What if you weren't sexually attracted to anyone? A
growing number of people are identifying as asexual.
They aren't sexually attracted to anyone, and they
consider it a sexual orientation--like gay, straight, or
bisexual. Asexuality is the invisible orientation. Most
people believe that ''everyone'' wants sex, that
''everyone'' understands what it means to be attracted
to other people, and that ''everyone'' wants to date and
mate. But that's where asexual people are left out--they
don't find other people sexually attractive, and if and
when they say so, they are very rarely treated as though
that's okay. When an asexual person comes out, alarming
reactions regularly follow; loved ones fear that an
asexual person is sick, or psychologically warped, or
suffering from abuse. Critics confront asexual people
with accusations of following a fad, hiding
homosexuality, or making excuses for romantic failures.
And all of this contributes to a discouraging master
narrative: there is no such thing as ''asexual.'' Being
an asexual person is a lie or an illness, and it needs
to be fixed. In ''The Invisible Orientation,'' Julie
Sondra Decker outlines what asexuality is, counters
misconceptions, provides resources, and puts asexual
people's experiences in context as they move through a
very sexualized world. It includes information for
asexual people to help understand their orientation and
what it means for their relationships, as well as tips
and facts for those who want to understand their asexual
friends and loved ones. |
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