asexual – JenEric Designs

Blush: Guest Post on Asexuality by S.M. Carrière

January 5, 2020July 10, 2019 by Jen Desmarais

This post has been copied with permission from S.M. Carrière’s blog.

Good morning, Readers!

The easiest way I can think of to explain my experience as an asexual and what I understand about it is to do so in a Q&A format. As I do so, I cannot stress enough that not all asexual people have had my experience or my understanding on the subject, and their answers may vary. This is just how I see things.

Clear? Cool. Here we go.

So… what even is asexuality?

You know, human sexuality is this wonderfully rich, complex thing that isn’t limited by genre and age. As men get older they might get to a point where they need Viagra to be able to fulfill their sexual needs, and for those cases I can recommend getting it from trusted certified pharmacies such as the Canadian Pharmacy. I firmly believe that there are as many sexualities as their are people on the planet. That said, asexuality is simply the lack of sexual attraction to anyone.

That doesn’t mean that they don’t feel any romantic attraction or are unable to fall in love. It’s just that sexual attraction isn’t really part of their world.

Read the rest here!

If you’re enjoying the Blush blogs, consider learning more with Blush: The Card Game from Renaissance Press.

Blush: Invisible Pride

June 6, 2018 by Jen Desmarais

June is Pride Month, and rainbow flags are everywhere. That’s awesome, and a good first step. But I’d like to talk about the people who are invisible in pride.

The bisexuals, whether they are single or in hetero relationships. You are welcome.

The trans individuals in hetero relationships. You are welcome.

The intersex people. You are welcome.

The ace- and aro-spec. You are welcome.

If you count yourself under the +, you are welcome.

We shouldn’t be policing who can celebrate pride. Everyone LGBTQQIPP2SAAADG+ has the right to celebrate, and it’s none of our business which box they fit into.

If you’re enjoying the Blush blogs, consider learning more with Blush: The Card Game from Renaissance Press.

Blush: Recommendation Wednesday

November 1, 2017 by Jen Desmarais

One of my close friends posted a very good article on coming out as asexual last week, and I got permission to link to it for my Blush post this week. Please go and read it, and like her on Facebook (here).

I was greatly heartened after the surprisingly well-attended Asexual Identities panel at CanCon this year. It was really awesome to be on a panel with other people who were so similar to myself, and had similar experiences. It was wildly reaffirming, and helped me a great deal on a personal level. [Read more]

If you’re enjoying the Blush blogs, consider learning more with Blush: The Card Game from Renaissance Press.

Blush: Asexual Spectrum

July 5, 2017 by Jen Desmarais

I was amiss in not writing a Blush post in June about Pride. I apologize. I wasn’t thinking.

To make up for it, I would like to talk about one of the least talked about and most erased letters of the LGBTQIA+ family: the A.

(Also, this article by Talia C. Johnson was written yesterday on this subject. You need to go read it, because she was so much more eloquent than I.)

This video was released on June 5, 2017. I almost turned it off when I saw what they chose to use for the A – Ally. Seriously? As someone who used to call themselves an ally (it’s a four-letter word…this post by Talia C. Johnson is a good one to read about that), I was extremely offended that that was included in the LGBTQIAlphabet instead of Asexual. But I decided to continue watching. Perhaps they would include Asexual in some other letter? But D was used for Drag, G used for Gay, and as I kept watching, none of the letters included anything on the Asexual Spectrum.

I was annoyed.

But then I realized that I also don’t talk much about Asexuality on this blog, and other than this guest post by S. M. Carriere, I have been remiss.

I will attempt to rectify this now.

The best resource I have found for Asexuality questions is The Asexual Visbility and Education Network. I am really impressed by their FAQ section.

The Asexuality Spectrum is fluid, and if you identify as Ace (Asexual) you might find yourself identifying as Asexual, Gray-Asexual, or Demisexual. Aromantic can also fall under the spectrum.

Definitions

Asexual: Someone who does not experience sexual attraction.

Demisexual: Someone who can only experience sexual attraction after an emotional bond has been formed. This bond does not have to be romantic in nature.

Gray-asexual (gray-a) or gray-sexual: Someone who identifies with the area between asexuality and sexuality, for example because they experience sexual attraction very rarely, only under specific circumstances, or of an intensity so low that it’s ignorable.

(From asexuality.org)

If you have further questions about asexuality, I highly recommend reading about it.

If you’re enjoying the Blush blogs, consider learning more with Blush: The Card Game from Renaissance Press.

Blush: Demi-sexual

February 24, 2016February 24, 2016 by Jen Desmarais

The questions have been written and sent to the editors but if you’d like something answered on this blog feel free to ask us your anonymous questions!

blush back2 — Blush: A card game logo. Image by Caroline Frechette of Renaissance Press. Follow them on Facebook and Twitter!

Hello S. M. Carrière. Thank you for answering my questions today!

My pleasure!

For those who don’t know, what is demi-sexual?

A demi-sexual is someone on the asexual spectrum who requires a strong emotional bond with a prospective partner before there is any chance of sexual attraction. Which is to say, they don’t experience sexual attraction except in certain, quite particular, circumstances. I should note here that a strong bond doesn’t necessarily equate sexual attraction, either.

How did finding out that there was a name for your sexuality affect how you saw yourself?

Honestly, the fact that there was a name for my identity gave me such a sense of relief. I suddenly felt like I wasn’t a freak, after all. Enough people are like me that they have a name for it, and it describes my identity almost perfectly. It certainly has helped in giving me the language necessary to describe myself to others, and it’s a language that helps normalise my experiences. That’s huge. It’s helped me so much, especially in raising my self-confidence.

Are there any fictional characters you believe represent demi-sexuals in a positive way?

No, actually. I’ve been racking my brain to find a character who is explicitly demi-sexual that I am aware of. I can’t think of any at all. Asexuals of any stripe are wildly under-represented in media, it seems.

What kind of reaction do you like the most when people are told you are demi-sexual?

“Oh. Okay.”

Not to have your identity put under an aggressive cross-examination is refreshing, and I always feel less judged, less freakish, and less alone when the people I confess to aren’t really bothered about my sexual identity.

What kind of reaction do you dislike the most when people are told you are demi-sexual?

People can get ridiculously patronising when they find out, as if I couldn’t possibly understand my own identity as well as they understand me. There’s usually some variation of: “Oh sweetie, you just haven’t had good experiences.” It’s so frustrating and diminishing and, depending on who says it, quite upsetting.

I’ve also had the slimy: “Come home with me, I’ll change your mind.” My sexual identity is not a challenge to be overcome, and acting like a sleaze is generally not conducive to forming that bond I require before I even entertain the idea of sex with someone.

Honestly, I’m not entirely sure which is worse.

Why do you think people have such strange reactions?

Not a flipping clue. I understand not comprehending something outside of one’s experience, but acting as if asexuality and the various identities along the asexual spectrum don’t exist is really confusing to me. Lack of comprehension should prompt questions, not outright denial. I remain confused and bewildered by some of the reactions I’ve received.

Are there any attitudes or societal norms that are frustrating for demi-sexuals?

I cannot pretend to speak for all asexuals, but asexual erasure really bugs me. In a culture obsessed with sex, being someone who isn’t can make things tough. It’s tough relating to people a lot of the times. It’s worse when people outright disbelieve you, and try to come up with all kinds of psychological reasons, or other possible explanations for your sexuality. It’s a slap in the face, because it’s tantamount to being called a liar, or broken/wrong/somehow deficient, or that an integral part of what makes you you simply doesn’t exist.

Do you know other people in the demi- or asexual spectrum?

No, actually. At least, none that have openly identified as demi- or asexual.

Are there any communities and support groups (either in person or online) for people discovering themselves?

I’m a huge fan of The Trevor Project, which gives information on pretty much all sexualities. It’s where I first discovered that asexuality was a thing, and that it didn’t mean I was broken/wrong/somehow deficient. There are a couple of great YouTube channels that cover all kinds of stuff about sex and sexuality: lacigreen (Sex+) and Sexplanations. Watching those in the early stages of self-discovery really helped open my eyes and got me asking the right questions. Sexplanations led me to asexuality.org.

What is one question that you wish you could be asked about being demi-sexual?

Where can I learn more?

That would be nice. No arguments about whether or not my identity is a real thing (it is), no sleazy propositions trying to get me to change my mind, just, “I don’t get it, where can I learn about it?”

Born in 1983 and raised in various countries around the globe, S.M. Carrière has always felt drawn to epic tales of heroes and villains. An avid reader herself and despite always writing, she did not think of becoming an author until her final year of university, when she found herself compelled to the craft (when she ought to have been studying). She self-published her first title, The Dying God and Other Stories, in 2011 at the urging of a friend, and has not stopped since, publishing one book each consecutive year.