CEO of asexual Tim Drake

Typed and cleaned up a mini-zine I made a while ago for an ace week zine making event. Made in reaction to my continued frustration what is often seen as "acceptance" and the DSM.

Printable mini-zine here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CI-eKcPG61ezopxGcqYtYTYpkDelT3r5/view?usp=sharing

For folks not familiar with mini-zines here are instructions on how to fold them: https://docpop.org/2018/01/how-to-make-mini-comics-my-guide-to-cutting-and-folding-an-8-page-zine/

[Zine text:

Cover: Asterisk Acceptance. What does asexual acceptance actually mean?

Page 2: Asterisk acceptance: accepting something by adding exceptions to existing assumptions rather than challenging the assumptions.

This shows up all the time when people try to include asexuality. While often well meaning, it falls short of actual acceptance.

Page 3: Examples include:

We are all sexual beings*

*except for some asexuals

A strong romantic relationship needs sex to thrive*

*except for some asexual relationships

Sexual attraction is a core part of being human*

*except for asexual people

Page 4: This even shows up in medical spaces.

The DSM, the text used for defining and diagnosing mental disorders in Canada and the USA, has two diagnosis that can often apply to asexual people.

In the most recent version of the DSM, DSM-V, these are Female Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder (FSIAD) and Male Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (MHSDD).

Page 5: Both of these diagnoses have exceptions for people who identify as asexual.

But is that enough? What about the person who’s never heard “asexual” before? What about the doctor that doesn’t believe them? What about those whose asexuality isn’t lifelong? Does this exception help them?

Page 6:

Asterisk acceptance fails because it doesn’t question the underlying assumptions. It only adds exceptions to the rule. It continues to alienate, obscure and other those that it places in the list of exceptions.

Page 7:

Not only does asterisk acceptance hurt asexual people, it closes the possibilities asexuality brings to non-asexual people.

How much stronger could consent be if “no” was always an option?

What types of connection and pleasure exist beyond sex?

What do we want sex to mean for us and our relationships? Are there more ways of accessing that meaning?

Do you have any aro/ace headcanons? Are they of main characters? Your favorite characters? Characters you even like?

When was the last time you read a fic that featured an aro/ace character? Did you bookmark it? Did you leave a comment? Have you ever put one on a reclist?

Have you ever participated in a genfic exchange? Have you ever considered that things like exchanges rely in part on having a certain number of participants, otherwise assignments won't work?

Have you ever had your art tagged with the name of a ship you didn't personally like? How did that make you feel? Have you ever thought about the fact that other people might feel the same way? Maybe even about the ships you do like?

Bonus hard round:

every aspec who has to exist in fandom i am holding your hand so hard feel free to use these wherever i dont care

original size GIF's under the cut

The Mothman Pride Collection is now live!!!!!!!!

Starting a countdown to pride month!

Starting us off with the first year I did pride mikus 2022

Happy Pride Month!! Ace Pride Miku says you are valid!!! 💜

Happy aromantic and asexual pride form Hatsune Miku!

💚🤍🩶🖤🩶🤍💜

AND happy aromantic visibility day!!!

Excellent try, almighty wizard of the Land of Corpo, but your mediocre meat sorcery does not best my archaic spell of utmost complexity and structural integrity...

...I cast SEXREPULSEDASEXUALITY!