Asexual Awareness Week: Why it is important

By Ava Piliang

Asexual awareness week occurs in the last week of October, which this year is October 23-29. First celebrated in 2010, asexual awareness week is used to celebrate and spread awareness about every identity across the asexual spectrum, this includes people who identify as asexual(1), demi-sexual(2), graysexual(3), and aromantic(4). Asexual awareness week is extremely important for several reasons, first, it allows people who identify as asexual to be recognized and reminds allies of the struggles that asexual people face including being told that asexual people are not oppressed and hurting the rest of the LGBTQ+ community, being told that asexuality is a choice, being told that they just haven't met the right person, and people thinking that asexual people are less than or inhumane.(5) The other reason that asexual awareness week is extremely important is that it gives people the ability to become educated on asexuality and asexual issues. Asexual awareness week is extremely vital because it celebrates all identities that fall under the asexual spectrum.

Sources:

(1)  Commonly used to describe someone who experiences little to no sexual attraction. Some people on the asexual spectrum desire sexual intimacy, while others do not. (The Trevor Project)

(2) An identity term within asexuality that is often defined as those who experience sexual attraction only after a significant emotional bond has been built. This is distinctly different from those who want to engage in sexual activity only after building a connection with other people, as it pertains to attraction and not the desire to engage in sexual activity. (The Trevor Project)

(3)  Someone who does not normally experience sexual attraction, but does experience it sometimes; a person who is gray-a may enjoy and desire sex but generally only under specific and limited circumstances.(The Trevor Project)

(4)  Commonly used to describe someone who experiences little to no romantic attraction. While some people who are aromantic may desire romantic relationships, others may not.(The Trevor Project)

(5)  Gallop https://galop.org.uk/resource/acephobia-and-anti-asexual-hate-crime/