I (aroace 24) have worked in a factory in Germany for some time because I wanted to improve my German skills. So my first objective was to talk to people, of course. I tried to identify those who seemed friendly enough and began talking to them. Our colleagues began to think that I was hitting on all the men I talked to because it was not normal being that friendly. I was outraged by it, because the more I stated that I was trying to chat both to make friends and to improve my speaking skills, the more they believed I was trying to cover up my promiscuous tendencies with unconceivable excuses. Of course I never went to bed with anyone. Well, long story short, the men were being that friendly because they were the ones trying to hit on me.

I feel like the strong push of "aces can still have sex! Aros can still date!" isn't coming from inside the community-- (I'm not saying it's not true for some individuals btw) I *am* saying I think it's another sneaky way we're being pushed out of our own spaces. I feel othered again by the number of people who *have* to just fall over themselves to remind me that I can still have sex if I wanna~ I don't. I don't like it. I don't want it. I never see posts talking about how there are ace people who never will and how that's okay It's only ever "reminder that ace people can be functionally not ace if we squint hard enough ;] and I'm definitely not sneakily pressuring you to put your own desires aside lol" and again, I am not talking about self-validating, actually ace posts about ace experiences I'm talking about the allos who seem obsessed with ace people still being able to have sex.

I feel guilty being an aroace person who struggles with being intimate or very close with friends.

trying to balance sex repulsion and anti-censorship is so hard. i fully believe people should be able to do whatever freaky shit they want (given that it doesn’t harm real people) but at the same time i really really really don’t want to see it.

I've never been able to understand the whole "I'm ace and don't like having sex but I have sex with my partner to make them happy" thing. I'm not sure how common of a sentiment this actually is but I've heard it a fair amount and it and the way people react to it is just confusing to me.

"Sex is not a need" anon here back with a clarification because of buttface mctheology pants

Hi, when I watch a piece of media and love a character in it, like really relate to them, I start hoping they don't get into a romantic relationship. But a lot of times they do and it pains me. Like it puts a stain on the otherwise beautiful and complex and intriguing character for me and I cannot look at them the same anymore. How does one cope with that?

i tell people im ace but i feel like a fraud my repulsion is because of things that happened when i was a kid but i cant tell anyone that because i dont want them to tell me im not really ace