With regard to sexual activity in particular, the need or desire for masturbation is commonly referred to as sex drive by asexuals and they disassociate it from sexual attraction and being sexual asexuals who masturbate generally consider it to be a normal product of the human body and not a sign of latent sexuality, and may not even find it pleasurable. Some may masturbate as a solitary form of release, while others do not feel a need to do so. Some asexuals participate in sexual activity out of curiosity. There are asexual-identified individuals who report that they feel sexual attraction but not the inclination to act on it because they have no true desire or need to engage in sexual or non-sexual activity (cuddling, hand-holding, etc.), while other asexuals engage in cuddling or other non-sexual physical activity. If at any point someone finds the word asexual useful to describe themselves, we encourage them to use it for as long as it makes sense to do so.' Īsexual people, though lacking sexual attraction to any gender, might engage in purely romantic relationships, while others might not. Asexuality is like any other identity – at its core, it's just a word that people use to help figure themselves out. The Asexual Visibility and Education Network defines an asexual as 'someone who does not experience sexual attraction' and stated, 'nother small minority will think of themselves as asexual for a brief period of time while exploring and questioning their own sexuality' and that 'here is no litmus test to determine if someone is asexual. Self-identification as asexual may also be a determining factor. Researchers generally define asexuality as the lack of sexual attraction or the lack of sexual interest, but their definitions vary they may use the term 'to refer to individuals with low or absent sexual desire or attractions, low or absent sexual behaviors, exclusively romantic non-sexual partnerships, or a combination of both absent sexual desires and behaviors'. Because there is significant variation among people who identify as asexual, asexuality can encompass broad definitions. Īsexuality is sometimes called ace (a phonetic shortening of 'asexual' ), while the community is sometimes called the ace community, by researchers or asexuals.

The most prolific and well-known of these communities is the Asexual Visibility and Education Network, which was founded in 2001 by David Jay. Various asexual communities have started to form since the impact of the Internet and social media in the mid-1990s. Asexual individuals may represent about one percent of the population. While some researchers assert that asexuality is a sexual orientation, other researchers disagree. Īcceptance of asexuality as a sexual orientation and field of scientific research is still relatively new, as a growing body of research from both sociological and psychological perspectives has begun to develop. Some asexual people engage in sexual activity despite lacking sexual attraction or a desire for sex, for a number of reasons, such as a desire to physically pleasure themselves or romantic partners, or a desire to have children. Sexual orientation, unlike sexual behavior, is believed to be 'enduring'. Īsexuality is distinct from abstention from sexual activity and from celibacy, which are behavioral and generally motivated by factors such as an individual's personal, social, or religious beliefs. It may also be categorized more widely, to include a broad spectrum of asexual sub-identities. It may be considered a sexual orientation or the lack thereof. Asexuality is the lack of sexual attraction to others, or low or absent interest in or desire for sexual activity.

Asexual visibility day