Asexual theory 101
Right I keep getting asked on most of my asexual posts 'What does this mean OP? Where's the sources?' so imma make a quick ace theory 101 post so if anyone says they don't get it I can say I tried. Let's go:
'What does being ace have to do with race/racism?/There's racism in the ace community???'
Pretty much everything as people of colour experience various forms of sexualisation and desexualisation at the same time, which is why POC are rarely included in asexual representation:
Asexuals of Color Still Seek to Validate Their Asexuality by Ebony Purks
Stereotypes & media about Black masculinity made it harder to come out as asexual by Tyger Songbird
Your Assumptions About Black Queer Masculinity Are Erasing My Asexual Identity by Timinepre Cole
It's Time To Start Celebrating Black Asexuality in Media By Tyger Songbird
Yasmin Benoit: ‘People had a hard time believing that I could be Black and asexual and at Pride’ by Alastair James
Brown and Gray: An Asexual People of Color Zine
'What do TERFS/transphobia have to do with asexuality?'
There's a growing TERF conspiracy theory that asexuality is the side-effect of transitioning. The LGB movement believes the community is exclusively for 'same-sex attracted persons' and so identities that don't involve attraction e.g. the TQIA should be removed. Most backlash towards Yasmin Benoit, aroace activist, is from white TERFs and conservatives:
Acephobic conspiracy theories have transphobic and fascist roots by Sherronda J Brown
Anti-trans movement has a new target: The asexual community by Yasmin Benoit
'But how can conservatives hate asexuality if they hate sex?'
Because they don't and never did. If the term 'puritan' was used correctly in modern internet discourse, it would be known Christian puritans believe heterosexual sex for reproduction is a gift from god and mandatory so being asexual doesn't exactly fit with that worldview. Their beef is with any form of sex and sexuality that falls outside of cis heterosexual marriage, including asexuality. They're not anti sex but anti sexual autonomy:
"Anti-Sex" and the Real Sexual Politics of the Right by Lee Cicuta (ButchAnarchy)
The religious right is now targeting sexless marriages as “selfishness.” They Want to Ban Those Too by Tyger Songbird
Asexual people targetted by right-wing pundits following landmark report by Harriet Brewis
'What does being ace have to do with gender?'
It's commonly assumed that because patriarchy shames women's sexualities and considers all men's sexuality as biological and unavoidable, that ace women only and exclusively experience desexualisation whilst ace men only and exclusively are pressured into being sexual beings. This can true as a broad overview but it can vary based on race, disability, class etc. This also becomes complex for asexuals that exist outside the gender binary. This is known as 'gender detachment'.
Impossible for Men, Unremarkable for Women by Canton Winer
My Work on Gender Detachment and Asexuality Strikes a Nerve by Canton Winer
'There's asexual studies now?'
Yup. On the general experiences of asexual people in the UK, including discrimination in education, the workplace and healthcare:
The National LGBT Survey (2018)
Ace in the UK Report (2023)
Asexuality in the UK: Public attitudes towards people who experience little to no sexual attraction (2025)
Specific names:
Asexual theorists: Ianna Hawkins Owen, Michael Paramo, Julia Sondra Decker, Canton Winer (non-ace), Sherronda J Brown, Angela Chen, Lovette Jallow
Asexual activists: Yasmin Benoit, Tyger Songbird, Marshall Blount (TheGentleAce)
Asexual artists: Kimberly Butler (TheAsexualGoddess)
And I'm gonna update this with more if they're worth adding. I don't wanna hear any excuses anymore or blame towards aces of colour, gay aces or trans aces for not being specific enough anymore. Read!
