asexuality
- Also called:
- ace identity
asexuality, experiencing a complete or partial absence of sexual attraction or finding little interest in engaging in sexual activities with others. Asexuality encompasses a broad spectrum, and people who identify as asexual may experience varying degrees of sexual attraction, ranging from no attraction to some attraction only when certain conditions are met. Asexuality is different from celibacy, which is intentional abstention from sexual activity.
Expanded definitions
Definitions of asexuality often adopt the language used to describe sexual orientation in order to validate asexuality as a legitimate sexual orientation rather than merely a lack thereof. By employing the term sexual attraction, asexuality is acknowledged as being on par with sexual orientations that rely on this defining characteristic. This strategy is a significant step toward increasing asexual visibility and awareness, because it allows for the incorporation of asexuality into established understandings of how sexual identities and orientations function.
Despite asexuality being generally termed an “absence of sexual attraction,” ace community definitions propose that sexual attraction is not an inherent component of personal or relational life, challenging the concept of compulsory sexuality, or the belief that sexuality is an essential human trait or a necessary part of the human experience. By questioning the assumption that all people are inherently sexual, ace communities develop alternative terms and perspectives to describe experiences of attraction.
Ace as an umbrella term
Asexuality often overlaps with other sexual and gender identities. In addition to identifying as asexual, aces may also be lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual, or heterosexual. Many aces also are transgender, including those who are trans men, trans women, nonbinary, genderqueer, or agender.
Asexuality enables a broad spectrum of identification, allowing for the categorization of a variety of experiences. Within ace communities, as with other sexual orientations, terms relating to romantic attraction are often useful descriptors that add an additional dimension to how an individual’s attraction is conceptualized. Aromantic asexuality is characterized by a limited interest in romantic interactions, sometimes with a focus on friendship development. In contrast, romantic asexuality indicates a desire for romantic nonsexual relationships, which may or may not involve flirting, dating, kissing, cuddling, and touching. These relationships may be casual, monogamous, polyamorous, or any other configuration. Whether romantic or aromantic, asexuals may also choose to engage in sexual activity regardless of whether they experience sexual desire.
Other types of attraction explored by asexual communities include aesthetic attraction and sensual attraction (finding a person visually or sensorily pleasing) or the desire to engage in nonsexual physical contact such as hugging or holding hands. Alongside the romantic-aromantic dichotomy, these various modes of attraction challenge the notion that intimate relationships must necessarily involve sexual contact.
In addition to the umbrella term asexual, there are more specific identities within asexuality that individuals may use to describe their experience of attraction. Gray asexual refers to individuals who identify as ace but occasionally experience sexual attraction toward others, while demisexual refers to individuals who only experience sexual attraction toward those with whom they share a strong emotional bond. These terms further challenge the notion that a single definition can account for the diverse experiences of ace individuals in different social contexts.
Asexuality and queer activism
Historically, scientific research has alternated between pathologizing and legitimizing asexuality as a sexual orientation, whereas feminist and queer scholars have investigated the political and intersectional dimensions of asexuality. Asexual activists and self-identified aces who have played a crucial role in the asexuality movement have developed new vocabularies and symbols to articulate and advocate for their experiences. They have pursued recognition and acceptance within the LGBTQ+ community and have given asexuality unprecedented visibility.