Aspec Voices – Page 2 – The Ace and Aro Advocacy Project

August 12, 2022August 12, 2022

Ace Youth

Asexual communities tend to include a high proportion of young people, and more and more people are discovering asexuality at earlier ages. While it is wonderful that there is increased education allowing people to find community when they are young, it also means that we need to be aware of the specific experiences, joys, challenges, and struggles faced by ace young people.

In honor of the International Day of Youth, August 12, we are highlighting the experiences of ace people under the age of 20. In order to protect their identities and prevent online harassment, we have not included any social media handles. Thank you to all who volunteered their time and shared their experiences.

July 16, 2022

Aspecs and Queer Platonic Relationships – Part Two

Queer Platonic Relationships, or Queer Platonic Partnerships (QPRs/QPPs) are relationships that purposely defy relationship categories, and can mix elements from platonic, romantic, and sexual relationships. They are each unique depending on the people involved in them, but they often involve some level of commitment or intimacy.

Because asexual and aromantic people tend to structure their relationships and interpersonal needs in unique ways, many of them choose to engage in relationships that are hard to define, and take comfort in Queer Platonic Relationships.

The third Sunday in July is Queer Platonic Pride Day – in 2022, that’s July 16, so we decided to highlight aspecs with Queer Platonic Relationships. Thank you to all who volunteered their time and shared their experiences.

July 16, 2022

Aspecs and Queer Platonic Relationships – Part One

June 29, 2022June 30, 2022

Pride 2022 – Non-Queer Aspecs

Queer is often used as an umbrella label for the LGBTQIA2+ community. But some people within the community don’t identify with the label “queer” for various reasons, and that includes ace and aro people.

This Pride Month we wanted to highlight the experiences of those who are aro or ace and do not identify as queer, as Pride is for them as well! Thanks to all of our contributors.

June 28, 2022June 28, 2022

Straight or Hetero Aspecs – Part Four

“Straight” is often used to mean the opposite of “queer”, and therefore many people think that straight or hetero people don’t belong in or are not part of the LGBTQIA+ community. Unfortunately, this can impact asexual and aromantic people, as it is possible for them to have heteromantic or heterosexual attraction or desire even while they are ace, aro, or aroace. For Pride Month, we wanted to shine a light on those aspec people who identify as straight or hetero in any way, as this month is for them as well.

This article is the fourth and last of several focused on straight or hetero aspecs. Thank you to all who volunteered their time and shared their experiences.

June 28, 2022June 30, 2022

Pride 2022 – Straight or Hetero Aspecs – Part Three

This article is the third of several focused on straight or hetero aspecs. Thank you to all who volunteered their time and shared their experiences.

June 28, 2022June 30, 2022

Pride 2022 – Loveless Aspecs

Pride is often associated with love. Common phrases include “Love is Love” or “Love makes us human”. Pride may be about love for some people, but it is not the foundation of the celebration for all LGBTQIA+ people. Some people do not feel, understand, or connect with love – any form of it. They may identify as “Loveless”, which originated in the aromantic community as a way of reclaiming something often seen as a negative trait.

Text: Loveless

Someone who does not feel love, doesn't understand or feels disconnected from love as a concept or descriptor, or rejects love or the social construct of it

This identity originated in the aromantic community.

Some loveless people feel hatred towards the social construct of love or are repulsed by the idea of love, while others simply feel disconnected from it personally.

Picture: The Loveless Aro flag — A graphic describing “loveless”. Alt text included.

For Pride Month, we wanted to shine a light on those aspec people who identify as Loveless, as this month is for them as well.

Thank you to all who volunteered their time and shared their experiences.

June 21, 2022June 30, 2022

Pride 2022 – Straight or Hetero Aspecs – Part Two

This article is the second of several focused on straight or hetero aspecs – this one includes all aromantic people, some of whom are also asexual, who identify as straight or hetero.

Thank you to all who volunteered their time and shared their experiences.

June 12, 2022June 30, 2022

Pride 2022 – Straight or Hetero Aspecs – Part One

“Straight” is often used to mean the opposite of “queer” or LGBTQIA+, and therefore many people think that straight or hetero people don’t belong in or are not part of the LGBTQIA+ community. Unfortunately, this can impact asexual and aromantic people, as it is possible for them to have heteromantic or heterosexual attraction or desire, or hetero tertiary attraction or desire, even while they are ace, aro, or aroace. For Pride Month, we wanted to shine a light on those aspec people who identify as straight or hetero in any way, as this month is for them as well.

This article is the first of several focused on straight or hetero aspecs – this one includes all asexual people, some of whom are also aromantic, who identify as straight or hetero. One of the next articles will include all aromantic people, some of whom are asexual, who identify as straight.

Thank you to all who volunteered their time and shared their experiences.

June 2, 2022June 2, 2022

Aspec Sex Workers

In honor of International Sex Worker’s Day, June 2, we are posting perspectives from ace and aro people who are or ever have done any kind of sex work. We defined “sex work” expansively, including any kind of kink, fetish, or domination work, pornography, sensual massage, webcam sex work, phone sex, erotic performance, sexual surrogacy, full-service sex work, or any other kind of sexual services performed for money.

Sex workers’ profession is often criminalized, and sex work is stigmatized and demeaned in most communities, and that includes within asexual and aromantic communities. It is important to lift up the voices of sex workers and support them in their efforts to live their lives with safety, dignity, and without social shame. For more information on the history of sex work and how to best support sex workers, check out our list on Bookshop.org here: https://bookshop.org/lists/deconstructing-patriarchal-sexuality.

Thank you to all who volunteered their time and shared their experiences.