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.

Open Forum: Does the Kama Sutra Address Asexual Orientation?

The Kama Sutra an ancient Hindu text considered to be a manual on sexual behavior has long been studied and revered for its breakthroughs in the field of human sexuality. Upon closer examination it appears that there are sections that speak to what we quite possibly today call asexuality or grey-a that may have been ignored by readers with a sexual perspective.

The Kama Sutra recognizes that just as sexuality falls along a spectrum and some are gay, bi, or straight, that sexual desire falls along a spectrum as well. There are nine kinds of unions described based on the level of sexual desire of an individual.

There are those labeled "small", "middling", or "intense" to describe their level of sexual desire and interest.

"A man is called a man of small passion whose desire at the time of sexual union is not great, whose semen is scanty, and who cannot bear the warm embraces of the female.

Those who differ from this temperament are called men of middling passion, while those of intense passion are full of desire" (Sacred Texts).

The text then goes on to discuss the length of time a person sustains themselves sexually indicating that the verses above are not about the length of the sexual act but merely the desire and intensity of the behavior.

All people who are sexually involved find that there are times they are more desiring of sex than others. Is the Kama Sutra referring only to periods of time that people are not as sexually inclined, or may the authors have been speaking to those who are to some degree asexual, or quite possibly both?

Web Spotlight: The A-sylum

The A-sylum is a message board for the asexual community to converse on a range of topics.

Blog Spotlight: Edge of Everywhere

Edge of Everywhere is an asexual feminist's perspectives on identity, relationships and more.

Open Forum: Asexuality and the Sex Positive Movement

The sex positive movement embraces a variety of social and philosophical attitudes towards sexuality. The sex positive movement unlike the dominant framework of organized religion does not pass judgment on various forms of sexuality including homosexuality, transsexuality, BDSM, polyamory, and masturbation and instead accepts individual sexual freedoms.

While accepting and promoting various forms of sexuality is certainly positive it calls into question whether the movement is embracing of asexuality, those who have little to no interest in sex at all. In contrast to the abstinence dogma spread by mainsteam religion, asexuals are not chaste because they feel it is immoral but simply have a low level of sexual desire. Many asexuals consider themselves to be sex-positive even if they themselves abstain from or have a minute degree of sexual activity in their own personal lives but others feels that there is no place for them in this movement and society that idealizes the concept of sexuality.

What do you think? Is asexuality accepted and embraced as part of the individual sexual freedoms in the sex positive movement or is it ignored or bashed in some fashion?

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.

Organization Spotlight: British Asexual & Information Network

British Asexuals & Information Network is an independent non-profit organization, aiming to create a safe and supportive environment for British asexuals, their families, and their friends.

Asexuals Grouping Together in Omaha Nebraska

Asexual meet-ups and groups have been forming all over the globe, some political, others support groups, and most just a nice way to meet like minded individuals. The latest in the process of being formed is in Omaha, Nebraska. Check out AVEN and help pitch in ideas for this meetup.

Word of the Gay: "Asexual Slang"

"Asexual Slang" are words that have been growing out of the increased movement by asexuals to congregate online and offline. Words describing the identity and growing culture and movement have and are being developed on an ongoing basis.

Blog Spotlight: Asexuality

Asexuality on Live Journal is an opportunity for people to discuss living without sex or sexuality. It is a forum for all experiences ranging from some to little or no attraction at all, and for asexuals who have romantic relationships.

Web Spotlight: Asexual Lesbians

Asexual Lesbians is a discussion forum for lesboromantic asexual women. It's a place to hang out, make friends, and get answers to questions of pertinence to the identity.

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.

Web Spotlight: A Life

A Life is a weekly podcast about asexuality and asexuals. The show is open to topic suggestions or listener questions and is always welcoming towards people who want to come on as a guest or perhaps even a regular panelist.

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.

Response to A-Phobic Article on the Asexual Orientation

In a piece by J.A.T.G.A.B. about asexuality, there are a plethora of flaws and misinformation. This is not a post seeking to rail on a fellow queer blogger, but it would be wrong if we did not seek to correct him on this subject of which he is sadly ill informed.

The sum of the article is about the author being offended at the notion that asexuality can be compared with homosexuality, the article goes on to insist that asexuality is a disability. The post suggests that LGBT activists who have incorporated the "A" into the acronym LGBT are immature, and foolish.

"As far as I'm concerned, this isn't an orientation -- it's a disability."

"Disability" is about lack of ableness, asexuals are fully able, equipped, and biologically capable to engage in sexual activity. It is not a disability, it is an orientation with little to no desire for sexuality. By same token many homosexuals are able to engage in heterosexual sex, it is a lack of desire to do so, this does not render homosexuality a disability. They are both examples of variants of human sexuality.

"I find it deeply offensive to have these "asexuals" comparing themselves to gay people."

Why should it matter? The asexual movement is not comparing itself to gay or transgender people, it is distinct yet offers parallels. Asexuals do not face harassment, or violence for their orientation, they do however struggle as gays do with a coming out process, and a lack of information/resources about their identity.

"It doesn't mean that many people who classify themselves as such don't need counseling and sex therapy."

If someone was sexually active and has lost their libido, had some sort of trauma than they should seek counseling. Asexuality is an orientation, they are completely content with the way they were made, they don't feel the need to undergo "treatment" anymore than gay people should seek to go into "ex-gay" programs which don't work.

To clear up some other statements in the article.

The Asexual Visibility Education Network (AVEN) has had 17,106 members sign up, it would be hard to gauge the number of active forum members. As far as the orientation, scientific studies suggest about 1% the population identifies as asexual.

As far as the man who got divorced and now lives happily in a sexless gay relationship, this does not mean he is repressed. Asexuals can have a romantic attraction, and can also be gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender. Homoromantic asexuals can choose to have a romantic relationship with someone of the same-sex and forego the option to have sex.

Queers United proudly stands by the asexual community and looks forward to continued dialogue, and education about all sexual and gender minorities.

Asexual Meetups in United Kingdom and Australia this Weekend

Asexual meetup groups are springing up across the globe. This Saturday, February 7th there will be meetings in York and London (UK) and in Sydney, Australia.

For more info on these meetups and other future and potential meets up, check out the AVEN Meetup Mart.

Please also feel free to list any additional asexual meetups here, or if you wish to put out info for people to contact you over a potential meetup.

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.