A recent study by the Policy Institute at Kings College London, in partnership with aromantic asexual activist Yasmin Benoit, has shed some light on just how fundamentally misunderstood asexuality is by the general public.
The key findings are as follows;
- One in three (31%) respondents in an experimental study of 400 people believing asexuality can be “cured” by therapy.
- Two in five (42%) respondents believe people cannot be asexual if they have sex.
- A quarter (26%) believe asexual people just haven’t met the right person yet.
- One in nine (11%) don’t believe asexual people exist.
As a proud asexual woman, this information is not surprising to me in the slightest. I mean, all I have to do is look in the comment section of a post by Gay Times for an article that I wrote in 2023, and you will see that acephobia is alive and well (and the most egregious comments i.e. death threats were deleted so the ones still up are the less cruel comments). So while I am not shocked, I am really mad.
Not meaning to state the obvious but like, people do realise that there is not a cure for asexuality, right? And what would that even look like? Would I be strapped to a chair with my eyes open Clockwork Orange style, being forcibly shown edits of Jonathan Bailey? Girl I see those on my TikTok anyway and there is nary a fanny flutter in sight. Asexual conversion therapy, just like all conversion therapy, does not work and just traumatises the participant.
The idea that asexuality is something to fix is deeply harmful as it infers that asexual people are broken. Love and sex do not equate whole.
Now while we are on the topic of conversion therapy, did you know that asexual people are 10% more likely to be offered or undergo conversion therapy than other parts of the queer community? This statistic makes sense given the larger context of acephobia in our society. So why aren’t we talking about it more? And how do we get more people to care about asexuality?
I think that one of the best ways to combat acaphobia is through representation. In your TV shows, podcasts, musicians, public figures, politicians, whatever! The more people out there spreading the good word of asexuality, the better. Because if you don’t see yourself represented in the world around you, you are going to feel like you don’t matter. And if the world doesn’t see representations of asexuality, then they are going to stay ignorant, bigoted and seriously believe that there is a cure for asexuality.
There does need to be more academic studies like this that reflect the realities of asexual people to the world, but these studies once undertaken also need to lead to tangible change.
According to a 2016 Australian study, 49% of more than 9,000 asexual respondents had seriously considered suicide, and 14% had attempt suicide. Additionally, asexual women are at a higher rate of sexual hate crimes. Has anything been done to combat this? This study is almost a decade old but I would wager that these numbers haven’t changed much.
In the coming years there needs to be more space for asexuality awareness, representation, and acceptance. And remember, don’t try to fix what is not broken.
If you are struggling and need to talk to someone, you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue, and also use these resources below:
QLife
A free, confidential service that offers support and referrals for LGBTIQA+ people. You can call 1800 184 527 from 3 PM–12 AM daily, or chat online.
Rainbow Door
A specialist helpline that offers information, advice, and referrals. You can call 1800 729 367 from 10 AM–5 PM daily, or text 0480 017 246.
Minus 18
An advocacy platform that provides resources and guidance for LGBTQIA+ youth. Black Rainbow
A national advocacy platform for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBTQIA+ people.