What is it like to not experience any sexual attraction?

It is Asexual Awareness Week – October 22-28 2017 – as there is little attention for this unreported group of people.

An asexual is someone who does not experience sexual attraction. Unlike celibacy, which people choose, asexuality is an intrinsic part of who they are. According to AVEN:

Asexuality does not make our lives any worse or any better, we just face a different set of challenges than most sexual people.

There is considerable diversity among the asexual community; each asexual person experiences things like relationships, attraction, and arousal somewhat differently. Asexuality is just beginning to be the subject of scientific research.

Society is getting more and more sexualised making it even more difficult for people who are asexual to be open about it. I just realised that on our own site on the sexual education part, there’s little – or even no – mention of people who just don’t have any interest in sex or are repulsed by it. (Note: we will change this!)

In this article in BBC Magazine one asexual woman said: “I was glad when my husband had affairs”.

Asexuals may well want to be in a relationship but “I’m not averse to having a partner, but feel excluded from the possibility, because who would invest time and effort into a relationship that isn’t going to get them any sex?”

Unlike many other sexual orientations, asexuality is not really talked about. I realised that despite having a big network and circle of people, I either don’t know anyone who is asexual or, more likely, it’s not something that they admit to.

I hope this Awareness Week changes that.

For more information:

The Asexual Visibility and Education Network

Further links from AVEN

Image credit and further links from Wattpad