The online asexual community is poppin’!

“We’re all over the internet!” says Yasmin Benoit, MSc, asexuality activist and creator of the hashtag #ThisIsWhatAsexualLooksLike. “There’s an ace community on pretty much every platform.”

“There’s /asexuality on Reddit, asexuality Facebook groups, and asexual folks on Tumblr,” Benoit explains. “There’s also an ace community on Twitter, Instagram, and Discord.”

Plus, Benoit says, “the AVEN (Asexual Visibility and Education Network) forums, which have been around for decades, are often a starting point for a lot of people.”

You might try meeting another asexual person on asexual-specific dating platforms

Yep, those exist!

Kaszyca recommends checking out Asexuals.net, which is a dating website, or Asexual Cupid, which is an asexual-specific dating app.

These can be great because you won’t have to worry about acting as Asexuality Google. Or about debunking asexuality myths and misconceptions, which can get exhausting.

As Kaszyca says, “It’s uncommon to be able to tell someone ‘I’m asexual’ or ‘I’m demisexual’ and have them know what you mean.”

You can try other dating apps, too

Some dating apps like OKCupid allow you to indicate that you’re asexual right in your bio (the way other folks might indicate “lesbian” or “heterosexual”).

Of course, the dating apps that don’t have this option (Tinder, Bumble, Lex, and the like) allow you to indicate as much in your bio if you want to!

“I’d definitely recommend putting it in your bio just to save some time,” Benoit says. “If it’s a deal breaker, then it’s best to know that from the start so that neither of you waste any of your time.” Makes sense.

Statistically speaking, meeting an allosexual person IRL may be easier

“Somewhere between 1 and 5 percent of the population is asexual,” Kaszyca says. About the same percentage as the number of redheadsTrusted Source or people who are twinsTrusted Source, that’s a sizable amount.

But with 95 to 99 percent of the population identifying as allosexual, it’s statistically easier to meet someone allosexual in person.

Regardless, to meet someone in person you might:

• Join a local dodgeball team.
• Volunteer at your local charity.
• Start a running club.
• Introduce yourself to a regular at your local gym.
• Give your number to the coffee shop regular you see each week.
• Attend events at your local library.

How and when to come out as asexual

So you met someone at a bar who you’re totally vibing. Or you’ve been chatting up a cutie from Tinder and didn’t put “asexual” in your bio. How and when should you come out?

There’s no one-size-fits-all rule.

“It depends on how well you know the person,” Benoit says.

“If you’re comfortable with the person and you’ve already gotten to know each other, then you might find it easier to tell them in person,” she says. “However, there’s no shame in doing it over a text or an online message. In fact, it can be easier to share resources that way.”

Benoit explains that many people don’t know what asexuality is, or what it means for dating. Text messaging allows you to send links that’ll do the explaining for you.

You might say:

• “There’s something I’d like to share with you before we meet up: I’m asexual. Specifically, heteroromantic and asexual! Many people don’t know what that means so I’m going to paste a link below for you to check out.”
• “We haven’t talked about this yet, but I’m demisexual, which means I only experience sexual desire after really getting to know someone. I’ve really enjoyed talking with you and would love to continue doing so, but want to make sure you understand what I’m physically up for at this moment.”
• “Have you ever seen the show ‘BoJack Horseman’? Well, Todd and I have something in common beyond our devilishly good looks… We’re both asexual. I’m gonna paste a link about asexuality so you can learn more. After reading, feel free to ask me any questions you might have.”

How to navigate sex, if it’s something you do want to try or have 

Some ace folks do have an interest in having sex, for a variety of reasons.

This might be to:

• feel close to their partner
• experience a new sensation
• satisfy a partner’s desire
• conceive
• experience sexuality

If having sex is something you do want to do, have a conversation with your partner ahead of time about:

• why you want to have sex
• what sex means to you
• who will initiate the sex
• how you’ll communicate if you lose interest in sex or are done having it

What being asexual means for your sexual and reproductive health

Not much!

It’s not your sexual orientation that determines your risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and potential for pregnancy.

It’s factors such as the:

• barrier methods and birth control options you use, if any
• current STI statuses of you and your partner(s)
• anatomy combinations of you and your partner(s)

In other words: It is possible to be asexual and transmit or contract an STI. And it is possible to be asexual and become pregnant.

No matter what, your boundaries are valid

“It can be hard to honor your boundaries in a relationship as an ace person because you’re told by society that the way you experience desire is abnormal,” says Angela Chen, author of “Ace: What Asexuality Reveals About Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex.”

Because of that, she says it can be helpful to constantly remind yourself that your boundaries are valid, and that any allosexual (or asexual) person who makes you feel like they aren’t, isn’t deserving of you.

“Your needs and desires aren’t less important because they’re less common,” Chen says.

The bottom line

“It’s definitely possible for someone who’s asexual to be in a romantic relationship that is happy and healthy,” Chen says.

Does dating as an asexual person require some self-reflection, self-knowing, and boundary-setting? You betcha! But that’s just dating in a nutshell.

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Source: healthline