#sapiosexual pride

To assume that expecting intelligence is ableist is to assume that disabled people cannot be intelligent.

So, I'm pretty sure this one sentence speaks for itself. But I'm going to elaborate anyways. People who call Sapiosexuality "ableist" are creating a paradox in which they are trying to point out something as ableist by being ableist. People who believe that Sapiosexuality is ableist are, whether they realize it or not, inherently saying that disabled people cannot be smart. And that is not true at all. Many disabled people can be very smart (just look at Stephen Hawking), and plenty of able-bodied, neurotypical people are not smart. "Smart" is not an exclusive term for people who are "normal," can afford a college degree, and happen to have a high IQ (because really, IQ measures one of many types of intelligences). In fact, according to developmental psychologist Howard Gardner, there are nine types of intelligences (and no, this isn't one of those fake science thing like vaccines causing autism). Those nine are: Naturalist, musical, logical-mathematical, existential, interpersonal, body-kinesthetic, linguistic, intra-personal, and spatial. No one person is actually good with all of these intelligences. People have their strengths and weaknesses, regardless of sex/gender, race, class, disability, etc. Also, even Albert Einstein would agree that there are many ways to be intelligent and to express intelligence. There is a quote from Einstein that says that "creativity is intelligence having fun." And creativity can be art, music, comedy, acting, poetry, DIY projects, makeup art, etc. And, in my opinion (and the opinions of most Sapiosexual people), "smart" also includes humor and knowing miscellaneous knowledge, which isn't hard, regardless of who you are, really. Also, even if it was about the traditional idea of intelligence (which, again, it isn't), 11% of undergraduate college students have a disability (National Center for Education Statistics), and more than 25% have a mental illness (National Alliance on Mental Illness). But anyways, there are so many ways to be intelligent, and people assume that being Sapiosexual automatically puts intelligence into one very specific, exclusive box, but that's not at all true. We just want someone who we can have intelligent conversations of any kind with, and preferably who we can learn something from. We don't have one standard definition for intelligence. And by assuming that "intelligence" has to fit a certain mold, you're the one perpetuating ableism, elitism, classism and exclusivity. So please, next time you want to argue against something, find out more about it, and think very in-depth about the implications of your argument, and maybe you'll learn a thing or two in the process.

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Also, before someone comments something along the lines of "but Sapiosexuality is still not a real thing. Everyone likes intelligent people," if you think that, you have a misunderstanding of what Sapiosexuality is. For a Sapiosexual person, intelligence is the absolute number one factor; real attraction is impossible without it, and an attractive mind can make a Sapiosexual person ignore physical appearance entirely. Also, there is scientific evidence supporting the legitimacy of Sapiosexuality:

http://www.psypost.org/2018/01/study-sapiosexuality-suggests-people-really-sexually-attracted-intelligence-50526

http://iheartintelligence.com/2015/05/23/sapiosexuality-why-some-of-us-are-attracted-purely-by-intelligence/

And, all that said, regardless of facts and science and logic, all of you, as members of the LGBTQ+ community, should understand that sexuality is about what you feel and what you identify with. And to try to shut down someone's identity when yours was once unaccepted as well is not what this community is about. The LGBTQ+ community is about love and acceptance, but at times, it seems like it breeds more hate than love. Everyone's identity is what they feel is right, and love is love.

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P.S. Sapiosexuality becoming accepted is not going to make your identity seem less legitimate/valid. The only people who will try to say your identity is less valid because of someone else's are the people who are never going to accept any part of the LGBTQ+ community regardless of what is or isn't considered a part of it. So, screw them, don't worry about what they'll think, and just spread love and acceptance for all of the sexualities, gender identities, etc. You're going to be okay, I promise. A little bit of change and more diversity in the LGBTQ+ community isn't going to hurt anyone~ 💚