Asexual History - Tumblr Posts
“We chose the term “asexual” to describe ourselves because both “celibate” and “anti-sexual” have connotations we wished to avoid: the first implies that one has sacrificed sexuality for some higher good, the second that sexuality is degrading or somehow inherently bad. “Asexual”, as we use it, does not mean “without sex” but “relating sexually to no one”. This does not, of course, exclude masturbation but implies that if one has sexual feelings they do not require another person for their expression. Asexuality is, simply, self-contained sexuality.”
— The Asexual Manifesto, Lisa Orlando and Barbara Getz, 1972
“We chose the term “asexual” to describe ourselves because both “celibate” and “anti-sexual” have connotations we wished to avoid: the first implies that one has sacrificed sexuality for some higher good, the second that sexuality is degrading or somehow inherently bad. “Asexual”, as we use it, does not mean “without sex” but “relating sexually to no one”. This does not, of course, exclude masturbation but implies that if one has sexual feelings they do not require another person for their expression. Asexuality is, simply, self-contained sexuality.”
— The Asexual Manifesto, Lisa Orlando and Barbara Getz, 1972
"tbh we might have clowned on [aros & aces] a lil too harshly" bigotry. the term you're looking for is bigotry. denying communities their vocabulary and ability to safely exist because you think you're the personal arbiter of which identities are "valid" is bigotry. minimizing and infantilizing and harassing entire groups of people based on their orientation is bigotry. aphobia isn't some forgettable phase of being cringe as a teenager, it's bigotry that inflicted long term damage to these communities.
I completely agree and I’m so sad and mad that ace and aro issues aren’t more well known and spread around the community and outside of it. So few people are aware of the struggles that the a-spec community face, wether it be through institutionalized oppression or socialized oppression.
Here is a list of ressources that can help you give you more perspective on the rights that we don’t have and the issues that we still have to fight against till this day :
- An academic look of the systemic oppression of asexuality
- Asexual people do not have equal rights with allosexual people : a look about the institutionalized and medicalized oppression ace face (europe lens)
- There is NO mainstream representation of a-specness in the media and very few positive representations exist (it’s getting better but very slowly i.e. sex education and the aroace japanese series)
- Also, a look through asexual history will reinforce your faith in your queer identity. We — as aroaces — have BEEN here, all along.
this list is ace-centered because I’m alloace (pan-ace), but I will so gladly let my aro folks add their own ressources for all of us to read on about.
Hope it can help you as an a-spec connect even more with your identity ; and help allos understand more what makes a-spec identities so inherently queer.
Genuinely so nice to see posts telling me to use the label I want and that it can mean whatever I use it to mean, but I still do feel out of place calling myself queer because, well, I wouldn’t be killed for my aroace spec ness. My friends could be, though, for their queerness. My partners. I’m torn between “pride is a protest because queer people are being killed” and “Aro and ace are queer identities because the deviate from the norm”
I would never ever tell another aroace person not to call themself queer, though, I love all of you, this is a personal conflict. Thoughts?
I think we need to be careful about defining queerness as 'must be this oppressed to ride'. The fact is that we all live in a society that prioritizes cis/straight/allo/perisex experiences and ways of being. We all benefit from pushing back against it together. The community itself tends to stand for embracing that diversity within the community too, and letting people define themselves on their own terms.
I think we also need to be careful about implying that ace and aro people don't experience oppression for being ace/aro, or that our oppression isn't also worth fighting against. It definitely can look different, but it still deserves attention.
That said, it is absolutely OK to choose not to ID as queer. Labels are all what feels right, and if it doesn't feel right to you or you don't feel like it fits you for any reason you don't have to use it. And I know a lot of ace and aro people who prefer to stick to ace and aro labels.
Do any followers have their own thoughts they want to share? Please do!
Important stuff
Asexuals were always part of pride and it really fucking shows when people think it's a recent term.
new zine about asexual history! this one's been rattling around my head for awhile
Just spreading awareness for my asexual friends
“We chose the term “asexual” to describe ourselves because both “celibate” and “anti-sexual” have connotations we wished to avoid: the first implies that one has sacrificed sexuality for some higher good, the second that sexuality is degrading or somehow inherently bad. “Asexual”, as we use it, does not mean “without sex” but “relating sexually to no one”. This does not, of course, exclude masturbation but implies that if one has sexual feelings they do not require another person for their expression. Asexuality is, simply, self-contained sexuality.”
— The Asexual Manifesto, Lisa Orlando and Barbara Getz, 1972