What we can learn from the Loneliest Whale in the World
A male blue whaleās bellowing call can travel as far as 3,000 miles across the ocean. Each species of whale has its own particular vocal patterns, and their songs help them communicate. Well, every whale except for an exceptional individual known familiarly as ā52 Hertzā or ā52 Blue.ā
In 1992, a U.S. naval air station picked up a strange sound in the Pacific that had the sound patterns of a blue whale, but at an unheard of frequency: 52 Hertz.
Acoustic technicians dubbed the whale 52 Blue:
āThey kept tracking him for years, every migration season, as he made his way south from Alaska to Mexico. His path wasnāt unusual, only his songāand the fact that they never detected any other whales around him. He always seemed to be alone.
So this whale was calling out high, and he was calling out to no oneāor at least, no one seemed to be answering.ā
52 Blueās story has resounded with anyone whoās ever felt too weird to love, as it did with me. As an asexual person, Iāve always felt as if I were on a different wavelength than everyone else around me. They spoke a sexual language that I couldnāt mimic, no matter how hard I tried. So I was never able to connect with anyone romantically, because no one could understand my own language.
Asexuality is rare and oft misunderstood, but mostly it is not broadly recognized. There are not many of us calling out across the oceans of people, as some may not even be aware of the term, and others still are hesitant to breach the surface and openly declare their asexuality. And for an asexual person desiring a real-life relationship (romantic, platonic or otherwise) with another asexual person, the search can seem interminable.
There may be times when you feel like youāre the only asexual person in the world. All you can do, really, is belt out your melody and hope for an answer.
Thatās what I did for three years, swimming through various social networks and dating websites, perusing AVENās meetup section looking for others in my area. I wasnāt getting any hits, and I almost lost hope.
And then the unimaginable happened. A few weeks ago, a message popped up in my OKCupid inbox. The sender was a jaw-dropping 98% match, practically an anomaly considering how many questions he had answered. It wasnāt difficult to find out why: This person was also asexual. I was stunned. I knew had to meet him.
After our first successful encounter, I am pleased to say this will be my first Valentineās Day that I will be spending with someone. Iāll be bringing the box of chocolates I had bought last month when I assumed I was going to be eating them alone. Ā If I hadnāt called out, even with the barest possibility of an answer, I probably would be.
So if youāre feeling lonely this time of year, just remember that you are not really alone in the world. Donāt lose hope. Keep on singing your song ā¦ You never know if someone might hear you across the ocean.
I probably should have realized I was asexual when it took me 20 years to realize the song Milkshake by Kelis isnāt really about milkshake. I was both confused and slightly disappointed.
REBLOG IF YOU THINK BILLY BONES SHOULD BE CANON ARO-ACE
Iāve managed to get in touch with the creators of Starz show Black Sails, a prelude to R. L Stevensonās book Treasure Island. In the show Billy has so far not shown any interest in sex or relationships whatsoever, and one character even pointed out that in the three days theyāve been in Nassau (basically pirate HQ, with a huge brothel) he still hasnāt gotten himself laid. Billy Bones is played by Tom Hopper, so itās not like he doesnāt have the looks.
hEllo
So I was thinking, if I could show the creators that more people are interested in seeing Billy on the list of aro-ace characters, maybe itāll be easier to convince them.
I have less than 100 followers on twitter, but Iāve been thinking of starting a tag (something in the line of #MakeBillyAroAce) so if anyone wants to help you can do that. You can also tweet the creators here
So even if you donāt watch the show, and even if youāre not aro-ace like and reblog this to help us get some representation in the pirate world!
The wonderful @alreadylost has compiled a large list of bloggers who fall under the Ace/Aro umbrella. Rather than reblog it and have a big long post on your dash I thought Iād link you all to it so you can like it or reblog it from there.Ā
When youāre over 60 and still being told you just havenāt met the right person, itās more annoying, of course. āI let it slip one time at work that Iām an asexual aromantic [an asexual who is also not interested in making romantic attachments], and they think itās absolutely hysterical,ā says Jean Wilson, a sales assistant and 63-year-old grandmother from Banbury. āOne of the women I work with said, āI donāt think youāve met the right man yet.ā I said: āTrish, Iām 63. If I havenāt met him by now I donāt think Iām going to.āā
'The moment I realised I was asexual' - Telegraph
A surprisingly good article featuring a range of different aces, including this delightful older woman.
I love the Ace Hardware commercial because it always starts with āAsk your neighborhood aceā yes. That is me. You have question?? I am neighborhood ace. I have answer. I know all.
