Word of the Gay: "AVENite"

An "AVENite" is a member of the Asexual Visibility Education Network an online forum and website dedicated to the asexual community and allies.

Join Activists Creating the First Ever Asexual Flag!

Asexual activists and allies over at the Asexual Visibility Education Network are engaging in thought provoking discussion and debate about what the future symbol of the asexual movement should look like. While there has never been an official symbol for asexuality, some of the common asexual pride images used have been a grey triangle, a shaded heart, a slice of cake, and an ace card to name a few.

As asexuality is becoming increasingly visible and discussed as part of a variation within human sexuality there is a growing need for the asexual community to rally around their own symbol of pride. Help make asexy history by engaging in the decision making process.

Campaign for "A" Visibility

The asexual movement is dependent on spreading accurate information about what it means to be asexual. In the face of so much misinformation people often think that asexuality doesn't exist, is a psychological problem, or think asexuality only refers to self reproduction in the animal kingdom.

Reasons why visibility is important:

1. It is academically important to understand that there exists a spectrum when it comes to sexuality and some have little to no sexual desire.

2. People who are or know of someone who is asexual should understand that is is natural and that there are others like them experiencing these feelings.

3. Asexuality is a healthy orientation, society forcing sexuality on people who are asexual may have devastating psychological consequences.

If you are asexual or an ally please make a conscious effort to create awareness by writing an op-ed, posting in a forum to discuss asexuality, handing out a pamphlet, or by coming out to someone.

Please share any ways in which you are participating by making asexual awareness a reality.

Web Spotlight: Asexual Meetups

Asexual Meetups is a place to find groups, members and those interested in meeting with others who have little to no sexual desire.

Happy Asexuality Visibility and Education Day

October 12th is Asexuality Visibility and Education Day (AVED), forum members over at AVEN have declared this day to be a day to come out and discuss asexuality at your school, workplace, or community center.

The official Asexuality Day is May 29th, but this second asexy holiday was created so that it is more effective for students to reach out on college campuses.

Resources:

Asexuality Visibility Education Network

A-Positive

Listing of asexual forums, blogs, social networks, and video sites

AVENtube - Asexual Videos

So whether you are asexual, or an ally what will you be doing to create awareness about this often hidden sexual orientation?

Asexual Visibility at London Pride on July 4th

Looks like activists in London are taking a hint from the successful and first ever asexual contingent in an American pride parade and don't want to shy away from making some asexual history of their own!

On Saturday July 4th, London will see its first public asexual visibility campaign at the gay pride parade with participants wearing t-shirts and other items to show their support.

The parade starts off at Baker Street at 1pm and proceeds down Oxford Street and Regent Street taking in some of the major sites of London and calls round through Piccadilly to Trafalgar Square.

To network and get more details check out the thread on AVEN.

Blog Spotlight: Asexual Love

Asexual Love is a blog with thoughts and musings about asexuality. The blog seeks to educate and create awareness about the estimated 1% of the population which is asexual. Topics for discussion include but are not limited to faith, politics, dating and the need for asexual unity and organization.

Historic Asexual Contingent To Take Place During San Francisco Pride

On June 28th, the San Francisco pride parade will be witnessing history in the making. It will be the first time ever in the U.S. that an asexual group will march in the parade.

Schedule of Events:

The evening before the parade, Saturday June 27th: BBQ and poster-making party at AVENguy's house in San Francisco at 6pm.

Morning of the parade: They will be meeting somewhere near SF's Embarcadero sometime between 9 and 10 am. Still waiting for more info from the Pride people.

For more details and up to the minute info on the events please check out One Percent Club.

True Life: I'm An Asexual?

MTV a pop-culture station with music, and reality tv shows for those in the teen/young adult age bracket has a program called True Life, which is a documentary series covering a host of topics.

Topics range from heroine addicts, to gays getting married, and showcase the lives and stories of young people throughout the country going through an interesting struggle.

The show has been very inclusive of LGBT people but has yet to cover the topic of asexuality, as mentioned by some people on the asexuality forums.

Use MTV's True Life Topic Suggestions board to suggest a show advancing asexual visibility.

Web Spotlight: Apositive

The Apositive website offers an array of resources for the asexual community and those looking to learn more about the orientation. The website offers a forum for social networking, and a knowledge base with info on the arts, community, media coverage, and research that is relevant to the community.

Network With Other Asexuals

The Asexuality Meetup Listing, provides for a listing of different asexual groups around the world, and people interested in the subject. Join a group, start your own, or collaborate with other asexuals in your area!

http://asexuality.meetup.com/

Asexuals Push for Greater Recognition Via the DSM

The video below features asexual activists David Jay and Andrew Hinterliter discussing the push for change of DSM which currently consider asexuality a pathology.



If you know of a an asexual friendly therapist or someone researching human sexuality, let info@asexual.org know, and they can be included in the project.

H/T to Apositive.

Web Spotlight: Asexuality Aotearoa New Zealand

The Asexuality Aotearoa New Zealand (AANZ) website has been specifically created to provide information for the asexual community of Aotearoa New Zealand. AANZ aims to increase the awareness and visibility of asexuality in Aotearoa New Zealand and to encourage the formation of asexual groups throughout the country.

Word of the Gay: "Asex 101"

"Asex 101" is a lecture created by David Jay founder of asexuality.org and is used for educational purposes by the asexual community.

Open Forum: The Asexual Rights Movement?

This blog is about uniting sexual and gender minorities in the fight for equality. We are about calling out those who discriminate, boycotting and protesting against those that seek to destroy our lives, and showing appreciation and support for those who have been allied with us in our fight for true liberation.

It is without doubt that lesbian, gay, and bisexual people are fighting for genuine rights, such as the right to marry, adopt, serve openly in the military, donate blood, and be free from discrimination and hate. Likewise the transgender movement is about creating acceptance for gender diversity, obtaining the rights listed above and in addition fighting to change the notion that gender identity variance is a "disorder" make sure sex re-assignment is affordable, safe, and approved. There are also efforts to make the process to change the birth certificate, passport, license, etc to reflect the new gender identity of the individual. The intersex movement does not have to fight for medical care in the same way the transgender community does, instead they are fighting against childhood genital mutilation of intersex babies. They are also on a mission to create awareness, advocacy, and acceptance of third gendered people.

That leaves us with one group under the queer umbrella that begs to question if it is indeed a civil rights movement. Asexuality is a legitimate sexual orientation, one that needs awareness and understanding within society. The question is, will there be an asexual rights movement and what would the fight be for?

Some things to consider about the current movement and status of asexuality:

-It is newly organized and just beginning to receive publicity, due to the internet people are learning about and coming out as asexual and/or questioning.

-There is a division within the movement over whether asexuality falls under the queer umbrella and whether it should be added on to the LGBTQ acronym.

-Asexuality is not being taught in sex-ed or in books with regards to human sexuality.

-There is a complete lack of resources available for an asexual or questioning asexual person.

-Laws which mandate marriages be consummated are discriminatory against asexual couples.

-The Diagnostic Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association lists asexuality as "Hypoactive Sexual Desire isorder"

-Asexuals who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and/or intersex face additional struggles and lack of equal rights.

Those points being noted, do you think that asexuality is the next battle on the civil rights front? Is this a battle for some degree of equal rights and recognition or more a battle for acceptance and understanding?

AVENTUBE - Asexual Video Database

AVENTUBE is a comprehensive listing of all videos relating to the asexual community. It features 112 videos, some educational, some funny, and others that show asexuality being discussed in pop culture.

http://www.youtube.com/group/aventube

Asexual Activist David Jay Speaking in St. Louis, MO on October 10th

David Jay speaking at Fontbonne University TOMORROW!

David Jay, founder of the Asexuality Visibility and Education Network has appeared at conferences and campuses across the country, as well as on television shows such as 20/20 and The View. He is currently part of an effort to change the diagnostic criteria for Hyposexual Desire Disorder, to eliminate the current tendency to unnecessarily diagnose asexual people. David is coming to Fontbonne to speak about the asexual experience. Join SAGE for this fantastic opportunity to learn more!

Friday, October 10th (TOMORROW)
12:00pm - 1:00pm

Fontbonne University
East 103 (East Building, Room 103)

Email maxfieldm1@campus.fontbonne.edu for more info

This event is being put on by Fontbonne's Straights and Gays for Equality (S.A.G.E.)

H/T to Asexuality at LiveJournal