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[[File:Extended Ace Flag.jpg|thumb|An extended asexual flag by RavenFire803.]]
[[File:Dragon Ace.png|thumb|The "dragon asexual" flag by RalseiTheFluffiest]]
<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 individual. For non-asexual
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 [[Romantic Attraction|romantic attraction]]. An asexual individual can have any romantic orientation and some asexuals identify with a [[Romantic Orientation|romantic orientation]] to specify who they're interested in romantically, if anyone. They often use prefixes like hetero-, homo-, bi-, pan-, etc. in front of the word romantic to describe who they experience romantic attraction to. For example, an individual who is asexual [[Straight|heteroromantic]] is romantically attracted to people of a different gender, but is not sexually attracted to them. Some asexuals are also [[aromantic]], meaning that they also do not feel romantic attraction.
Sexual dispositions among asexual
Terms like [[sex-repulsed]], [[sex-averse]], [[sex-indifferent]], [[sex-favorable]], or [[sex-ambivalent]] are commonly used to describe these feelings.<ref>[https://asexualagenda.wordpress.com/2018/09/15/asexuality-as-a-hard-limit-or-the-cat-is-dead/ Asexuality as a hard limit]</ref><ref>[https://asexualagenda.wordpress.com/2016/06/13/20-narratives-of-aces-who-like-sex/ 20 narratives of aces who like sex]</ref>
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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>
Over the years, asexuality has been defined in a variety of different ways by different
==Asexuality in the DSM==
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[[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>[https://asexualagenda.wordpress.com/2018/02/21/the-ace-flag-a-history-and-celebration/ The Ace Flag: A History and Celebration]
</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|Hayden000s]] request on January 16, 2021 and was first published on a post one day later. The shades of grey represent disinterest or disconnect in sexual acts, the shades of purple represents lack of sexual attraction, the grey in the middle represents the greyasexual spectrum, white represents community and peace, the spade represents asexuals in general, while the pink plants growing around the spade represent growing love and acceptance for the community.
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An alternative symbol for asexuality was created by RavenFire803 on June 14, 2021. The design's colors were directly taken from the flag. The purple represents lack of sexual desire, the white represents purity and kindness, the gray represents the in-between area on the spectrum, and the varying shades of each color represents the wide variety of identities asexuality supports. The spade is for asexuality in general, and the plant designs represents the fact that asexuals are not "broken", but a natural and beautiful part of life.
Another common symbol is an ace playing card, due to the fact that asexual is often shortened to ace. Generally the ace of hearts is used to represent asexuals who feel romantic attraction. The ace of spades can be used to represent aromantic asexuals, or is sometimes used as an umbrella symbol for all asexuals and ace-spec
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 symbolize asexuality, stemming from a joke that "asexual
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 AVEN Triangle]</ref> This gradient is what inspired the white, grey, and black stripes of the asexual flag.
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