ROMANCE
Asexuality and Romance: 4 Things to Know
With how society works, some topics regarding sexuality get more attention than others. Among those that tend to fall to the wayside is the topic of asexuality. The fewer instances of its discussion has given rise to plenty of misconceptions.
On behalf of all asexuals or aces out there, here are four important things everybody else needs to know:
Being Asexual Is Just One Part of a Spectrum
Those who are mildly familiar with the term may think that asexuals lack the capacity to feel sexual attraction and that’s it. That could not be any further from the truth. Asexuality, just like all other aspects of human sexuality, exist on a spectrum. This means that any given ace out there is going to be different from one another.
Some are completely disinterested in sex and relationships altogether, but there are those who are hopeless romantics despite being clearly asexual. Then, there are those who are the other way around. There are even those who can identify as demisexual, who only begin to experience sexual attraction to someone after a strong emotional bond has formed.
Being Asexual Does Not Prohibit the Possibility of Sex
Despite the general or complete lack of sexual attraction in others, there are aces out there who still maintain a healthy sex life. As much of an oxymoron as it may seem, those who do engage in sexual activity in spite of their low or absent attraction levels have a variety of valid reasons.
First of all, there are aces in committed relationships. Since they are definitely not aromantic, they may choose to have sex to express love to their partner or for the sake of their partner’s needs or to have children. Then, there are those who still want to experience sexuality or are still experimenting because they aren’t sure of their status as asexuals yet.
Being Asexual Allows for Some Fluidity
This is one thing that asexuality has in common with other sexual orientations. Although it is still debatable just how fluid sexuality is, there have been observances among individuals where clear orientation shifts take place. When it comes to sexuality fluctuations, the causes can vary between specific life changes, age, and even medical issues.
Asexuals also go through the same fluctuations. This can be the cause of some confusion among those who may doubt as to whether they are asexual or not. Their past or even current sexual practices may muddy the waters further. As a rule both asexuality and human sexuality as a whole cannot just be looked upon in black and white terms.
There are Growing Communities for Asexuals Worldwide
Discovering one’s true sexuality can be a confusing and difficult time for anyone. Thankfully, those who identify as asexuals can turn to multiple forums and groups for support. The most notable one out there is AVEN (Asexual Visibility and Education Network).
With our modern understanding of asexuality developing just fairly recently, it makes sense that there is still a lot about it that most people remain unaware of. The more serious conversations and discussions take place, the better it will be for both asexuals and non-asexuals alike to be better educated about this important topic.
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