Asexuality (Asexual): Mean, Facts, Myths, and More

Asexuality – Asexuality is when someone is not feeling attracted to others in a sexual way. It’s a normal and natural part of human diversity. However asexual people are mostly misunderstood or invisible. We will know the difference between asexuals and celibacy, many people think that both the terms are used interchangeably. In this article, we will get to know about who asexuals are, and what it is like to be Asexual. We will also learn how we can help these people to accept themselves and speak about their identity.

What is Asexuality or What does it mean to be asexual?

Asexuality is the lack of sexual attraction to anyone or low, or infrequent sexual desire. asexual people may feel a romantic attraction towards someone but they just think that there is no need for contact. They may create a strong emotional relationship but they don’t consider to be sexually involved with their partners. Asexual comes under the expanded community of LGBTQ+spectrum. if we say it in simpler words asexuality is basically a term that describes that someone is not getting attracted to anyone sexually, or not feeling involved with someone sexually.

Asexuality is inherited by the person and it is with them from their birth it’s a part of their identity. It is not done by a choice but they just can’t feel attracted and it’s not their fault at all. Asexual community is a new emerging community as earlier people don’t have much knowledge about such things, but now social media and increasing awareness are leading people to know about their issues and speak about them.

Almost 1% of the population comes under the asexual community. Or maybe this data is huge as a lot of people don’t even know that they are asexual, and those who know are afraid to talk about the issue as they think that society will not accept them. That’s why many asexual people are now married and have kids with their partner because of peer pressure or thoughts of discrimination.

They have a very strong emotional bond with their partners as well so it is very clear that asexual people can have a strong relationship but just they don’t want to be involved sexually. gender and attraction have many types of asexuality also have some types Aromantic, gray asexual, demisexual asexual.

Types of Asexuality

There are mainly three types of asexuality let’s know about these types

Aromantic Asexuality: Aromantic are those who feel little or no romantic attraction towards anyone, such kind of people believe in forming a platonic partnership which means that the partnership contains the same level of commitment and loyalty, some people decide to be in such partnerships, and have kids.
Demisexual Asexuality: Demisexual asexuals are those who can feel sexual and romantic attraction after forming a strong emotional and close bond with someone.
Gray Asexuality: Gray asexuals are those who come in between somewhere sexual and asexual. They feel sexual attraction or enjoy it only in some specific circumstances, and feel it sometimes only or have a low sex drive.

Differentiate between celibacy and asexual?

We know that asexuals don’t feel sexual attraction towards anyone but it’s not their choice it’s inherent from birth celibacy means someone is consciously making the decision not to have sex or getting attracted to anyone because of some religious practices or for some health issues or sometimes for reaching a form of purity people abstain themselves from having sex. so it’s their choice but asexuality isn’t a choice. After having a lot of knowledge and platforms to get information about this people still have lots of misconceptions about asexuals.

Myths and misconceptions about asexuals

Asexuality is a choice: Lots of people think that asexaulity is a choice, but it’s not a choice, it is inherited by birth and it is a part of their individuality.
Asexuality is a lack of hormones: So it’s a myth that asexuality comes due to a lack of hormones in someone because asexual people can sometimes feel sexual attraction and be involved in such activities.
Asexuality means no relationships: This is a huge myth that asexual people can’t get into a relationship, sometimes asexual may make stronger relationships than a sexual person.

Asexual person feels more stressed and experience more anxiety, depression, and mental health issues because of the fear of getting neglected and losing their respect, and sometimes losing a strong bond just because they can’t evolve with them sexually. they feel higher discrimination and sometimes people consider them as homosexuals.

Official Facts and Data

Here is some data published by the ACE Survey Report 2019

Approximately 1% of the population is asexual.
Most of the asexuals are young 60% of them are under 30
70% of asexauls have aromantic asexuality, and don’t feel any kind of romantic and sexual attraction.
Asexuals are more likely to feel anxiety, depression, and mental health issues.
Survey shows that only 25% of asexuals revealed their identity to their families.
Asexuality is more common in females in comparison to males.
Where almost 1.4% of females are found to be asexual 0.6% males are found asexual.

One of the interesting facts about asexual people is that they can be homosexual, bisexual even hetosexual as well while being asexual.

A Note from kamarth

So if talk about asexuality it is basically a part of human diversity. asexuals don’t feel any attraction towards anyone they are asexauals from birth, and it’s different from celibacy and the conscious decision of abstaining from having sexual tension. But it’s also true that many asexuals can form long lasting and strong relationships. But a large number of asexuals just don’t reveal their identity as asexual and just get into a relationship because of peer pressure they don’t want to feel discriminated against by society as many people think of them as homosexuals and at present time being homosexual is also not totally accepted by the society.

This pressure makes them get into those relationships and sexual things that may be not their choices. we all should respect them as they are and not make a society where people have to go against just because to meet the criteria set by the society. we should just break these taboos and accept them, respect them make them feel safer as it’s their right to live life according to their own terms.

Some Additional Doubts

Question: Do asexuals never have sex?
Answer: No, they may have had sex, or maybe not.

Question: Do asexual people have relationships?
Answer: Yes they do.

Question: can someone be asexual and bisexual same time?
Answer: Yes, someone can be romantically attracted to both genders but don’t want any sexual relationship.

Question: Does asexual’s are more likely to form platonic relationships
Answer: Yes, as they want a purely emotional bond but not a sexual bond so, they are more likely to form platonic relationships.

Question: Does asexual’s masturbate?
Answer: Yes, at least some asexual people do masturbate.

Reference Links:
https://npin.cdc.gov/publication/understanding-asexuality
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2352250X22002378
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00224499.2015.1015713
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1023/A:1010621705591
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8115827/
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/275278342_Asexuality_What_It_Is_and_Why_It_Matters
https://ijip.in/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/18.01.004.20231103.pdf
https://www.jstor.org/stable/43701839
https://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/164893/9/japp.12472.pdf
https://med-fom-brotto.sites.olt.ubc.ca/files/2022/09/Ch19_BrottoMilani.pdf

Asexuality (Asexual): Mean, Facts, Myths, and More

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