Just not that into ... anyone. Asexuals don't desire either sex. "I never really understood people's thought processes when they talked about crushes and hot guys – I thought it was all for attention," she said. "Even so, I always thought that eventually puberty would do its work and I'd suddenly start being interested in boys. I mean, I still had several friends who weren't interested in dating or anything, maybe we were all just late bloomers. But as time passed, most of the so-called late bloomers, well, bloomed. And I didn't." Loosely defined as the lack of sexual attraction to others, a 2004 study pegs the prevalence of asexuality at roughly one per cent of the population. Not to be confused with celibacy or those with a low sex drive, asexuals simply aren't interested. "It's like, say, not liking caviar. On a theoretical level, I can understand why people like it, even though I don't care for it myself. On a deeper level, though, I don't completely get it," said Ginoza. "I don't get why people are willing to spend as much as they do, or how they can rave about it. It's just not interesting to me." With the vast kaleidoscope of human sexuality often reduced to three distinct groups by society – heterosexuality, homosexuality and bisexuality – the idea of asexuality is a relatively new concept for most and only now being recognised as a valid sexual orientation. This combined with little or no representation in popular culture makes it difficult for women like Ginoza to discover their true identity.

"I actually first started using the word 'asexual' as joke, since it was rather obvious that I had no interest in sexual relationships at the time," she said. "Other than that, the closest label I had for myself was 'not interested.'" Even once an individual comes out as asexual, they often have to contend with the disbelief and condemnation of their peers. From suggestions that they "just haven't met the right person," are secretly gay or hate sex, with our sexual identity considered such a core part of who we are it can be hard for others to accept. "Vague hypotheticals about the future do not invalidate someone's identity. It's the same reason why telling a lesbian she hasn't met the right man is incredibly rude – it denies her ability to determine for herself who she is or isn't attracted to," said Ginoza. "One of the biggest misconceptions is the idea that asexuals are just people who hate or are afraid of the idea of sex, which is not true. Asexuality is the lack of sexual attraction: nothing more, nothing less." This pathologisation of asexuality, of something needing to be fixed, is a common thread. A recent episode of House featured a happily married asexual couple, but the doctors soon discovered that the husband wasn't truly asexual because he had erectile dysfunction caused by a brain tumour. His wife then announced she was only faking her non-existent libido to please him, propagating the misconception that asexuals are either sick or liars. Debate about its legitimacy as a sexual orientation is also a divisive topic among sex therapists and academics.

"In my opinion I believe people are not born asexual. All of us have a biological sexuality as well as a social sexuality and many things can interfere with the development of it. I have never read any research to the contrary," said relationship counsellor and sex therapist Matty Silver. "Some of the literature believes it is a sexual orientation, just like homo, bi or hetero sexuality – I am not sure, I doubt it." But in a profile of AVEN founder David Jay in The Atlantic last month, Ela Przybylo, a sexual cultures researcher at York University in Canada, counters that a reluctance to consider it a valid identity could simply be a reflection of one's own sexual conditioning. "Asexuality draws attention to the complete fixation we have on sex, and really brings it to the surface for all to see," he said. "Sex has become so fused with our sense of self that we can't even imagine how it might be any different. This is why asexuality is compelling, because it does imagine how it could be different." On a personal level, asexuals also face unique obstacles when it comes to navigating relationships. But, even if you're to ignore the importance of emotional connections, a marked difference in sex drive isn't insurmountable. "Being asexual doesn't mean you can't love someone, it doesn't mean you don't want to be close, get married, have kids. It's purely a description of who you are attracted to sexually, that's it," said AVEN member Gemma Faulks, adding that sex isn't always off the table. "There are some asexuals who don't really mind either way. Sex doesn't register on their radar as important, but as part of their relationship they don't mind having sex sometimes."

Individuals who identify as asexual face similar struggles as other minority sexualities: devaluing of their relationships, mockery and harassment from family, friends, or partners and being subject to negative stereotypes. But with increased recognition and visibility and the formation of support groups such as AVEN, Faulks says things are improving, and offers advice for those with a low or non-existent sex drive. "Don't beat yourself up, give yourself a hug, you are not alone in the world and there are people out there who have felt like that. Sex is just one thing that people can do or enjoy in a relationship, it is not the only thing, and it certainly isn't the most important," she said. "It's possible to have fulfilling relationships and not feel very sexual. If you feel it needs fixing, by all means seek out help from a health professional, but you are not broken in any shape or form."