9 Facts About Asexuality

Today is International Asexuality Day, a time designed to champion education, visibility and allyship for the asexual community. A person who is asexual (or ‘ace’) experiences little to no sexual attraction. But it’s 2023 and there are still too many misconceptions around what it is to be ace. The asexual community is made up of diverse people from across our community and the rest of the LGBTQIA+ community must stand by them, so here are a few starting points that you need to know as an ace ally.

1. Being asexual means different things to different people

Just as with other identities, asexuality can vary for each individual. Although all asexuals experience little or no sexual attraction, this experience will vary for each person and asexuality can mean different things to different people.

2. Asexual people don’t necessarily have no desire or attraction to others

Some asexuals may experience no sexual desire, but not necessarily all of them. There are also other forms of attraction that asexual people may experience, such as romantic, emotional or platonic.

Romantic desire is the feeling of wanting a romantic relationship with someone. Emotional attraction is the want to form an emotional bond with someone, and platonic attraction refers to friendship.

3. There is a difference between sexual attraction and romantic desire

Many asexuals may not have sexual desire but still want a romantic bond with someone. Which leads to the fact that…

4. Many asexual people have successful romantic relationships

As some asexual people experience romantic attraction, they can build fulfilling romantic relationships. These could be with people of the same gender, different gender or both, and they, therefore, may co-identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or another sexual orientation.

5. Asexuality is often seen as a spectrum

Many people see asexuality as a spectrum, with people experiencing no sexual desire on one end, others experiencing a lot on the other side, and many people somewhere in between.

Some people identify as Greysexual, these individuals rarely experience sexual desire, or when they do it is with low intensity. Greysexuality is sometimes seen as the mid-way point between asexuality and sexuality.

6. Asexuality is NOT the same as celibacy or abstinence

Asexuality is an identity, not a decision to refrain from sex – such as celibacy or abstinence. These are often mixed up, but there is a clear and important difference between them.

7. Asexuality is absolutely not a medical condition, disorder and there is no underlying ‘cause’

As with other LGBTQIA+ identities, asexuality has often wrongly been referred to as a ‘disorder’. Until as recently as 2013 the absence of sexual desire was listed as a disorder in the primary guide used by healthcare professionals to classify mental disorders, the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders).

Contrary to this, or anything else you may have heard, asexuality is not a medical concern or anything that needs to be ‘fixed’.

8. Asexuals are an important part of the LGBTQIA+ community

Our diversity only makes us stronger, and asexual people belong in the LGBTQIA+ community.

9. Asexuality is not a new identity.

Asexuality has been referenced numerous times throughout history, as early as the 1800s. It is only in recent years that it has entered the public consciousness though, with an ever-increasing number of people openly identifying as asexual.

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