Hey I've seen a lot of discourse about this and I'm genuinely curious for an asexual person's opinion: do you think asexual people don't belong in the LGBT community because they don't experience the same sex attraction or gender dysphoria that would open them up to homophobia and transphobia? Really just want to hear another side of the discussion. Thanks!
Well, just know that I am not the most informed person on these issues. I am definitely not aware of all the different hardships that various people in the LGBT+ community face.
Here is what personal experience as shown me:
I went to my company’s LGBT christmas party a few weeks ago(super nervous btw). I was talking to the few girls that were there and when one who was a lesbian asked me about dating I clarified that I was asexual. She had no reaction that showed she thought I didn’t belong there. Instead she brought up how her daughter had considered if she was asexual and we continued talking as normally as before.
Farther back, at a tech conference I went to a Lesbians Who Tech panel. At the very end I went of to the founder of Lesbians Who Tech and asked her if there was a point where asexuals might be overstepping their bounds by coming to these events. She said absolutely not.
In college, the LGBT+ group had a webpage and pdf that gave definitions about all the different orientations. Asexual and Aromantic were both included as if it was natural.
Every letter in the everchanging acronym(LGBT, LGBTQA, LGBTQIA, LGBTQIAP, etc.) involves a different set of experiences, struggles, and issues. Some are obviously much more dire than others. I read about a trans person who walked down the street after midnight in fear, because of the cases where men have done terrible things to them because they felt ‘deceived’ about their gender after hitting on them. Clearly I will never fully understand or have that same fear.
The issues faced are different, but just because an issue is not as bad it does not make it unimportant or nonexistent. It does not mean we shouldn’t work on fixing it along with the others.
LGBT+ seems to be a community where those who do not fall under the sexuality or gender norm can go to be surrounded by others like that. Others who unquestionably see you as valid when you say you don’t feel how you are ‘expected’ to. This community can then be used to meet people, become more educated, raise awareness, and take action to solve issues. A trans person and a gay person face different issues, but together they have more power and influence for solving both their issues.
Asexuals and aromantics are definitely not straight(half the jokes on this blog are about how we don’t feel the same things that straight people feel). As long as they are respectful of other’s issues, and understand that they have different issues than those faced by others, I believe it makes logical sense for them to be included. The inclusion will also allow more conversations to form over sexuality and identity, hopefully furthering human’s understanding of it.
That turned out long, sorry. I just kind of said what came to me. Honestly I could right 5 more pages with my thoughts but I’m sure I’ve put you to sleep already ;)
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