Asexuality: A Brief Introduction

Erasure: How can I explain when there are few words I can choose? Sometimes, when people talk, they’ll hideaway other people’s sexuality. I don’t know why. When this happens, it tends to turn the love to anger. Stop! It doesn’t have to be like that. I say, I say, I say: “I know it ain’t easy to see the truth, but reach out and gimme gimme gimme a little respect, and live in harmony, harmony.”

Grace: A colloquial abbreviation of “Gray-Asexual”.

Gray-A: A colloquial abbreviation of “Gray-Asexual”.

Gray-Asexual: A gray-asexual may infrequently experience sexual attraction or may experience low sexual desire, yet will generally identify as being close to asexual. Gray-asexuals differ from demisexuals in that demisexuals will require an emotional bond before experiencing attraction, yet graces do not necessarily require a bond. The word “gray” comes from the “gray area” between asexuality and non-asexuality.

Heteroromantic: A romantic orientation characterized by romantic attraction to the opposite gender.

Heterosexual: A sexual orientation characterized by sexual attraction to the opposite gender.

Homoromantic: A romantic orientation characterized by romantic attraction to the same gender.

Homosexual: A sexual orientation characterized by sexual attraction to the same gender.

Libido: Also called “sex drive”, a libido may cause arousal and/or strong desires or urges to engage in sexual activity (although not necessarily with a partner).

Lithromantic: Someone who experiences romantic attraction, but does not desire reciprocation.

Panromantic: A romantic orientation characterized by romantic attraction to any gender.

Pansexual: A sexual orientation characterized by sexual attraction to any gender.

Pie: Better than sex. Also better than cake.

Repulsed: Feeling disgusted or put off by the thought of sex. It’s not necessarily the thought that sex is “wrong”, more that it’s “icky”.

Romantic Attraction: A sense of “I would like to be involved in a romantic relationship with that person”. (Please note that “romantic” in this context does not necessarily mean flowers and sunsets on the beach and candlelit dinners.)

Romantic Orientation: A description of the gender or genders (or lack thereof) that one experiences romantic attraction towards.

Sexual Attraction: A sense of “I would like to engage in sexual activity with that person”.

Sexual Orientation: A description of the gender or genders (or lack thereof) that one experiences sexual attraction towards.

References

Here is a list of asexuality related websites that you may find useful or interesting.

Asexuality Archive

The web page for the book you’re holding.

http://www.asexualityarchive.com/

AVEN

Asexual Visibility and Education Network. AVEN is one of the largest asexual communities on the Internet.

http://www.asexuality.org/

Wikipedia: Asexuality

It doesn’t exist if it’s not on Wikipedia, so fortunately, asexuality has its own page.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asexuality

Hot Pieces of Ace

A collaborative vlog channel on YouTube on asexuality.

http://www.youtube.com/user/hotpiecesoface

#asexuality on Tumblr

Posts tagged with “asexuality” on Tumblr. (Warning: Unmoderated)

http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/asexuality

Asexuality LiveJournal Community

An asexuality themed community on LiveJournal.

http://asexuality.livejournal.com/

About the Author

About Me

I am asexual. I made the discovery in April 2011, after years of thinking that I just wasn’t any good at being straight. I’m a cismale with a currently undetermined romantic orientation that lives somewhere close to aromantic, but with just enough heteroromantic touches sprinkled into it to keep things confusing. I currently live outside of Seattle and work in the software industry.

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