This week is Asexual Awareness Week (commonly referred to as Ace Week), an internationally recognised week and campaign started in 2010 and held in October each year to educate individuals on asexuality and asexual sub-identities (aromantic, demisexual and grey-asexual) alongside dispelling misconceptions and sharing experiences of the diverse asexual community.
The ace community has made significant headway over the years. Asexual representation in mainstream media continues to improve, major LGBTQ+ organizations now acknowledge and include asexuality, and ace community groups have sprouted up and flourished in cities around the world. Ace Week gives us an opportunity to recognize these achievements and the efforts that made them possible.
Though we have much to celebrate, the fight for visibility and acceptance is still ongoing. Ace identities are often overlooked or misunderstood, and many aces still grow up not realizing that asexuality is an option. Since the issues aces face are directly influenced by their other marginalized identities, many in their community—especially aces of color, disabled aces, and aces with other LGBTQ+ identities—can face significant barriers to equality and acceptance.
In light of this, aces all over the world participate in Ace Week by creating educational resources, sharing information on social media, and organizing community events. These global initiatives serve to raise awareness, spread information and spark discussion about ace identities. More and more people discover ace communities each year, and with them, find acceptance, comfort, and joy.
Being asexual within a society where sex permeates almost everything in our lives can be challenging; far too often asexuality is misunderstood and asexual individuals often feel isolated both outside but also within LGBTQ+ communities. Many people have a hard time wrapping their heads around how anyone could possibly not be interested in sex. Are they repressed? Are they scared of intimacy? Have they just not met the right person yet? But as any asexual person would tell you, it’s none of the above.
Asexuality is a sexual orientation
A woman carries the rainbow flag and the asexual pride flag at the WorldPride parade in New York on June 23.
For most adolescents and adults, feeling sexually attracted to another person — whether someone of the same sex, opposite sex or outside of the gender binary — is a fact of life.
But not everyone relates to that feeling. Enter asexuality.
Asexuality is a sexual orientation, just like gay, lesbian, bi, pansexual etc… and is defined as a lack of sexual attraction which can vary from mild to non-existent – it’s important to note that asexuality is not to be confused with celibacy! (celibacy – is a personal choice to abstain from sexual relations, often linked to religious motivations)
As with many beautiful identities, asexuality is not black and white with many in the community existing on a spectrum which can involve both a sexual but also romantic orientation – This means that while many may not feel sexual attraction to another they can often experience romantic attraction, whether that be to someone of the same or differing gender identity – below is a list of these asexual sub-identities.
People who are included under the asexual umbrella (ace umbrella) may identify as:
- Asexual – someone who doesn’t experience sexual attraction
- Aromantic – lacking interest in or desire for romantic relationships.
- Demisexual – lacking sexual attraction towards any person unless one becomes deeply emotionally or romantically connected with a specific person.
- Grey-asexual – experiencing sexual attraction but not strongly enough to act on them.
- Or something else entirely
Ace facts!
While learning about asexuality is something that should be done year-round, this week is the perfect opportunity to get started. Courtesy of What is Asexuality, here are some basic facts to get you started:
- Asexuality is not an abstinence pledge. (Although there may be abstinent aces.)
- Asexuality is not a synonym for celibacy. (There are celibate aces and promiscuous aces and aces everywhere in between.)
- Asexuality is not a gender identity. (Although there may be trans, non-binary, or genderqueer aces.)
- Asexuality is not a disorder. (Although there may be aces with physical or mental conditions.)
- Asexuality is not a choice. (Although not every ace is “born that way”.)
- Asexuality is not a hormone imbalance. (Although there may be aces with hormone issues.)
- Asexuality is not a fear of sex or relationships. (Although there may be aces who are afraid of or otherwise dislike sex or relationships.)
Asexuality is often stigmatized and looked over as an identity, making people who are asexual feel marginalized by both mainstream culture and the LGBT community, according to an article in The Huffington Post that says:
It’s not just media culture that’s alienating; it’s friends and family, too. Even queer friends that I have who still aren’t in the hetero status-quo talk about sex with their partners, their Facebook feeds constantly show pictures and status updates of weddings, engagements, babies and dates. When I’m out with friends, there’s usually at least one person remarking on the attractiveness of people walking by. There’s something reminding me almost constantly, every day, that I’m not normal, that I’m not a part of this.
You can find more information on aceweek.org.
Be sure to check out these helpful guides, we encourage you to print and display Asexuality 101 in your office this week to help educate LGBTQ+ and non-LGBTQ+ colleagues on asexuality and asexual-identities.