Asexuality
- This article is about human asexuality; asexual reproduction is a separate topic.
Asexuality is a designation or self-designation for people who claim that they are not sexually attracted to anyone. This may be viewed as a form of sexual orientation in itself. There has been little research done on asexuality, but it appears to be the least common occurring sexual orientation. The Kinsey Institute recently conducted a survey on it.
There is disagreement over whether or not asexuality is a legitimate orientation. Many claim that it is impossible or a sexual dysfunction. Others attribute it to things such as sexual abuse, repressed homosexuality, or a lack of proper hormones.
Variations
As with those of any other sexual orientation, there are differences among people that identify as asexual. Some experience romantic attraction, and can be oriented towards one or both genders in this regard: they are interested in "normal" romantic relationships, either with both genders or exclusively with men or women, but would not want those relationships to include sexual activities. Others have a sex drive, but are not sexually attracted to either gender; in other words, drive and attraction are measured independently, much as they are in any other orientation.
Some asexuals use a classification system developed by the founder of the (one of the major asexual online communities). In this system, asexuals are divided into types A through D: a type A asexual has a sex drive but no romantic attraction, a type B experiences romantic attraction but no sex drive, a type C experiences both, and a type D neither. The categories are not meant to be entirely discrete or set in stone; one's type can change, or one can be on the border between two types.
The common link between all of these types is that none of them experience sexual attraction. Those that do feel a desire to engage in romantic relationships are therefore in a difficult position, as the majority of people are not asexual. They either must compromise with their partners, only date asexuals, or decide to live alone.
Views of Asexuality
Several religions or religious sects believe that asexuality is a spiritually superior condition. In other creeds, children may be considered a gift of God that should not be refused, or a means of spreading religion, or both. Furthermore, some religions feel that sexuality itself is a divine gift.
Currently, unlike homosexuals, bisexuals, and others, asexuals are not a main target of conservative religious groups. It is possible, though, that they could be subject to scrutiny from these religious groups in the future for challenging the belief that heterosexuality is the only normal sexual orientation.
Asexuality in fiction
In fiction, John Braine's novel The Jealous God (1964) is a good example of sex mainly seen as a sin. On the other hand, in his science fiction novel Distress (1995), Greg Egan imagines a 22nd century world where "asex" is one out of seven acknowledged gender settings. To quote from Distress:
- "Asex was really nothing but an umbrella term for a broad group of philosophies, styles of dress, cosmetic-surgical changes, and deep-biological alterations. The only thing that one asex person necessarily had in common with another was the view that vis gender parameters (neural, endocrine, chromosomal and genital) were the business of no one but verself, usually (but not always) vis lovers, probably vis doctor, and sometimes a few close friends. What a person actually did in response to that attitude could range from as little as ticking the "A" box on census forms, to choosing an asex name, to breast or body-hair reduction, voice timbre adjustment, facial resculpting, empouchment (surgery to render the male genitals retractable), all the way to full physical and/or neural asexuality, hermaphroditism, or exoticism." (Distress, paperback ed., p. 45)
See also
