Understanding Asexuality

quality of having sex without (choris) one’s self/identity (auto), or “identity-less” sexuality

the label of “asexuality” could still apply to masturbating asexuals with “disconnected” fantasies, because their paraphilia is an unusual sexual phenomenon: there is no subjective sexual attraction to anything. Complicated indeed!

They—as individuals—are disconnected from their sexual responses to others or to sexual stimulation.

In other words, the I is missing in the statement “I am attracted to . . .”

asexual people may be sexual in other ways, and some may be reluctant to reveal this

we shouldn’t impose our valued passions on others

Or, alternatively, should we pathologize the society itself for not tolerating minorities and diversity?

atypical interpersonal functioning, such as increased social withdrawal (Brotto et al., 2010), but even if additional research bears this out, this, again, does not necessarily mean that we should pathologize all asexual people or asexuality in general.

that someone simply does not reproduce through a traditional heterosexual process does not mean that they are maladapted from an evolutionary perspective. It may just mean that there is another evolutionary mechanism at work beyond sexual reproduction that replicates the individual’s genes.

Is there only one right way to live a human life? Must people have certain experiences to make their lives worthwhile and healthy?