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<b>Asexual</b> (often shortened to '''ace''') is a [[sexual orientation]] defined by a lack of or limited
▲[[File:Asexual alternate.png|thumb|Cryptocrews alternate flag.]]
▲<b>Asexual</b> (often shortened to '''ace''') is a sexual orientation defined by a lack of [[Sexual Attraction|sexual attraction]]. Asexual experiences may also include: not wanting to have sex, not being interested in sex, not experiencing a sex drive/libido, or being repulsed by sex. Sexual attraction is defined as the desire to have sex with, or otherwise perform sexual acts with, another specific person. For non-asexual people ([[Allosexual|allosexuals]]), sexual attraction is involuntary, and even occurs when someone doesn't know the other person (though one might not act on it). Asexual people do not have an innate desire to have sex with anyone. They might also feel disconnected from the idea of sex.
It is important to note the difference between asexuality and celibacy/abstinence. Those who are abstinent or celibate are not necessarily asexual; they may still experience sexual attraction but they choose not to act on it, typically for moral or religious reasons. Asexuals do not experience sexual attraction, and they may or may not participate in sexual activities. Although some asexuals do not have sex, there are also many asexuals who do partake in sexual activities or are in sexual relationships. This could be for many reasons, such as their own pleasure, the pleasure of a partner, or to have children.
Being asexual does not mean that one is unable to experience [[
Sexual dispositions among asexual
The term "asexual" may also be used as an [[umbrella term]] for any sexual orientation that is not allosexual, referring to anyone on the [[asexual spectrum]].<ref>https://www.psychiatry.org/News-room/APA-Blogs/The-Q-in-LGBTQ-Queer-Questioning</ref>
== History ==▼
Early uses of the term "asexual" for human sexuality predate the formation of the asexual community. One of the first (indirect) references to asexuality was in 1896 by physician, Magnus Hirschfeld, in his book "Sappho und Sokrates" where he says "There are individuals who are without any sexual desire ('Anästhesia sexualis')."<ref>[https://www.asexuality.org/en/topic/98639-indirect-mentions-of-asexuality-in-magnus-hirschfelds-books/ AVEN thread: (indirect) mentions of asexuality in Magnus Hirschfeld's books]</ref> In 1948 and 1953 Dr. Alfred Kinsey added a category "X" to the Kinsey scale, indicating those with "no socio-sexual contacts or reactions.”<ref>Kinsey, Alfred C. (1948). Sexual Behavior in the Human Male. W.B. Saunders. ISBN 0-253-33412-8</ref><ref>Kinsey, Alfred C. (1953). Sexual Behavior in the Human Female. W. B. Saunders ISBN 025333411X</ref> In a study published in 1983, Paula Nurius examined the relationship between mental health and sexual orientation. The study focused on heterosexuality and homosexuality but also had options for bisexual and asexual.<ref>Nurius, Paula. (1983). "Mental Health Implications of Sexual Orientation" The Journal of Sex Research 19 (2) pp.119-136.</ref>▼
The contemporary asexual community originated once the internet enabled small, geographically-dispersed demographics to connect with each other. The earliest asexual proto-community formed in the comments of a 1997 article by Zoe O'Reilly and published by StarNet Dispatches, entitled "My Life as a Human Amoeba".<ref>O'Reilly, Zoe. [http://web.archive.org/web/20030210212218/http://dispatches.azstarnet.com/zoe/amoeba.htm "My life as an amoeba"]</ref> On October 12, 2000 the Yahoo e-mail group "Haven for the Human Amoeba (HHA)" was founded.<ref>[http://wiki.asexuality.org/Haven_for_the_Human_Amoeba AVENwiki: Haven for the Human Amoeba]</ref> The following year, David Jay created the Asexual Visibility and Education Network (AVEN).<ref>[http://wiki.asexuality.org/AVEN AVENwiki: AVEN]</ref> On LiveJournal, the Asexuality community was founded in 2002.<ref>[https://asexuality.livejournal.com/profile LJ Asexuality]</ref>▼
▲Early uses of the term "asexual" for human sexuality predate the formation of the asexual community. One of the first (indirect) references to asexuality was in 1896 by physician, Magnus Hirschfeld, in his book "Sappho und Sokrates" where he says "There are individuals who are without any sexual desire ('Anästhesia sexualis')."<ref>[{{Archive|Site=web|URL=https://www.asexuality.org/en/topic/98639-indirect-mentions-of-asexuality-in-magnus-hirschfelds-books/ AVEN thread: (indirect) mentions of asexuality in Magnus Hirschfeld's books}}]</ref> In 1948 and 1953 Dr. Alfred Kinsey added a category "X" to the [[Kinsey
An early asexual community formed in the 1970s when the Coordinating Council of New York Radical Feminists formed caucuses based on sexual orientation in the categories of heterosexual, lesbian and bisexual. A group led by Lisa Orlando and Barbie Hunter Getz created their own asexual caucus, and in 1972 published "the Asexual Manifesto".<ref>[{{Archive|Site=web|URL=https://csclub.uwaterloo.ca/~pbarfuss/Asexual-Manifesto-Lisa-Orlando.pdf The Asexual Manifesto}}]</ref>
Over the years, asexuality has been defined in a variety of different ways by different people.<ref>Hinderliter, Andrew C. [http://www.asexualexplorations.net/home/history_of_definition.html "Asexuality: The History of a Definition"]</ref><ref>[https://www.pillowfort.social/posts/717314 A Condensed History of Asexuals Arguing with Asexuals Over What Asexuality Is]</ref> One of the most popular definitions emphasizes [[attraction]], but there have also been those that emphasize a lack of sex drive or desire.▼
In a study published in 1983, Paula Nurius examined the relationship between mental health and sexual orientation. The study focused on heterosexuality and homosexuality but also had options for bisexual and asexual.<ref>Nurius, Paula. (1983). "Mental Health Implications of Sexual Orientation" The Journal of Sex Research 19 (2) pp.119-136.</ref>
== Asexuality in the DSM ==▼
▲The contemporary asexual community originated once the internet enabled small, geographically-dispersed demographics to connect with each other. The earliest asexual proto-community formed in the comments of a 1997 article by Zoe O'Reilly and published by StarNet Dispatches, entitled "My Life as a Human Amoeba".<ref>O'Reilly, Zoe. [http://web.archive.org/web/20030210212218/http://dispatches.azstarnet.com/zoe/amoeba.htm "My life as an amoeba"]</ref> On October 12, 2000 the Yahoo e-mail group "Haven for the Human Amoeba (HHA)" was founded.<ref>[{{Archive|Site=web|URL=http://wiki.asexuality.org/Haven_for_the_Human_Amoeba AVENwiki: Haven for the Human Amoeba}}]</ref> The following year, David Jay created the Asexual Visibility and Education Network (AVEN).<ref>[{{Archive|Site=web|URL=http://wiki.asexuality.org/AVEN AVENwiki: AVEN}}]</ref> On LiveJournal, the Asexuality community was founded in 2002.<ref>[{{Archive|Site=web|URL=https://asexuality.livejournal.com/profile LJ Asexuality}}]</ref>
▲Over the years, asexuality has been defined in a variety of different ways by different
The DSM-5 and ICD-10 currently define low sexual desire as a disorder. The diagnosis has gone under several name changes, the current names being:
*DSM-5 — Female sexual interest/arousal disorder, Male hypoactive sexual desire disorder
*ICD-10 — Hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD)
In 2013, the DSM-5 was published. Female Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder and Male Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder remain listed as disorders, but their criteria exclude individuals who self-identify as asexual.<ref>[{{Archive|Site=web|URL=http://www.asexualityarchive.com/asexuality-in-the-dsm-5/ Asexuality in the DSM-5}}]
</ref>
==
[[File:Asexual Symbol.png|thumb|Asexual Symbol]]
[[File:Ace of spades.png|thumb|181x181px|alt=|The ace of spades.]]
[[File:Aventriangle.jpg|thumb|125x125px|The AVEN triangle]]▼
In the summer of 2010 AVEN and several other asexual websites held a contest to design an asexual flag. The current asexual flag was designed by the AVEN user Standup and was uploaded on June 30th, 2010.<ref>[
</ref> The gradient of black, grey, and white was based on the AVEN triangle and symbolizes the concept of the [[Asexual Spectrum|asexual spectrum]]. the black is for asexuals, grey for [[greyasexuals]], [[demisexuals]], and other ace-spec
Another asexual flag was coined by [[User:Cryptocrew|Cryptocrew]] at [[User:Hayden000|
Wearing a black ring on the middle finger, typically of the right hand, known as an "ace ring" has become a way to subtly identify the wearer as being asexual. The origin of the black ring began in a thread from 2005.<ref>[{{Archive|Site=web|URL=http://wiki.asexuality.org/Black_ring AVENwiki: Black ring}}]</ref><ref>[{{Archive|Site=web|URL=https://www.asexuality.org/en/topic/76607-black-rings-and-other-ways-to-show-asexual-pride/ Black rings and other ways to show asexual pride}}]▼
▲[[File:Aventriangle.jpg|thumb|125x125px|The AVEN triangle]]
▲Wearing black ring on the middle finger, typically of the right hand, known as an "ace ring" has become a way to subtly identify the wearer as being asexual. The origin of the black ring began in a thread from 2005.<ref>[http://wiki.asexuality.org/Black_ring AVENwiki: Black ring]</ref><ref>[https://www.asexuality.org/en/topic/76607-black-rings-and-other-ways-to-show-asexual-pride/ Black rings and other ways to show asexual pride]
</ref> The material and exact design of the ring are not important as long as it is primarily black.
Cake has been an informal symbol of asexuality since 2004, originating from the AVEN forums cake emote and the joke that asexuals "prefer eating cake to having sex".<ref>[http://wiki.asexuality.org/Cake AVENwiki: Cake]</ref> Dragons have also been used to symbolise asexuality, stemming from a joke that "asexual people are way more interested in dragons than in sex."<ref>https://www.asexuality.org/en/topic/182214-dragons/?do=findComment&comment=1063215480</ref> Asexuals are also associated with plants, since certain plants have the ability to reproduce asexually through mitosis. ▼
▲Cake has been an informal symbol of asexuality since 2004, originating from the AVEN forums cake emote and the joke that asexuals "prefer eating cake to having sex".<ref>[{{Archive|Site=web|URL=http://wiki.asexuality.org/Cake AVENwiki: Cake}}]</ref> Dragons have also been used to
An older asexual symbol is the AVEN triangle, which used a black-to-white gradient to represent the asexual spectrum, with white representing allosexuality and black representing asexuality.<ref>[http://wiki.asexuality.org/AVEN_Triangle AVENwiki: AVEN Triangle]</ref> This gradient is what inspired the white, grey, and black stripes of the asexual flag.▼
▲An older asexual symbol is the AVEN triangle, which used a black-to-white gradient to represent the asexual spectrum, with white representing allosexuality and black representing asexuality.<ref>[{{Archive|Site=web|URL=http://wiki.asexuality.org/AVEN_Triangle
==Etymology==
The term "asexual" uses the
==References==
<references />
[[Category:Sexuality]]▼
[[Category:Ace-spec identity]]
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