Asexual
(also: ace)
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- General Information
- Sex Repulsion
- Relationships
- Asexual Flag
- Demisexual
- Demisexual Flag
- Graysexual
- Graysexual Flag
- External Links
- Terminology Resources
- Flag Resources
- Representation Resources
- Forums
- Asexual Websites
- Asexual Resources
- Graysexual Resources
- See Also
- Return to the Definition
Introduction
To be asexual is to never (or very rarely) experience sexual attraction to other human beings. The inclusion of asexuals with the rest of the QUILTBAG community is, at a glance, not obvious. Shorter acronyms such as LGBT+ relegate the existence of asexuals to a plus sign, tacked on at the end. Even acronyms such as LGBTQIA+ lump asexuals along with people who identify as agender.
It is simply unfair. People who identify as asexual should not be treated as an afterthought. While this website was created with the primary intention of discussing those who are specifically transgender, and later widened the scope to include those of uncommon sexualities (and such) there should not be any more treatment of asexuals as afterthoughts. I will not add to that mentality.
If you are asexual, and you have writings that you would like added to this page (either to the page itself or to be linked down with the external resources, please let me know.
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General Information
People who are asexual never or rarely experience sexual attraction to other people. This can be due to various reasons, but as with any other identity, it is best to simply take an asexual at zir word when ze claim to be as such.
Society tends to try its best to push the general population away from the spectrum of asexuality and directly into the path of sexuality. Advertisments, movies, tv shows, books etc - The idea of getting together with another person for the rest of your life and perform sexual acts has been consuming society.
Claiming asexuality is not an act to gain attention from others. Admittance of being asexual is a wonderfully coreageous act for an individual to say.
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Sex Repulsion
Most asexuals are completely repulsed/grossed out by the idea of having sex with other people. Some asexuals have interest in viewing sexual activity without getting involved. Some have interested in performing sexual acts for others without experiencing it themselves. All of these things vary from person to person.
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Relationships
While many asexual people also identify as aromantic, not all do. Some asexuals still experience romantic attraction with other people (sometimes even with a gender preference). When there are asexuals seeking out intimacy with other people, they are more ikely to seek out other asexual people, or allosexuals with low libido.
Some asexuals may seek out polyamorous relationships with others, or queerplatonic relationships.
All that being said, there is no pressure for anyone to enter any kind of intimate relationship (asexual or allosexual). Most asexuals are able to find happiness by themselves and supported with friendship and only platonic and/or familial love in their lives.
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Asexual Pride Flag
The purpose of the asexual pride flag is to unite and represent those who identify as asexual.
The black stripe in the asexual flag represents asexuality.
The grey stripe in the asexual flag represents graysexuality.
The white stripe in the asexual flag represents demisexuality.
The purple stripe in the asexual flag represents the importance of community and solidarity among asexual people.
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Demisexual
The Demisexual section has been moved to its own page. Click the headings to jump to the new page.
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Graysexual
Click here to jump to the graysexual page
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External Links
The following links have been provided for entertainment, education, or further reading to encourage seeking out additional information. None of these links are sponsored, nor endorsed. The inclusion of an article/video/etc is not complete approval for its contents. The thoughts/views/opinions/etc of everything included below do not inherently represent those of The Transgender Dictionary.
Terminology Resources
- Critique of Popular Reason: 05/08/2013: The development of gray asexuality and demisexuality as identity terms (https://pianycist.wordpress.com/2013/05/08/the-development-of-gray-asexuality-and-demisexuality-as-identity-terms/) - blog post regarding the coining of the term demisexuality and similar terms
- Merriam Webster - Asexual (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/asexual)
- Trans Language Primer - Asexual (https://translanguageprimer.com/asexual/) - blurb explaining the term asexual
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Flag Resources
- Good Good Good: Kamrin Baker: 01/04/2024: What Is the Asexual Pride Flag & What Does It Mean? (https://www.goodgoodgood.co/articles/asexual-pride-flag)
- Queer in the World: Cecilia Miller: 10/14/2023: What Exactly Is The Asexual Pride Flag, And What Does It Mean? (https://queerintheworld.com/asexual-pride-flag/)
- Wikipedia - Asexual Flag (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asexual_flag)
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Representation Resources
- AZE Journal (https://azejournal.com/) - AZE is a literary and art journal publishing asexual, aromantic, and agender authors that was created in 2016.
- Queer Books for Teens - Asexual (https://queerbooksforteens.com/find-books/?fwp_orientation=asexual) - list of books with asexual characters
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Forums
- Asexual Agenda (https://asexualagenda.wordpress.com/) - primarily blog posts
- Asexuality.org (https://www.asexuality.org/en/)
- Reddit - r/Asexuality (https://www.reddit.com/r/asexuality/) - subreddit for topics related to asexuality
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Asexual Websites
(Websites/Wiki Pages specifically dedicated to asexuality.)
- Asexuality Archive (https://www.asexualityarchive.com/)
- Asexuality Wiki (https://wiki.asexuality.org/w/index.php?title=Main_Page)
- LGBTQIA - Fandom - Wiki - Asexual (https://lgbtqia.fandom.com/wiki/Asexual)
- Orientation - Fandom - Wiki - Asexual (https://orientation.fandom.com/wiki/Asexual)
- Queerdom - Fandom - Wiki - Asexual (https://queerdom.fandom.com/wiki/Asexual)
- What is Asexuality (https://www.whatisasexuality.com/)
- Wikipedia - Asexuality (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asexuality)
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Additional Resources
(Miscellaneous links regarding asexuality.)
- Archer Magazine: Gabrielle Ryan: 11/08/2018: Ace up my sleeve: Coming out as asexual (https://archermagazine.com.au/2018/11/ace-up-my-sleeve-coming-out-as-asexual/)
- Asexuality Archive: A Brief Introduction (https://www.asexualityarchive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/AsexualityABriefIntroduction.pdf)
- Asexuality Archive: 12/11/2022: …And Then What? (https://www.asexualityarchive.com/and-then-what/)
- Asexuality Unabashed: 03/13/2011: The “R” Word (https://audaciousace.blogspot.com/2011/03/r-word.html)
- Asexuality Unabashed: 11/30/2011: Carnival of Aces - December: Attraction (https://audaciousace.blogspot.com/2011/11/carnival-of-aces-december-attraction.html)
- Asexual Manifesto: Lisa Orlando: 1972 (https://app.box.com/s/p7ngvv3iueaj0hk7xadkwd92af2zx4yz)
- Black Dog Musings: 11/24/2011: Attraction (https://blackdogmusings.blogspot.com/2011/11/attraction_24.html)
- HuffPost: Brittany Wong: 11/12/2018: What It's Like To Date When You're Asexual (https://www.huffpost.com/entry/dating-when-youre-asexual_n_5be4d00ae4b0dbe871a8efda)
- Skeptics Play: 11/14/2011: Attraction is like wine (https://skepticsplay.blogspot.com/2011/11/attraction-is-like-wine.html)
- Time: Julie Sondra Decker: 06/18/2014: How to Tell If You Are Asexual (https://time.com/2889469/asexual-orientation/)
- The Asexuality Handbook (https://www.asexuality-handbook.com/home.html) - This site's aim is to provide easy access to information and advice about asexuality that is understandable, deep, and well referenced.
- The Thinking Asexual: Aesthetic Attraction (https://thethinkingasexual.wordpress.com/2014/03/22/aesthetic-attraction/)
- Writing from Factor X: 04/02/2011: If You Can See The Invisible Elephant, Please Describe It (https://writingfromfactorx.wordpress.com/2011/04/02/if-you-can-see-the-invisible-elephant-please-describe-it/)
- Wayback Machine: tumblr: anagnori: 01/18/2015: What to do when someone tells you they’re asexual (https://web.archive.org/web/20151006060929/https://anagnori.tumblr.com/post/73776356187/what-to-do-when-someone-tells-you-theyre-asexual)
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See also the pages for agender, queer platonic relationships, aphallia, and aromantic.
