In 13 Tweets, What It’s Like To Be Asexual In A World Driven By Sex

By Cake Staff:

What is asexuality? The question has come up rather often in recent times, shining a spotlight one of the queer spectrum’s lesser known identities. For a long time, people thought the “A” in “LGBTQIA+” stood for “ally.” In fact, American Apparel was even selling a range of tote bags that claimed the same, until asexual social media users demanded they #GiveItBack (the letter “A” that is) and recognize asexuality instead of erasing it.

Forget about major brands, even LGBTQ spaces can be exclusionary when it comes to other end of the acronym. But fortunately, they’re learning to be more welcoming of “a-spectrum” identities like demisexuality, autosexuality, gray-asexuality, aromanticism, and asexuals who may be sex-repulsed, sex-positive or sex-indifferent. But [envoke_twitter_link]we still need loads of effort to amplify asexual voices[/envoke_twitter_link].

So on October 24, the Twitter account @Asexual Pride started the hashtag #AceLife, inviting stories of what it feels like being asexual in a world where sex sells:

The conversation was part of Asexual Awareness Week, an international campaign that kicked off on October 23. The idea is to break down some of the tired and harmful myths around asexuality, and to educate people about what it is and what it isn’t. It’s also about paying attention to personal experiences, and these Twitter users made good use of the opportunity.

On Coming To Terms With Their Identity:

On Being Made To Feel ‘Different’:

On The Need For Ace-Spaces And Representation:

On Dating:

And Dealing With Other People’s Lack Of Awareness:

But There’s The Funny Side Of Ace Life Too:

With A Little Bit Of Art Thrown In As Well:

All of this has perhaps highlighted a few issues that many in the asexual community have had to face. By turning to social media, the campaign encourages a larger exchange of stories, and with much of the safety and comfort that the internet can provide. We can’t wait to see how the rest of this week plays out, and [envoke_twitter_link]we hope that voices from the ace community only get louder and louder[/envoke_twitter_link] from hereon.