Discrimination against asexual people

This article is about discrimination of people who lack sexual attraction or interest in sexual activity. For discrimination of people who do not experience romantic attraction, see Discrimination against aromantic people.

Part of a series on
Discrimination
Forms
Attributes
Social
Religious
Ethnic/national
Manifestations
Policies
Countermeasures
Related topics
Part of a series on
LGBTQ topics
      
Sexual orientation and gender
History
General
Identities
Culture
Rights
Health
Social attitudes
Issues
Academic fields and discourse
LGBTQ portal
Part of a series on
Asexuality topics
    
Related topics
In society
Studies
Attitudes and discrimination
Asexual community
Lists
Portals

Discrimination against asexual people, also known as acephobia[1][2][3] or aphobia when directed at aspec (aromantic and/or asexual) people,[4][5][6][7] encompasses a range of negative attitudes, behaviours, and feelings toward asexuality or people who identify as part of the asexual spectrum. Negative feelings or characterisations toward asexuality include dehumanisation, the belief that asexuality is a mental illness, that asexual people cannot feel love, and the refusal to accept asexuality as a genuine sexual orientation. Asexuality is sometimes confused with celibacy, abstinence, antisexualism, or hyposexuality.[8][9] Since discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation belongs under the wider social concept of kyriarchy, any acephobic acts due to intentional discrimination are a form of kyriarchy.[10][11]

There have been efforts to combat anti-asexual discrimination through legislation or education (such as through workshops on asexuality).[12][13]

  1. ^ Joshua Glenn Parmenter (August 2018). "The Culture of Sexuality: Identification, Conceptualization, and Acculturation Processes Within Sexual Minority and Heterosexual Cultures". Utah State University. p. 96. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference GSN was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference ISD was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ "Aphobia, understanding the discrimination and effects". 29 January 2023. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  5. ^ Bruce LaBruce (3 April 2012). "Asexuality Is All the Rage". Vice. Retrieved 2 December 2018.
  6. ^ "Anything but lacking". The McGill Daily. 21 November 2017. Retrieved 2 December 2018.
  7. ^ Morgan Lev Edward Holleb (2019). The A-Z of Gender and Sexuality: From Ace to Ze. Jessica Kingsley Publishers. p. 31. ISBN 9781784506636.
  8. ^ Olivia Petter (17 May 2018). "What is hyposexuality and how is it different to asexuality?". The Independent. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
  9. ^ Harmeet Kaur (20 October 2019). "Asexuality isn't celibacy or abstinence. Here's what it is — and isn't". CNN. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  10. ^ Lawless, Joseph F. (2012). Queering Activism: An Analysis of Localized LGBTQIA Advocacy Efforts. University of Pennsylvania. pp. 8–9.
  11. ^ Schüssler Fiorenza, Elisabeth (1992). But She Said : Feminist Practices of Biblical Interpretation. Boston, Mass., USA: Beacon Press.
  12. ^ "LGBTQrazy: A is for…". The Brunswickan (University of New Brunswick). Vol. 147, no. 7. 17 October 2013. p. 10. It's important to talk about asexuality because it's often an overlooked sexual identity, and acephobia – discrimination against asexual people – is experienced by many asexual people.
  13. ^ Joelle Ruby Ryan, "On Being Asexual and Transgender: Notes on Identity, Visibility, and Empowerment", in Trans Bodies, Trans Selves: A Resource for the Transgender (ed. Laura Erickson-Schroth), Oxford University Press (2014), ISBN 9780199325368, page 367 "I now give asexual workshops, screen the film (A)sexual with a postfilm discussion, and try to have conversations with my friends and colleagues about asexual identity and acephobia