Sex-ambivalent, or sex-conflicted, is a sex stance that describes an individual who has mixed or complicated feelings regarding the act or concept of sexual interaction. The term is commonly used by asexual spectrum individuals, but is not exclusive to this community or sexuality.
Sex-ambivalent individuals do not fit neatly into the basic sex stance categories of sex-favorable, sex-indifferent, or sex-repulsed. This can be for any number of reasons. Common sex-ambivalent experiences include the following:
- One’s feelings towards sexual interaction change or fluctuate over time (sex-oscillating).
- One’s feelings towards sexual interaction are different depending on the situation or involved individuals. For example, one may feel sex-repulsed normally, but feel sex-favorable only when in a relationship with a partner who is sexually attracted to them.
- One’s feelings towards sexual interaction are different depending on the specific sexual acts. For example one may feel repulsed by the idea of sexual intercourse, but feel favorable towards other forms of sexual interaction.
- One’s feelings towards sexual interaction are confusing or unidentifiable. For example, one may struggle to tell if they are sex-favorable or if their desires for sex are caused by the internalized thought that an individual “should” want to have sex.
Sex-ambivalent individuals may also identify as ARCsexual, or eriscarnal.
History
This term has existed within the asexual community with no clear first coining for many years. The term was recoined for the purpose of providing a concrete source by AnonymousHermitCrab on the subreddit r/asexuality on April 27th, 2022.[1]