Asexual people (or Aces) experience little or no sexual attraction. While most asexual people desire emotionally intimate relationships, they are not drawn to sex as a way to express that intimacy.
When learning about asexuality and respecting Ace people, it’s most important to make sure to listen when they talk about their identity and respect their experiences. Every Ace person experiences their identity differently - some asexual people are interested in romantic relationships while others are not; some Aces are sex-averse or have a negative view of sex while other Aces are simply not interested in sex but don’t have a negative view of it, and some even engage in sexual activity.
A few common terms–
Aromantic: People who experience little or no romantic attraction and are content with close friendships & other non-romantic relationships.
Demisexual: People who only experience sexual attraction once they form a strong emotional connection with another person.
Grey-Ace: People who identify somewhere between sexual & asexual.
Queerplatonic: People who experience a type of non-romantic relationship where there is an intense emotional connection that goes beyond a traditional friendship.
Learn about these terms and more in our IC Training/Certification course!
