Although I understand why people will want to use that, because it's very powerful to have a creator explicitly put in their work like: yes, this person is, this character is asexual. And I do think that if you don't do that, there is the possibility of creating a universe where we don't divide people based on gender and sexuality in the same kind of way. Because if you say asexual, that means that your society has the same kind of identity structure and labeling system that ours does. I think there also is an interesting conversation to be had about using the term asexual in fiction, especially if you're using a setting that is different to a contemporary setting.

Sebastian Yūe on asexuality representation in literature and fictitious worlds: Whether I'm wearing lacy lingerie or a trench coat, it doesn't make a difference. And consequently, people find it hard to compute that a Back woman who is a model would be asexual. And they're supposed to be nerdy or kind of cliché, Sheldon Cooper-types really. To which, my response would always be: Well, what does asexual look like? And even though asexuality hasn't been heavily represented, whenever you do see someone who doesn't experience sexual attraction, or their sexuality is heavily downplayed, or they just don't have a sexuality, it's usually because they're kind of unappealing. People would often say like: You don't look asexual. Yasmin Benoit on fighting stereotypes about asexuality: Please note: This conversation originally aired April 23, 2021. (The quotation in the title for the webpost is attributed to an anonymous source.) Angela Chen is a journalist, editor and author of “Ace: What Asexuality Reveals About Desire, Society and the Meaning of Sex.” Yasmin Benoit is a model and asexuality activist, and Sebastian Yūe is a writer, editor, model and voice actor. Host Anita Rao talks with three guests doing work to increase representation and conversations about asexuality. It highlighted efforts to broaden understandings of sex, romance and the relationships that fulfill us. On April 6, the world celebrated the first International Asexuality Day. That goes for what makes partners happy, how they like to communicate and how they feel about romance and sex.Īnd the fact that not every relationship involves sexual attraction is something asexuality activists and community members have been raising awareness about for decades.

Just like people, no two relationships are exactly the same.

Ace what asexuality reveals