Aro-Spec Research and Shenanigans

A space dedicated to the aro-spec researcher (me!) who is interested in intra- and inter-community discussions about aromanticism. This is where aro research happens.

[aro-and-tired]

Loveless Aro Survey: Survey results (part 1)

PART 2

The survey wanted to gather some information on people who use the loveless aro label, as well as the opinions of non-loveless aros on the loveless label. Both groups were given a set of demographic questions, to see if there are any specific trends in who is more likely to identify as loveless. This first post will focus on showing the results of demographic questions, while results gotten on further questions (regarding experiences and opinions) will be shared in a second post, as a single post for everything would be far too long.

At the start of the survey, people were asked if they identify as a loveless aro, with possible answers being “yes”, “no”, or “questioning”. People who answered “questioning” were counted together with people who answered “yes”. This was because, in order to question calling themselves loveless aros, questioning people had to find the term interesting for some reason, and their experiences can also give insight on who feels attracted to the loveless aro term.

As a last note before going in, the demographic results from non-loveless aros will be assumed to be representative of the general aro community and used for comparison. However, there is still the possibility they may not be entirely accurate, since the number of people who participated is still just a fraction of the entire aro community.

There were a total of 1330 participants. Of this, 57.5% (765) said they do not identify as loveless aro. 28.1% (374) said they are questioning using the term, and 14.4% (191) said they do identify as loveless aro. I will now present each of the demographic questions, putting side by side the results given by loveless and questioning loveless aros (which I will shorten to just loveless aros for sake of brevity) versus the results given by non-loveless aros. There will be a tl;dr at the end of this post.

Keep reading

[alloarboreal]

Survey for allo aros!

Allo Aro Survey

Hello! This is a survey for allo aros to try and find out some information about our community. Please only participate if you identify as a

Hi everyone! I was interested in collecting some statistics about the allo aro community and finding out a bit more about us, so I’ve made a survey! Anyone who identifies as allo aro can participate, please share it with people you think might be interested :)

Results and discussion will be posted on this blog sometime in the future.

@alloaroworlds, if you could share this I would be grateful for the signal boost :)

[aro-and-tired]

Loveless aro survey

Hello! I have made a survey to gather data on the loveless aro community, which you can take HERE. There isn’t a set date for when the survey will be closed, as that depends on how much data I can gather. Results will be posted on this blog.

Both loveless aros and aromantics who do not identify as loveless can participate. Loveless aros will mainly be asked their reasons for using the loveless label, and a few personal opinions regarding the community. Non-loveless aromantics will mainly be asked about their opinions regarding the label of loveless aro. Both groups will be given demographic questions. In the case of loveless aros, the demographic questions aim to find trends within the loveless community, while the same demographic questions for non-loveless aros may serve as a control sample.

Also, as I’ve been asked this before, all people on the aromantic spectrum are welcome to participate, regardless of the specific labels they use.

[aro-neir-o]

Hi, just letting you know when I click on the results link to the 2019 survey it says I don't have access and would have to request it

I hope this is an old ask I just didn't notice! But do let me know if the issue is still present; I fixed this a while ago.

[aromantic-aurea]

Create a new survey on your own or with others at the same time. Choose from a variety of survey types and analyze results in Google Forms.

AUREA has been invited to publish a book! We are putting together a team to accomplish this large undertaking. If you’re interested in applying, the deadline is July 15, and the application is here.

[theaceandaroadvocacyproject]

Continuing our week on intersections, today we are talking about being Asian and ace or aro!

[ID: 2 images on a light peachy yellow background with the TAAAP logo in the upper right corners and black text. The first image has a graphic of steamed buns in a purple box in the lower right corner. This image reads “Being Ace or Aro and Asian. Sexualization and fetishization of Asian women due to years of military occupation (particularly American*) that included exploitation of “comfort women” and reverberates today in the form of mail-order brides and sexual tourism in Asian countries. Asian women and feminine people are expected to be sexually compliant and convenient - asserting any orientation or desire beyond this is looked down upon or completely disbelieved/ignored. From military occupation to marriage trafficking, it is expected and demanded that Asian women are available to white men. *Japanese occupation of China and Korea is also important to note in the history of “comfort women” and forced prostitution in Asia.” The second image shows a graphic of a green board holding sushi and chopsticks in the upper left corner. This image reads “Being Ace or Aro and Asian. Asian American men considered neither romantically nor sexually viable - from the Page Act of 1875 to the Cable Act of 1922 and the continuing legacy of imperialism and racism, the marriage and reproduction of Asian men in Western countries has been considered a threat to white supremacy and white birth rates. A simple way for the white supremacist state to deal with this was to simply create an image of Asian men as undesirable. They were and continue to be stigmatized in ways that can make asserting ace or aro identity difficult rather than affirming.In some Asian cultures, particularly South Asian and Desi, arranged marriage is common. Marriage and sex are expected in ways that many aces and aros may be uncomfortable with, but not participating may be seen as unbearable disrespect to one’s family or spouse that must be punished.” End ID.]

[theaceandaroadvocacyproject]

content warning for rape mention on the first graphic, under the first bullet point

In honor of Juneteenth, today we are talking about the intersection between blackness and aromanticism or asexuality. The experiences of black people and descendants of the African Diaspora in white colonialist countries are marked by struggle and resistance - in a society that views your body as an exotic commodity, asserting agency over your sexuality should not be taken for granted. 

Note, these graphics focus on the experiences of black and African people in countries such as the United States, England, and Canada, as that is what we here at TAAAP understand best. We encourage you to discuss your own experiences in your own parts of the world! This is not meant to be comprehensive, simply a starting point for thinking about what black aces and aros experience. 

[ID: two light brown images with the TAAAP logo in the upper right corner and black text. The first images shows a graphic of a dark skinned person in a white t shirt with chin length curly green hair. This image reads “Being Ace or Aro and Black. Mammy: Caricature of an “undesirable” slave woman who was loyal to white families. Stereotyped as asexual because a lack of desire made it convenient to force her into lifelong labor for a family that was not her own, while also ignoring how common it was for house slaves/servants to be raped. Takes away the agency of claiming an asexual identity and stigmatizes it. Hypersexual: European imperialism has deemed Black masculinity a sexual threat and sees Black femininity as always sexual and always willing. Asexuality is seen as incompatible and aromanticism is further pathologized as something separate from a “good” or “pure” sexuality.” The second image depicts a brown skinned person in a white t shirt with ear length kinky purple hair and a purple beard. This image reads “Being Ace or Aro and Black. Upholding White Supremacy": Inner-community arguments over the assumed necessity of black nuclear families. Conservative Black people, aided by a lot of capitalist state propaganda, believe that much of the plight of Black communities is due to non-nuclear family structures and “deviant” sexual/romantic behaviors (such as being a single parent, not engaging in long-term monogamy or marriage, etc). People who do not wish to get married, do not wish to have children, or want to have sex and/or children outside of romantic relationships are sometimes blamed for furthering their own/their community’s own oppression and suffering.” End ID.]

[theaceandaroadvocacyproject]

Last day of intersections week and we are highlighting First Nations and Indigenous people in our community! TAAAP was started in DC, which is land that originally belonged to the Anacostan and Piscataway peoples. 

[ID: Two images on a light olive background with the TAAAP logo in the upper right corner and black text. The first image shows a medicine wheel on the right side, and the second image shows Two-Spirit feathers in the bottom left. The first image reads “Being Ace or Aro and First Nations or Indigenous. European settlers, in an attempt to “civilize” First Nations and Indigenous people and mark them as morally lower than Europeans, enforced their ideas of nuclear families and monogamous couples as the only “good” way to have a family. The civility and “goodness” of First Nations and Indigenous people and relationship networks have long been compared to a Christian European standard. In cultures that previously did not ascribe to a gender binary or a heterosexual nuclear family standard, now these things are often expected and there is sometimes stigma for not ascribing to these imported norms.” The second image reads “Being Ace or Aro and First Nations or Indigenous. Indigenous women and feminine people are highly sexualized in most pieces of media, and face significantly high rates of sexual violence. They are both valued for their “exotic” appearances and devalued as commodities. They are often not treated as living beings with their own sexual and romantic agency. For more information, look into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. Many orientations under the LGBTQIA+ umbrella, including aromanticism and asexuality, have been    developed by white European communities. First Nations and Indigenous people, along with people of other racial and ethnic minorities, may choose more culturally relevant terms. Two-spirit is a Pan-Tribal term for some of these experiences (the symbol for two-spirit is seen at left).” End ID.]

[theaceandaroadvocacyproject]

For the last part of Intersections week, we are discussing some of the unique issues and nuances for aces and aros of racial and ethnic minorities! The aro and ace communities have had consistent issues with being overly centered on white Americans, and this is unfair to and unrepresentative of a large portion of the communities. While the information in our graphics are presented from a primarily American perspective, due to the demographics of TAAAP organizers, this information was created with the input of people embodying these identities. Diverse ace and aro voices need to be heard and uplifted.

[ID: Two light gray images with the TAAAP logo in the upper right corners and black text. The first images shows two hands holding Mexico and Cuba’s flag. This image reads “Being Ace or Aro and Latine or Hispanic. Considered “fiery” or “spicy”, Latina or Hispanic women and feminine people are often dehumanized by being reduced down to their fertility and (presumed) hypersexuality. Latina or Hispanic women and feminine people are particularly expected to get married and have babies very quickly. Hispanic men and masculine people may be expected to exhibit machismo - a kind of masculinity centered around dominance and being sexual.” The second image shows three hands holding the Puerto Rican, Spanish, and Guatemalan flags. This image reads “Issue of aromanticism and asexuality being incompatible with expectations to have kids and engage in romo/sexual relationships. Issue of Latine and Hispanic alloaros being seen as conforming to negative stereotypes and failing to “redeem” themselves through monogamous romantic relationships. Based on the 2017 and 2018 Ace Community Census results, approximately 5% of aces identify as Latine and another 5% as Hispanic.” End ID.]

[paperstorm]

Pride history posts on here seem almost exclusively to revolve around Stonewall which can leave the impression that America is the only place where anything important ever happened and obviously is not true so I have compiled a few links where you can learn about LGBTQ history in other countries! Feel free to add

The Brunswick Four and the Toronto raids in Canada 🇨🇦

Queer icons like Virginia Wolf, Oscar Wilde, and Freddie Mercury in Britain 🇬🇧

Cultural revolution in Weimar Germany 🇩🇪

The drag scene in Nigeria 🇳🇬

Gay and lesbian Mardi Gras in Australia 🇦🇺

Frida Kahlo and Mexicos fraught history 🇲🇽

Gay samurai in Japan 🇯🇵

Queer narratives erased by colonialism in Pakistan 🇵🇰

The modern world’s first legal same-sex marriages in the Netherlands 🇳🇱

The honoured Mahu (transgender individuals) in traditional Hawaiian culture 🌺

Hidden queer communities in communist Poland 🇵🇱

Husbands in ancient Egypt 🇪🇬

The Athens pride festival in Greece 🇬🇷

The Homosexual Movement of Liberation in Chile 🇨🇱

Gay rights protests in India 🇮🇳

[aroaceandetc]

To kick off the new Carnival of Aros website, we’ll be hosting this month’s theme here! More information about the blogging carnival can be found here. Theme/Prompts June is Pride month…

Hey everyone! The Carnival of Aros is currently getting rebooted with a new site and management team (including yours truly). June’s theme is “Pride and Solidarity” and being hosted by the carnival itself.  We’re all excited to see the carnival continue and get to see everyone’s different thoughts and responses. Feel free to comment or email us with any questions or concerns!

[theaceandaroadvocacyproject]

Happy Pride Month everyone!!! This pride month, we will be posting informational graphics related to the ace and aro communities - the first two weeks will be 101 while the second half of the month will delve into deeper topics. We are kicking things off with: what is romantic attraction? Image description under the cut. 

Keep reading

[aggressivelyarospec]

Welcome to the sixth edition of #AggressivelyArospecWeek!

#AggressivelyArospecWeek (#AAW) is a week-long event promoting the creation of arospec fancontent by arospec creators.

Our event aims to create a space where arospec creators are free to explore their identities through fanwork. We believe that fandom is a great way to share our passions, our interests and to empower one another in our arospec identities. All while having loads of fun!

Please join us from June 20 to June 26 2021 and enjoy a small explosion of arospec fancontent. You’re welcome to submit any type of content for the event, whether it be fanfic, headcanons, mixtapes, fanart,… Anything goes!

Any content you submit has to be centered around a character’s arospec identity (whether that character is canonically arospec or you headcanon them as so.) Content can be about any fandom whatsoever!

To submit, please make a new post during the event week and tag it as #AggressivelyArospecWeek, or submit your work directly to our blog through the ask and submission boxes. Your post will then be reblogged on the Aggressively Arospec blog.

We also have a Twitter account, so use the hashtags #AggressivelyArospecWeek and #AAW21 if you tweet about your work on there. You can also mention us in your tweet to be sure we don’t miss it and can retweet it. Do submit through tumblr if you can, however, since that is the best way to get your contribution archived with all the others.

Lastly, a collection will be opened on Archive of our Own to round up all the fanfics posted on there.

We can’t wait to see what you have in store for us this year!

(For more information, check out our About page or our FAQ section. If you need some inspiration, you can also check out the content that was created during out previous events in our #AggressivelyArospecWeek tag.)

[aromantic-aurea]

AUREA - The Aros Left Behind: the Arospec

The aromantic spectrum is home to many different kinds of people and orientations. We interview three aromantics who feel or engage in roman

The aromantic spectrum is home to many different kinds of people and orientations. We interview three aromantics who feel or engage in romantic love.

[Image description: A photo of a silver ring in the shape of an arrow, with the point and the fletching meeting where the two ends of the ring connect. Surrounding the paper is a wrinkled aromantic flag. Overlaid on the image are the words "AUREA- The Aros Left Behind: The Arospec"]

[aro-neir-o]

I was in this piece as an interviewee. :) Thank you to everyone else who participated in this and its companion articles!

[theaceandaroadvocacyproject]

May 17th is the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia 

(Image Description under the cut)

IDAHOBIT’s date was selected to commemorate the removal of homosexuality from the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Diseases. While this was a crucial step, many people, including asexual and aromantic people, are still pathologized today and considered in need of medical help. Outside of what’s in our graphic, here are some other ways that ace and aro experiences are pathologized and problematized: 

Low sex drive/arousal has two diagnoses in the latest DSM, with an exception for people identifying as asexual. This still treats sex (and particularly a certain amount of it) within romantic relationships as the norm.

A current defining “symptom” of schizoid personality disorder is a lack of interest in romantic dating or sexual behavior.

Aspec experiences are often conflated with autistic experiences, to the point that people are assumed to automatically be both. This hurts ace and aro people, allo autistic people, and autistic people on the aspec. 

The “sexual dysfunction” section of the current DSM assumes sex within the context of romantic relationships, making it difficult for nonpartnered aroallos to receive care. 

For a deeper dive into this, TAAAP made a whole presentation about how healthcare professionals currently treat aspec people and how they could do better. You can find that here: https://taaap.org/2021/04/23/helping-professionals/ 

Keep reading

[aromantic-aurea]

AUREA is currently recruiting for a number of new team member positions that you can find on our volunteer page!

AUREA is an all volunteer organization, and as such, being a team member is not a paid position. We understand that this can be a barrier to participation for some people and out of respect for people's schedules we are flexible about how much time our team members dedicate to the organization. If you are interested in any of the listed roles and believe you have the relevant experience, we’d love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected], and include the role title you’re interested in in the subject line.

We are particularly invested in bringing on new team members who hold perspectives that are under-represented within the aromantic community. This includes aros of color, aros over the age of 30, aros with disabilities, aros from non-English-dominant countries, aro men, trans-feminine aros, and aros from a wide variety of religious backgrounds.

[aro-neir-o]

Accessing Recent Survey Results

I've received a lot of requests to have edit permissions for the Google Docs that have survey results. With the links on their own, you should be able to see the results without requesting permission to view or edit them. You don't even need a Google account. If you still can't see the document, it may be because Google isn't updating fast enough or too many people are viewing it. Google Docs can act a little strangely sometimes.

If the issue persists, I'll take another look and regenerate the links if necessary!

[aro-neir-o]

I've tried disabling and re-enabling the link permissions! Hopefully things should work now. Let me know in the comments if any of you still have issues.