Today in this segment we will be discussing Asexuality and the controversy surrounding it and the LGBT community.
First of all, what is Asexuality?
Asexuality is the lack of sexual attraction to others, or low or absent interest in or desire for sexual activity.
Not to be confused with Celibacy, which is the choice to abtsain from sex, Asexuals simply experience no sexual attraction.
Lately there has been a big debate on whether or not Asexuals belong in the LGBT community. The argument is split into two sides:
•Exclusionists believe that Asexuals must have same gender attraction or dysphoria to be LGBT, otherwise they are cishet (Cisgender Heterosexual).
•Inclusionists believe that Asexuals, even cishet aces, belong in the LGBT community.
Before we get into debating either side, lets look more into the issue.
Common Myths of Asexuality
Asexual individuals can’t have relationships - Ace people don’t feel sexual attraction, which is seperate from romantic or platonic attraction. Unlike Aromantic individuals, Aces may desire to form relationships, and they can. Relationships don’t revolve around sex.
Asexuality is relatively new - The origins and history of Asexuality are relatively unknown, given the fact that most of the early ages of human existence and culture revolved heavily around reproduction. In fact, even research on the topic is limited. However, the first few private sites for Asexual individuals began popping up around 1990.
Asexuals are broken - This is a myth created by an oversexualized society. Asexuals are valid, and ones level of sexual attraction doesn’t determine their worth.
What issues do Asexuals face?
Asexuals, while not as targeted as other LGBT identities, do face their fair share of issues.
People may believe that they just haven’t met the right person yet, or coerce them into sex as a way of “fixing” them. However, Asexuality as a whole doesn’t face much stigma in society.
Asexuals aren’t targeted by employers for their lack of attraction, nor are they persecuted solely in the workplace or in society. Asexuals do however face a society thats full of sex and sexualization of nearly everything, which can definitely take a toll on ones self esteem or mental health. This is a very real issue that can be combatted with awareness and social change.
LGBT is used to describe anybody who is not heterosexual or cisgender, but Asexuals can fall under the “cishet” category.
Asexuality itself isn’t a sexual attraction, but rather a lack of one. Asexuals can still be attracted to the opposite gender romantically, much like they can with anybody of the same sex.
An asexual person attracted to the same sex might call themselves asexual homoromantic, or simply gay. In the same sense, one attracted to the opposite would be called a heteromantic asexual, or straight.
Not only that, but asexual individuals don’t require the same resources other LGBT individuals may. The two have very different needs.
Asexuals in LGBT spaces might feel uncomfortable or frustrated with the displays of affection, or the fact that sex and all of its issues are the bulk of most LGBT topics and issues.
Instead of forcing LGBT people to censor their very real issues for the sake of inclusion, Asexuals need a community in which they can discuss their own issues in a safe space made for them.
Aven is a community for asexuals, unlike the LGBT community.
Aven stands for the Asexual Visibility and Education Network. Its an Internet-based community to promote awareness of asexuality, Its stated goals are “creating public acceptance and discussion of asexuality and facilitating the growth of an asexual community”
Asexuals are valid and in need of any support they can get, and a community dedicated to their very different needs and resources is one way of going about that.
Aven has been around since 2001, and in 2009 was their first participation in the San Francisco Pride Parade.
Asexuality is a unique and relatively unknown sexuality, which isn’t inheritly LGBT. Asexual individuals, however, have AVEN, a communuty dedicated to asexuality and its own needs.
Sources can be found through the archive link in the post description, since Tumblr apparently killed links in posts.
This has been Opinion Time with Nel, feel free to inform me if I have missed any important information, or you’d like me to go in-depth on something covered. Thank you for listening.
❗This post has been archived and can be found through the link in the profile description.
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