It doesn’t have to be Pride Month to think about Asexuality.
When most people hear the term "asexual," they think of plants or single cell organisms. The reality is people can be asexual too, meaning they are not attracted to other people and are uninterested in sex. Like a lot of things in the LGBTQ+ community, it is on a spectrum, so it varies from person to person.
Some people never realize they are asexual because their exposure to asexuality is next to nothing. There are few characters on TV or in movies who have mentioned asexuality or even declared themselves asexual. If not for the internet and social media, I would never have heard other people talk about it and done the research myself to figure out that not only am I asexual, but also aromantic, meaning I do not experience romantic attraction to other people.
I feel that asexuality and aromanticism are some of the most under-represented and unaccepted identities out there. If you try to "come out" to people or tell them about it, they’ll often reply with things like "you just have to find the right person" or "you’re just not ready for a relationship yet." It’s hard to get people to accept something that they don’t even see as real.
That’s why I believe we need to keep an open mind so we can understand each other better.
I’m Kelsey Cunningham, and that’s my perspective.
