The Asexual Spectrum

asexual- someone who does not experience sexual attraction

corrective rape-

sexual assault perpetrated with the intent of changing someone's sexual/romantic orientation; not an issue limited to those on the ace spectrum, but they are especially susceptible

The Asexual Spectrum

more than it appears...

for starters

this is our flag

there are

plenty of

thank you!

♠

compulsory sexuality

other words...

corrective rape

acephobia

ace

demisexual

erasure

greysexual

group X

allosexual

grace

touch-averse

sex-positive

autochorissexualism

sex-indifferent

sex-averse

sex-repulsed

asexual ▼

matters of the heart

the asexual spectrum

asexuality only describes one kind of attraction— sexual. but there are other kinds of attraction too.

asexual- experiences no sexual attraction

allo

"asexuals can still fall in love!"

demisexual- experiences sexual attraction only after a strong emotional bond is established

grey

allosexual- not on the ace spectrum

this is true. asexuals can certainly fall in love. and it's important to establish that romantic and sexual orientations are separate entities. but be careful with this, because it's easy to throw aromantic people under the bus. using an interest in romance as a way to justify that asexuals are still human/normal makes the implication that romance is what makes people human/normal. and this not only erases aromantic people but reinforces an amatonormative stance.

ace

asexuality vs celibacy

greysexual- describes someone who is in the 'grey area' between asexual and allosexual and is a more general term; includes demisexuals

celibacy is a choice to abstain completely from sexual activity

asexuality is a sexual orientation in which a person doesn't experience sexual attraction

asexuals may choose to be celibate, but being celibate does not mean that a person is asexual.

attitudes on sex

sex repulsion- disgust and/or discomfort with sexual acts, imagery, etc

sex aversion- not wanting to participate in sexual acts

sex indifference- a neutral stance on sex; not opposed to sex but also not in favor of it.

sex-positive- willing to have sex

autochorissexualism- "a disconnection between oneself and a sexual target/object of arousal"; porn/erotica/fantasies vs actual sexual activities

touch aversion- not wanting to touch or be touched by others

oppression and erasure

the idea that sex is something that should be sought after and valued and that reinforces the need for people to be sexual and/or sexually available

compulsory sexuality

examples include:

equating sex to love or using sex as a marker for the validity or legitimacy of a relationship

assuming trauma

"you'll find someone some day"

acephobia

view of asexuals as 'needing to be fixed'

lumping sex-indifferent asexuals as sex-positive

visibility

asexuals are estimated to make up only about 1% of the population

using the existence of sex-positive asexuals to invalidate/ignore sex-repulsion

= almost 73 million people

why visibility?

trying to 'find sexuality' in asexual people by asking them about porn/masturbation/arousal/etc.

blatant denial of the existence of asexuality

visibility matters because asexuals matter.