Some January news from the Ace and Aro communities
The Ace Zine Archive has been updated with lots of new ace and arospec zines (including a number of arospec zines that are not specifically ace)
Indian Aces has a couple of projects that might be of interest-- an Asexual Lives book collecting stories and a Platonicity Meetup (which looks like "speed-'dating" type event both for romantic and aromantic non-sexual matches-- see “Keep Reading” for details)
We’ve also been contacted by two sets of researchers conducting research in both English & French:
"I stand out survey" about the health and well-being of youth (15 to 24 years old, inclusive) from the 2S/LGBTQIA+* community
Survey about trans and non-binary older adults living with dimentia for a) trans/non-binary adults over 50 living with dementia and b) for any adult caring for a trans/non-binary adult living with dementia. See “Keep Reading” for details.
Also a reminder that the Ace Toronto Discord server is active. Message me directly for the link.
Asexual Lives (text from Indian Aces)
The Asexual Lives Project aims to create a compendium of stories from across the asexual spectrum that speak to the masses about the different forms and faces of asexuality with the purpose of creating enough awareness to foster acceptance for the asexual community worldwide.
This project is led by Dr. Pragati Singh who leads IndianAces.org, AsexualityAsia.org, HumansOfQueer.com, and other Asexual/Queer -centric initiatives that persevere to create inclusivity for the queer community.
Fill this form if you are someone who can contribute gainfully to this project by being one of our interview subjects! We have curated this form to get to know you a little better before we delve deeper into your story. Details shared by you in this form shall remain confidential to those working on the Asexual Lives Project and will not be shared otherwise without your explicit permission.
Please write to us at [email protected] if you have any questions. You may also visit https://humansofqueer.com/ or https://www.asexualityasia.org/ or https://indianaces.org/ for more information or opportunities.
Platonicity Meet (text from Indian Aces)
Dating is hard, no matter what your orientation. So here’s a no-pressure space where you can meet new people and make connections with others seeking a non-sexual/less-sexual, or a non-romantic/less-romantic relationship. Open to people from all parts of the world and ages 18 and up!
13 Feb 2022, 7:30 pm IST; Online Meet Up, Zoom
Follow these steps to reserve an early bird seat:
Register online at asexualityasia.org
Receive the confirmation email with the ticket
Log in to the virtual event
Join the event to interact with all participants through games and activities
Privately mark your interest in the people you'd like to get in contact with.
Once the event is over, we will match the interests marked mutually, and share contact details with respective parties privately. Only the information you choose to share will be shared at all steps, ensuring complete respect and privacy! So what are you waiting for? Register right away.
Forgotten Lives: The Experiences of Trans Older Adults with Dementia (text from researchers)
Are you:
Over the age of 18
Caring for a trans or nonbinary person who has Alzheimer’s or dementia (mild or advanced)
Providing regular care and support to this person, i.e. at least monthly
We would like to meet with you as part of a project exploring the lived experience of trans people with dementia and their carers.
What to know:
A meetings will be scheduled by videoconference at a time of your choice
Participation compensated by a 25$ gift card
Up to 120$ of respite funds available to facilitate the interview, if needed
Project co-led by a transgender person and a cisgender person using a trans-affirming perspective
To participate or for more information, please contact: [email protected]
Marjorie Silverman, PhD (she/her), Principal investigator, School of Social Work, University of Ottawa
&
Alexandre Baril, PhD (he/him), Co-investigator, School of Social Work, University of Ottawa
[Recruitment poster has the stamp of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada]
Local communities provide immeasurable support to ace folks around the world. Those same communities lead the way in advancing our movement. Ace communities change lives! If you are in the US or Canada, check out our groups map to find yours today!
People online used to long for IRL ace gatherings and now that there are IRL ace gatherings, they’re all trying to figure out how to meet online.
On the plus side, if you typically don’t/can’t/won’t go to your local IRL ace meetup group, but you’d like to connect with them, check them out this month! Many of them are going to be holding (/attempting...) online events, because all the in person events have been canceled.
1) Voice/Video Social: Crafts and Community Care
Sunday, February 19th, 1pm-3pm
Please message or email us for the link! Voice and video are optional.
Bring any kind of craft or creative project to work on, and since this is a difficult time of year for many of us, it will also be a space to vent and to give and receive support from others!
2) Voice/Video Discussion: Relationship Anarchy
Saturday, February 25th, 2pm-4pm
Please message or email us for the link! Voice and video are optional.
Voice/Video Discussion: Neurodivergence
Sunday, November 20th, 1pm-3pm
In Jitsi - please message or email us for the link.
Please note that this discussion is an open discussion, not a closed/caucus discussion. You do not need to identify as neurodivergent to attend, but as always, please be respectful of all attendees. Like all our open events, anybody who identifies as being on the asexual and/or aromantic spectrum, or questioning whether they might be, is welcome!
Voice Social (Plus visuals, but no face cameras): Jackbox Games
Tuesday, November 29th, 7pm-9pm
In our Discord server - please message or email us for the link.
Jackbox Games are party-style games that can be played over the internet. One person hosts and shares the game instructions from their screen, while the participants use their browser (on computer or phone) to connect to the private game's server and input their contributions - responding to funny prompts, answering trivia questions, doing a drawing, etc. All links will be provided during the social.
Note: I recommend preparing two screens or browser windows if you're able to do that, so that you can look at both the shared instructions screen via Discord and the website where you provide your own input (usually text, drawing, or multiple choice) at the same time.
Please let me know if you have any questions. Hope to see you there!
Voice/Video Discussion: Grey and Demi Identities
Tuesday, December 13th, 7pm-9pm
In Jitsi - please message or email us for the link
We'll be talking about ace-spec and aro-spec identities that fall somewhere in the middle of the spectrum, and maybe even adjacent to it. Please feel free to bring info on any you're knowledgeable about!
Voice/Video Social (Face cameras optional): Cardmaking, Crafting, and Creativity!
Thursday, December 15th, 12pm-2pm
In Jitsi - please message or email us for the link
Note that this social is in the middle of the day to shake things up a bit and allow others to join who can't do evenings or weekends!
This social event is a "bring your own project" style, where we can all work on our own things while chatting over the call. We encourage making holiday cards - Chanukkah is coming up! But anything you want to work on is absolutely allowed.
Please let me know if you have any questions. Hope to see you there!
