Asexuals Demand More Visibility
It may be Bisexual Awareness Week, but asexuals the world over say they want to be noticed as well. They are demanding greater visibility, saying they want asexuality to be recognized as an official sexual orientation by the government, the National Post reports.
In a new review published by the University of British Columbia, Canadian sex academics are insisting that asexuality isn’t some bizarre form of “psychopathology” or the result an extremely low libido as famously diagnosed by zoologist and sex researcher Alfred Kinsey in the 1940s. Instead, they say, “we surmise that the available evidence points to asexuality being best conceptualized as a unique sexual orientation.”
In other words: Having no sexual orientation is itself a sexual orientation. Just like being gay, straight, bisexual, etc. So start treating it as such!
But the movement isn’t just happening in Canada. In the U.K., asexual activists are seeking to have “asexual” added to the list of options around sexual identity in the upcoming 2021 census questionnaire, arguing that “around one per cent of the population is asexual” and should therefore be counted.
“It is most likely that the best part of a million British residents is asexual,” the sex academics write, “yet we have almost no data that sheds light on the causes of asexuality, its correlates or the implications of identifying as asexual.”
Activists and researchers alike argue that making “asexual” an official sexual orientation on government census forms “would challenge much of the stigma and myths that suggest asexual individuals are just celibate, or that this is some kind of manifestation of psychopathology or trauma.”
Indeed, a study published by Yale University back in April documented the “coming out” experiences of over 150 asexuals. Many reported being met with disbelief and dismissiveness. One woman reported being called “ridiculous” by a friend. Another said the person she told responded by saying, “You’re not a tree.” Similarly, a 2012 study found asexuals were met with significant bias and negative attitudes, particularly be heterosexuals.
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16 Comments
Keredim
September 24, 07:46Sigh ?..
Dem don chop belleful now. ??????
Mr. Fingers
September 24, 07:52Interesting.
Somebody
September 24, 08:08Pardon me but isn’t saying asexuality is a defined sexuality like saying atheism is a religion of its own?
Mandy
September 24, 08:12It sort of it, when you think of religion as a belief system, and atheism the belief system that doesn’t believe in the existence of God.
Somebody
September 24, 11:07Yes I’ve read somewhere that argued that atheism is a belief system of its own. So therefore it could be seen as a religion of some sort but still doesn’t it go against the law of identity. I mean asexuality is the lack of sexual attraction and sexuality itself denotes attraction. So saying its a form of sexual orientation is a long stretch to me. Something cannot be a itself and still not be itself at the same time.
Pink Panther
September 24, 11:30Good point.
Canis VY Majoris
September 24, 14:27Exactly my thoughts!
Delle
September 24, 10:33I envy this sect. Totally. Few days ago, it was uploaded as the display picture of one of the gay groups I’m in that an asexual couple just celebrated 10 years of matrimony. Incredible!
Anyway, as for the visibility thing, I feel people know they exist but like the slab goes, “Sex sells.”
So, I totally get their provocation. Lol.
ambivalentone
September 24, 13:08Asexual couples married? I would just LOVE to be where they are having a discussion or arguments. It would be like voyeurism. Na me go dey cum
Pink Panther
September 24, 15:53LMAO! I thought the exact same thing. I’d like to quietly observe their entire married life in fact.
Lorde
September 24, 13:23What they should be demanding for, is a hormone profile
ambivalentone
September 24, 16:40LMAO.
Bryann
September 26, 13:17???????… YOU REALLY GOT ME THERE
BlurryFace
September 24, 20:51finally!
Pink Panther
September 25, 02:52Finally? You’re asexual?
BlurryFace
September 25, 14:35lol, I recognise them.