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{{Orientation|image1=[[File:Asexual.png]]|type=[[Amative]], [[Aspec]], [[Acespec|Ace-spec]]|exclusivity=|coined_by=|coining_date=}}▼
'''Asexual''' (often shortened to '''aceAce''') is a sexual orientation defined by a lack of [[Sexual Attraction|sexual attraction]], or a lack of desire for sex. Asexual experiences may also include: not wanting to have sex, not being interested in sex, not experiencing a sex drive/libido, or being repulsed by sex. Sexual attraction is defined as the desire to have sex with, or otherwise perform sexual acts with, another specific person. For non-asexualAsexual people ([[Allosexual|allosexualsAllosexuals]]), sexual attraction is involuntary, and even occurs when someone doesn't know the other person (though one might not act on it). Asexual people do not have an innate desire to have sex with anyone. They might also feel disconnected from the idea of sex.▼
▲{{Orientation|image1=[[File:Asexual.png]]|type=Amative, Aspec, Acespec|exclusivity=|coined_by=|coining_date=}}
Being asexualAsexual does not mean that one is unable to experience [[Romantic Attraction|romantic attraction]]. An asexualAsexual person can have any romantic orientation and some asexualsAsexuals identify with a [[Romantic Orientation|romantic orientation]] to specify who they're interested in romantically, if anyone. They often use prefixes like hetero-, homo-, bi-, pan-, etc. in front of the word romantic to describe who they experience romantic attraction to. For example, a person who is asexualAsexual [[Straight|heteroromanticHeteroromantic]] is romantically attracted to people of a different gender, but is not sexually attracted to them. For those who are [[Alloromantic]] and Asexual, they may identify as [[Alloace]]. Some asexualsAsexuals are also [[aromanticAromantic]], meaning that they also do not feel romantic attraction. People who are both asexualAsexual and aromanticAromantic may identify as [[aroaceAroace]].▼
▲'''Asexual''' (often shortened to '''ace''') is a sexual orientation defined by a lack of [[Sexual Attraction|sexual attraction]]. Asexual experiences may also include: not wanting to have sex, not being interested in sex, not experiencing a sex drive/libido, or being repulsed by sex. Sexual attraction is defined as the desire to have sex with, or otherwise perform sexual acts with, another specific person. For non-asexual people ([[Allosexual|allosexuals]]), sexual attraction is involuntary, and even occurs when someone doesn't know the other person (though one might not act on it). Asexual people do not have an innate desire to have sex with anyone. They might also feel disconnected from the idea of sex.
Sexual dispositions among asexualAsexual people can vary. Some asexualsAsexuals may still have a sex drive despite not feeling sexual attraction to anyone. They may still masturbate, watch porn, or participate in sexual activities. Other asexualsAsexuals lack a sex drive, and some may be repulsed by the concept of sex. [[File:Ace Symbol.png|thumb|196x196px|An ace symbol/flag created by user RavenFire803 on June 14 2021|link=Special:FilePath/Ace_Symbol.png]]▼
▲It is important to note the difference between asexuality and celibacy/abstinence. Those who are abstinent or celibate are not necessarily asexual; they may still experience sexual attraction but they choose not to act on it, typically for moral or religious reasons. Asexuals do not experience sexual attraction, and they may or may not participate in sexual activities. Although some asexuals do not have sex, there are also many asexuals who do partake in sexual activities or are in sexual relationships. This could be for many reasons, such as their own pleasure, the pleasure of a partner, or to have children.
Terms like [[sexSex-repulsedRepulsed]], [[sexSex-averseAverse]], [[sexSex-indifferentIndifferent]], [[sexSex-favorableFavorable]], or [[sexSex-ambivalentAmbivalent]] are commonly used to describe these feelings.<ref>[https://asexualagenda.wordpress.com/2018/09/15/asexuality-as-a-hard-limit-or-the-cat-is-dead/ Asexuality as a hard limit]</ref><ref>[https://asexualagenda.wordpress.com/2016/06/13/20-narratives-of-aces-who-like-sex/ 20 narratives of aces who like sex]</ref>▼
▲Being asexual does not mean that one is unable to experience [[Romantic Attraction|romantic attraction]]. An asexual person can have any romantic orientation and some asexuals identify with a [[Romantic Orientation|romantic orientation]] to specify who they're interested in romantically, if anyone. They often use prefixes like hetero-, homo-, bi-, pan-, etc. in front of the word romantic to describe who they experience romantic attraction to. For example, a person who is asexual [[Straight|heteroromantic]] is romantically attracted to people of a different gender, but is not sexually attracted to them. Some asexuals are also [[aromantic]], meaning that they also do not feel romantic attraction. People who are both asexual and aromantic may identify as [[aroace]].
The term "asexualAsexual" may also be used as an umbrella term, referring to anyone on the [[Acespec|asexualAsexual spectrumSpectrum]].▼
▲Sexual dispositions among asexual people can vary. Some asexuals may still have a sex drive despite not feeling sexual attraction to anyone. They may still masturbate, watch porn, or participate in sexual activities. Other asexuals lack a sex drive, and some may be repulsed by the concept of sex. [[File:Ace Symbol.png|thumb|196x196px|An ace symbol/flag created by user RavenFire803 on June 14 2021]]
▲Terms like [[sex-repulsed]], [[sex-averse]], [[sex-indifferent]], [[sex-favorable]], or [[sex-ambivalent]] are commonly used to describe these feelings.<ref>[https://asexualagenda.wordpress.com/2018/09/15/asexuality-as-a-hard-limit-or-the-cat-is-dead/ Asexuality as a hard limit]</ref><ref>[https://asexualagenda.wordpress.com/2016/06/13/20-narratives-of-aces-who-like-sex/ 20 narratives of aces who like sex]</ref>
▲The term "asexual" may also be used as an umbrella term, referring to anyone on the [[Acespec|asexual spectrum]].
==Etymology==
The term "asexualAsexual" uses the Latin prefix "a-" which means "not" or "a lack of."
== History ==
Early uses of the term "asexualAsexual" for human sexuality predate the formation of the asexualAsexual community. One of the first (indirect) references to asexualityAsexuality was in 1896 by physician, Magnus Hirschfeld, in his book "Sappho und Sokrates" where he says "There are individuals who are without any sexual desire ('Anästhesia sexualis')."<ref>[https://www.asexuality.org/en/topic/98639-indirect-mentions-of-asexuality-in-magnus-hirschfelds-books/ AVEN thread: (indirect) mentions of asexuality in Magnus Hirschfeld's books]</ref> In 1948 and 1953 Dr. Alfred Kinsey added a category "X" to the Kinsey scale, indicating those with "no socio-sexual contacts or reactions.”<ref>Kinsey, Alfred C. (1948). Sexual Behavior in the Human Male. W.B. Saunders. ISBN 0-253-33412-8</ref><ref>Kinsey, Alfred C. (1953). Sexual Behavior in the Human Female. W. B. Saunders ISBN 025333411X</ref> In a study published in 1983, Paula Nurius examined the relationship between mental health and sexual orientation. The study focused on heterosexualityHeterosexuality and homosexualityHomosexuality but also had options for bisexualBisexual and asexualAsexual.<ref>Nurius, Paula. (1983). "Mental Health Implications of Sexual Orientation" The Journal of Sex Research 19 (2) pp.119-136.</ref>
The contemporary asexualAsexual community originated once the internet enabled small, geographically-dispersed demographics to connect with each other. The earliest asexualAsexual proto-community formed in the comments of a 1997 article by Zoe O'Reilly and published by StarNet Dispatches, entitled "My Life as a Human Amoeba".<ref>O'Reilly, Zoe. [http://web.archive.org/web/20030210212218/http://dispatches.azstarnet.com/zoe/amoeba.htm "My life as an amoeba"]</ref> On October 12, 2000 the Yahoo e-mail group "Haven for the Human Amoeba (HHA)" was founded.<ref>[http://wiki.asexuality.org/Haven_for_the_Human_Amoeba AVENwiki: Haven for the Human Amoeba]</ref> The following year, David Jay created the Asexual Visibility and Education Network (AVEN).<ref>[http://wiki.asexuality.org/AVEN AVENwiki: AVEN]</ref> On LiveJournal, the Asexuality community was founded in 2002.<ref>[https://asexuality.livejournal.com/profile LJ Asexuality]</ref>
Over the years, asexualityAsexuality has been defined in a variety of different ways by different people.<ref>Hinderliter, Andrew C. [http://www.asexualexplorations.net/home/history_of_definition.html "Asexuality: The History of a Definition"]</ref><ref>[https://www.pillowfort.social/posts/717314 A Condensed History of Asexuals Arguing with Asexuals Over What Asexuality Is]</ref> One of the most popular definitions emphasizes [[attraction]], but there have also been those that emphasize a lack of sex drive or desire.
== Asexuality in the DSM ==
The DSM-5 and ICD-10 currently define low sexual desire as a disorder. The diagnosis has gone under several name changes, the current names being:
*DSM-5 — Female sexual interest/arousal disorder, Male hypoactive sexual desire disorder
*ICD-10 — Hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD)
In 2013, the DSM-5 was published. Female Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder and Male Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder remain listed as disorders, but their criteria exclude individuals who self-identify as asexualAsexual.<ref>[http://www.asexualityarchive.com/asexuality-in-the-dsm-5/ Asexuality in the DSM-5]
</ref>
==Gallery==
== Flag and Symbols ==▼
=== Flags ===
[[File:Ace of spades.png|thumb|181x181px|alt=|The ace of spades.|link=Special:FilePath/Ace_of_spades.png]]
In the summer of 2010 AVEN and several other asexualAsexual websites held a contest to design an asexualAsexual flag. The current asexualAsexual flag was designed by the AVEN user Standup and was uploaded on June 30th, 2010.<ref>[https://asexualagenda.wordpress.com/2018/02/21/the-ace-flag-a-history-and-celebration/ The Ace Flag: A History and Celebration]
</ref> The gradient of black, grey, and white was based on the AVEN triangle and symbolizes the concept of the [[Acespec|asexual spectrum]]. the black is for asexuals, grey for [[Greysexual|greyasexuals]], [[Demisexual|demisexuals]], and other ace-spec people, and white represents allosexuals. Purple represents the community and was likely chosen because AVEN has a purple color scheme.
Another asexual flag was coined by [[User:Cryptocrew|Cryptocrew]] at [[User:Hayden000|Hayden000s]] request on January 16th of 2021 and was first published on a post one day later. The shades of grey represent disinterest or disconnect in sexual acts, the shades of purple represents lack of sexual attraction, the grey in the middle represents the greyasexual spectrum, white represents community and peace, the spade represents asexuals in general, while the pink plants growing around the spade represent growing love and acceptance for the community.
FANDOM user RemyWest123 created another alternate asexualAsexual flag on March 23, 2021. It's based off the original and the first alternate. The black circle represents not being sexually attracted to anyone, and so does the spade.
[[File:Aventriangle.jpg|thumb|125x125px|The AVEN triangle|link=Special:FilePath/Aventriangle.jpg]]
Wearing black ring on the middle finger, typically of the right hand, known as an "aceAce ring" has become a way to subtly identify the wearer as being asexualAsexual. The origin of the black ring began in a thread from 2005.<ref>[http://wiki.asexuality.org/Black_ring AVENwiki: Black ring]</ref><ref>[https://www.asexuality.org/en/topic/76607-black-rings-and-other-ways-to-show-asexual-pride/ Black rings and other ways to show asexual pride]
</ref> The material and exact design of the ring are not important as long as it is primarily black.
[[File:Dragon Ace.png|thumb|The "dragon asexual" flag, created by FANDOM user [[User:RalseiTheFluffiest|RalseiTheFluffiest]]|link=Special:FilePath/Dragon_Ace.png]]
Cake has been an informal symbol of asexualityAsexuality since 2004, originating from the AVEN forums cake emote and the joke that asexualsAsexuals "prefer eating cake to having sex".<ref>[http://wiki.asexuality.org/Cake AVENwiki: Cake]</ref> Dragons have also been used to symbolise asexualityAsexuality, stemming from a joke that "asexualAsexual people are way more interested in dragons than in sex."<ref>https://www.asexuality.org/en/topic/182214-dragons/?do=findComment&comment=1063215480</ref> Asexuals are also associated with plants, since certain plants have the ability to reproduce asexually through mitosis.
An older asexualAsexual symbol is the AVEN triangle, which used a black-to-white gradient to represent the asexualAsexual spectrum, with white representing allosexualityAllosexuality and black representing asexualityAsexuality.<ref>[http://wiki.asexuality.org/AVEN_Triangle AVENwiki: AVEN Triangle]</ref> This gradient is what inspired the white, grey, and black stripes of the asexualAsexual flag.
==Sources==
<references />
[[Category:Orientation]]
[[Category:Aspec]]