESSOR X” THEN I AM EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED

[horreurscopes]

jessica rabbit is literally a sex symbol though she can't be asexual?

she is in romo with a rabbit because he makes her laugh and aside from using her looks to get things out of people she literally never once shows interest in anything or anyone sexually through the entire movie and is clearly appalled when anyone makes advances towards her like there is canonical evidence that jessica rabbit from the classic motion picture who framed rogger rabbit is an asexual character  

[harocat]

I am here as fuck for this. Jessica Rabbit for new asexual icon.

[drdadster]

"She can’t be asexual because she’s hot tho"

[commandertrevelyan]

"I can only see her as a sexual object so I can’t imagine her not wanting to have sex with me."

[ya-pride]

I related to Katniss so well was because she wasn’t preoccupied with those relationship desires that were so frequently assumed to exist in everyone. At no point in time did Katniss see herself as weird for her lack of desire – it was simply a fact of her life that other people felt things she didn’t feel and she’s okay with that. The confusion that Katniss feels in connection to relationships is always in regards to the development of unusual feelings instead of in her lack of them, and in navigating how to pretend to be someone she’s not.

Straight is Not My Default: Understanding Katniss Everdeen as an Ace Aro by Nakia on GayYA.org.

(via thegayya)

[svnserendipity]

Maggie Pierce:

You’re preaching to the choir, sister.

[aceinpoint]

I am developing a headcanon for Asexual Maggie Pierce.

Amelia Shepherd in this GIFset is amazing at the whole idea of such a amazing sex that it causes a stroke. Maggie just kind of looks, and her high five and comment seems more of I want to make friends and not be the weird new kid than lament at not having had any sex. 

Skip forward a few episodes and once again the doctors of Sloan Grey Hospital are sitting around discussing their sex lives and Maggie is intrigued but seems kind of off put by it... Because ace.  So, come on Grey's Anatomy, hit me with ace shot! 

[kaenith]

In honor of Asexual Awareness Week, I am drawing pictures of some of the characters I headcanon as asexual.

Charlie Weasley - Aromantic Asexual

[acemvlder]

i would give my left kidney for asexual taystee jefferson.

she’s an extrovert who cares more about her family in all its forms than she is in dating.

none of her flashbacks or current prison drama revolve around fucking.

when poussey kisses her she says she’s “not like that” but cuddling is fine and she obviously enjoys that - why is everyone assuming she means she’s straight?

when she yells at p in the library she never says the issue is that she liked her, it’s that she liked her “like that” and “wanted her to take off her clothes and shit” - those are not the words of someone uncomfortable with a lesbian. those are the words of someone uncomfortable with sex.

she jokes about sex but it’s /always/ a joke. “a nubian king with a nubian thing”? come on. she uses it like a punchline. she uses it like an ace.

can you imagine? if any show were to have some ace representation, i could see it being orange is the new black. and can you imagine it being TAYSTEE? the fan favorite, loud and happy and dancing - sings like an angel, stings like a bee - can you imagine? taystee saying, “no, i’m asexual. not like a fucking plant, like a person. i just don’t like it.” can you IMAGINE? allosexual people being forced to see an ace character who wasn’t a novelty or a joke or treated like it was a disorder? can you imagine allosexual people actually /hearing/ the word asexual on one of the most popular tv shows that exists right now? can you even imagine?

[theheroheart]

Paul Cornell, “The Making of ‘Scream of the Shalka’”

[aceinpoint]

I found this earlier and I thought it was very interesting! There's an interesting blog that tries to bring critical thinking to ships and shipping in fandom. While asexuality and aromanticism isn't the main focus of the blog they've been having some really good discussions about it and approach them in a pretty intelligent way. I enjoy shipping but I will easily admit I would love to see more critical thinking on shipping and ships.

http://debunkdelusionalshipping.tumblr.com/

[aceinpoint]

I saw that clip on the news too! It certainly took me by surprise. I agree it was a bit unfortunate for it to be in that particular story, especially since they seemed to be implying he must be some kind of weirdo by including it and mentioning he never married and stuff. But that the interviewer even knew about asexuality is something, I guess.

I'm very torn between "yay! Acknowledgement!" and "but the context..."

Which is sad really, that I have a feeling of excitement at being thrown pathetic scraps.

Because that is what this is.You are completely right, it was he never married and has kept his private life private. Gay or asexual, he must be hiding something because he'd need to be getting his kicks from somewhere otherwise, why the sexual assault allegations?

Scraps. Just scraps.

Though, completely different note. Yay! Aussie Aces Unite!

[aceinpoint]

I was watching the news today and they played a clip of an old interview with Cliff Richard where they asked him if his keeping his private life private meant he just hiding being gay or asexual!

Asexual was an option! A reason on why someone wouldn't get married.

The actual story was about Cliff Richard being accused of molestation a boy under the age of 16. Which is why they used the clip asking if he were gay or asexual, on which Cliff Richards responded would it matter if he were gay.

So, all in all, the asexual part was a split second thing that was in passing, but I just found it interesting it was included. 

Though, as I write this, I'm struck by the fact it isn't a positive toned story. But what does that mean in the long run?

[shakesankle]

So, today at Pride…