

Part of activism on behalf of the Queer community is understanding the different communities it consists of, and we can be better advocates for other minorities by being educated and going out and seeking to educate others.





Asexuality is often misunderstood but it does in fact lie on the sexual continuum. Asexuals simply put do not experience sexual attraction. Like sexuality itself many people do not identify as strictly heterosexual or homosexual but line up on the continuum somewhere in between the Kinsey scale.





(Homosexual)-------------------(Bisexual)-----------------(Heterosexual)





Some asexual's have some desire for aspects of sexuality while others have no desire to engage in intercourse.





(Asexual)----------(Some degree of sexuality)---------(Sexually driven)







Asexuality is different from sexual dysfunction because Asexual's are healthy and sexually functioning people without the sexual drive. Asexuality is also different from celibacy because abstinent individuals desire sex but choose not to engage for various reasons, whereas the asexual person has no desire for sex at all.



So Asexuals just want to be alone?

Many asexuals enjoy romantic encounters and are happily partnered, one can be involved and in love without having sex. They enjoy one anothers company and enjoy physical contact, showing affection for one another through kissing, holding hands, and being romantic without needing intercourse. On the other hand like some sexual people, some people do not feel the need to be in a relationship and prefer the single life.





Why don't they change?

Asexuals do not need to change, that is the way they were created. People cannot change their sexual orientation and asexuals cannot help the way they are. Asexuals do not feel depressed about their lack of sexuality, it isn't a component of their life and therefore they do not feel they are missing anything.





How many people are Asexual?

It is hard to estimate how much of the population is Asexual, either because people are unaware they are asexual, or do not come out with this information. A recent study in the U.K. determined up to 1% of the population self identified as asexual. With more education and outreach, more people are classifying themselves as asexuals.





Short clips on Asexuality:

























Asexual Resources:

http://www.asexuality.org





http://www.apositive.org





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





http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/science/10/14/asexual.study/index.html