ASEXUALITY 101

Disclaimer As with all identities, you define what your identity means to you Labels are made to give you a basic definition, but you make the label your own People with the same identity have different experiences It is not your job to police other people’s identities Ask a cat: It’s only nice to be in a box when you go there yourself

Sexual vs Romantic Attraction Sexual attraction: a sense of “I would engage in sexual activity with that person” Romantic attraction: a sense of “I would like to be romantically involved with that person” Source: Asexuality: A Brief Introduction (ISBN )

Romantic and Sexual Orientations Romantic orientations describe a person’s romantic attraction Sexual orientations describe a person’s sexual attraction Allosexual: Not asexual These can be different! Examples: Homoromantic Asexual Biromantic Heterosexual Aromantic Asexual {% PREFIX %}romantic {% PREFIX %}sexual

Demisexual and Gray-Asexual Gray-Asexual/Gray-A: Someone who experiences sexual attraction much more infrequently than an allosexual person would Demisexual: a person who does not experience sexual attraction to someone unless they have formed a strong emotional bond with that person Asexual is sometimes used as an umbrella term to include anyone on the asexual and aromantic spectrums

Other Reasons to Have Sex To please a partner To satisfy libido Because they’re bored To find out what it’s like To have children To fit in Because it feels good Because they want to

Asexuals and Sexual Behavior Asexual people can have the same sexual interests as allosexual people Asexual people can masturbate Study found: 99% of males admitted to masturbating regularly when single 70% of females 80% of asexual males 70% of asexual females Asexual people can be kinky Same possible fetishes Kinks can be non sexual Asexual people can be kinky in a sexual way

Asexuality vs Abstinence vs Celibacy Celibacy: Deciding not to have sex, often with a vow, usually for cultural or religious reasons Abstinence: Refraining from sex for whatever reason /adriofthedead-okay-i-realize-this

Causes of Asexuality While still a mystery, some studies point to factors in the development of an infant’s brain being one of the main causes of asexual behavior Asexuality has been observed in various animal species: Mice Guinea Pigs Gerbils Rams Researchers classified rams into three categories, MOR, FOR, and NOR.

Causes of Asexuality Asexuality is not the result of: Low hormones Lack of sex drive Sex repulsion Sexual assault A person can have these traits and be asexual, but they are not the cause Ace/aro people do not need to be fixed

Asexual Reproduction Mostly single celled organisms Sometimes seen in plants and animals Some sharks Boa constrictors Hydra (plant) History of reproduction: Asexual reproduction (2.5 BYA) -> Sexual reproduction (1200 MYA) -> Penetrative sex (300 MYA) Hail hydra

History Hard to tell if someone is asexual -> Difficult to assume historical figures are ace Speculation that Isaac Newton was asexual Also Emile Brontë was likely alloromantic asexual based on her poems Paul Erdös claimed to have loved math more than any human being

Asexual Culture Black Rings “Things that are better than sex” Cake

Asexuality in Pop Culture Asexual Characters: Jughead Jones from Archie Voodoo from Sirens Speculated Asexual Character: Sherlock Holmes Gilligan from Gilligan’s Island

How to be an Ally? Acknowledge that asexuality, aromantic, and other identities are valid and normal Stand up when others harass or invalidate ace/aro people Include Asexual identities in the LGBTQ+ Support asexuality in pop culture Don’t assume everyone you meet is allosexual Correct misconceptions about asexuality Don’t ask questions you wouldn’t ask a stranger Cultivate a vision of sex-positivity where not wanting sex is as valid as wanting it

Buzzfeed: I’m Asexual, But I’m Not…

Resources Asexuality Visibility and Education Network(AVEN) Apositive Reddit This PowerPoint

Questions?