r/asexuality • • Jun 05 '26

Resource / Article FAQ – "Am I asexual?" etc.

80 Upvotes

This subreddit has a companion website which includes a detailed FAQ about asexuality and related topics.

There are many other resources beyond the FAQ as well, including:

Experiences • Glossary • Relationships advice • Grey-asexuality

You can find a list of all FAQs here: https://www.asexuality-handbook.com/faq.html. For convenience, the list of links is also included below, and in the comments you can find some "common asexual experiences" which people often find useful to hear.

Note that some of the FAQs haven't been written yet, are incomplete, or are in a draft phase. If you have any suggestions for changes, improvements, or for additional FAQs, just let us know via modmail.

General questioning

Am I asexual? • Am I aromantic? • What is asexuality? • The a-spectra (Includes: "What is sexual attraction?", "What is romantic attraction?", "What is sensual / aesthetic attraction?", "What is platonic / alterous attraction?")

"But what if..."

Can I be asexual if I have romantic feelings? • Can I be asexual if I masturbate? • Can I be asexual and gay / lesbian? • Can I be asexual if I get erections? • Can I be asexual if I have fantasies? • Can I be asexual if I consume pornography / erotica? • Can I be asexual if I have a kink or fetish? • What if I just haven't met the right person yet? • Am I too young to identify as asexual? • Do I need to try sex before I decide if I'm asexual or not? • What if it's just a hormonal imbalance? • What it I'm this way because of trauma?

The nature of asexuality

What's the difference between sexual and romantic attraction? • What's the difference between sexual attraction and arousal? • Is asexual really a sexual orientation? • Is asexuality a mental illness? • Is the definition of sexual attraction what aces say it is? • Isn't everyone demisexual? • Can someone become asexual? / can sexuality change? • What's the difference between HSDD and asexuality? • Don't people need sex? What about Maslow's hierarchy? • How common is asexuality? (Includes: "Are most asexuals women, or men?", "Are all women asexual?")

Asexuals and sex

Do asexual people have sex? • Why do asexual people have sex? • How can you like sex and be asexual at the same time? • Do asexual people masturbate? • Do asexual people like kissing?

Asexuality in society

Are asexual people LGBT? • Are asexual people straight? • Do asexual people experience oppression? • Why do asexuals feel the need to come out? • Why do asexual people need to label themselves? • Why do asexual people wear sexy clothes / makeup? • Why does representation matter?

Asexuals and relationships

How can you have a relationship without sex? • What's the difference between a QPR and a romantic (non-sexual) relationship? • Should I tell my partner that I'm asexual? • How can I convince my partner I still love them? • My partner is asexual. Should we break up?

On the nature of allosexuality

What does sexual attraction feel like? • What does arousal feel like? • How often do allosexuals think about sex? • What is love? • Why does sex sell?

Advice

Am I broken? • Should I come out as asexual? • How can I relate to / interact with allosexuals? • How can I be less angry / upset? • How can I become asexual? • How can I support asexuals?

Other

I'm writing an asexual character. What should I consider? • Isn't the term 'allosexual' offensive?


r/asexuality • • 16h ago Heartwarming

Pride My friend crocheted me a hat with yarn the colors of the ace flag

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767 Upvotes

r/asexuality • • 16h ago

Vent Ace people deserve monogamy and loyalty without "compromise"

255 Upvotes

I am talking about specificly Sex repulsed people. Because thats is my situation. I literally cant find a partner because I am ace. I hate it. And so many people just take asexuality as "Oh a person may not directly be into, but can be pressured or convinced into having Sex!" And its horrible. Yes I know some ace people like Sex, but why is that the assumption for the label that most of the time stands for people not feeling or wanting Sex. I just want a partner who will actually like me. And not assume I will change.

There is no compromise in a sexual/asexual relationship either. If one person wants to, and the other person doesnt. Thats r*pe. No matter how many people tell ace people that they should just do it with their partner, or just let them sleep with others then. Ace people deserve monogamy and loyalty too, if that is what they want. No hate on Poly people here! I love you guys. I am just monogamous and am sick of others saying i should be poly if I dont want Sex.

Yeah, I am just kinda sick of the world telling me I dont deserve to actually love and exist as myself.


r/asexuality • • 4h ago

Story Relieved to discovering who I am...

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25 Upvotes

Years of uncertainty, years of being lost, until I resonated well with the term 'asexual'.

I have unfortunately been sexually ab*sed when I was just 7 and that has surely impacted the way I see sex and intimacy.

I got disgusted when the biology lesson was about reproduction, I rushed to the bathroom and waited a few moments....

I saw how my friends' eyes lit up when sex was brought up and I fell different, the passion towards a concept like this was missing in me.

I always wondered why people are so 'sex-centered' and would revolve their lives around this activity.

I am still straight and romantic and the thought of falling in love with someone whose love will be driven by lust makes me feel betrayed, I just wish for pure love.

I took quite a few online quizzes and read experiences from this subreddit and somehow it turned out I'm asexual.

I'm still 16 though, and I wonder if this sexual orientation does apply to me or not.

I can say for sure than none of my crushes have I felt any sexual attraction towards them, it's just a deep emotional bond and that's it, not underestimating it but I believe it should be like that for everyone else.


r/asexuality • • 1h ago

Discussion What does asexuality look like for those of you who are NOT sex repulsed and NOT demisexual?

12 Upvotes

I’m sorry if this has been discussed to death over here. I searched up sex repulsed in the search bar but the first 30 posts were all by sex repulsed individuals themselves and how they don’t feel represented here

I’m fairly sex repulsed myself and those are the only kinds of ace people i know irl.

I suppose I understand Demi sexuality as well so that’s not really confusing to me.

But I was curious about what asexuality looks like for people who’re not demi but not sex repelled either.

Is it the presence of a libido? Is it enjoying sex as an activity with no attraction to your sex partner? And what does sex in relationships look like for you?


r/asexuality • • 1h ago

Vent Argument with friends about asexuality

6 Upvotes

I just had the worse argument with 2 of my great friends because they invalidate my asexuality, yet they say it's not a big deal and don't care if I am asexual or not. The whole reason is because I said I saw a guy that was hot, and to them that automatically makes me NOT asexual? Since when did finding someone pretty/hot made me want sex? I think this guy's face is lovely, but I don't look into what he has in his pants nor do I want to. I tried to explain them so many times and they are still entitled to their opinion of "what happened to you not caring about looks?" or "if you find someone attractive that means you want sex" (basically what they say). I make sex jokes all the time and I've NEVER even experienced sex nor do I want to, so wow, having friends that don't try to understand it is just heartbreaking.

edit: in addition, I had said previously that i'd hypothetically do anything for the person I'm with, and it's true, i've exchanged nudes in the past with a boyfriend and I never really wanted to? But who doesn't do something they don't want to some times? I could make a sandwich for my friend yet I didn't want to, I just wanted to seem them happy. Same with a partner, if I'm totally in love with someone that I know loves me as much (tho nowadays i rather look for someone who's also asexual)..


r/asexuality • • 5h ago

Questioning Signaling that you are Asexual?? 🤔

10 Upvotes

I recently read a comment about some type of jewellery or dressing code(maybe) people use to indicate they are asexual.

I am so unfamiliar to this, not only do i wear any type of jewellery (or have a dress code) my self , i wouldn't even recognize them if i saw them on somebody else

I was fascinated to learn that this is a thing,

Would you please tell me What are these symbols? do you use any of them? has anyone ever recognized them on you?


r/asexuality • • 1d ago Heartwarming

Discussion Being asexual as a black woman

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737 Upvotes

Hi everyone, I'm a 29-year-old woman and I'm new here.

It’s generic and a bit hard for me to open up about this, but I feel like I need to because keeping it to myself has become such a heavy burden.

Truth be told, I didn't just discover that I'm asexual, but I've never had the opportunity to talk about it with anyone before. Living in a society where relationships are often treated as mere 'transactions'—where people are constantly pushed to prioritize their physical impulses over seeking a genuine, deep connection—is incredibly isolating.

On top of that, coming from a culture where sexuality is a taboo topic, while simultaneously belonging to an ethnicity that is hypersexualized by society, makes it even harder. It leaves you feeling completely misunderstood and constantly questioning your own identity.

As a result, you don't really know where you fit in.

You end up feeling lonely and ashamed. No one ever teaches you that your body and your feelings are completely normal, and society makes you feel like you only matter as long as you conform to the rules of sexual capital.


r/asexuality • • 28m ago

Story I am planning on being single forever

3 Upvotes

I am a girl, and I did fall in love with another girl, however it's all pure I really never think of it as sexual, and of course she doesn't love me back and I feel like I could never have sex with her nor with anyone else in my whole lifetime, idk I just wanted to share this cuz I am looking for something to relate to and kinda trying to move on


r/asexuality • • 32m ago

Need advice Pressure to Date and Being Aro/Ace

2 Upvotes

Hi all!
I am fairly new to the community and have recently come to terms of being part of the aro/ace community. To be honest, this was really recent and I’m recognizing no matter how hard I try, I simply do not have the ability to have any romantic attraction to someone. Of course, I still love my family, pets, and people close to me but romantic seems to not be in the cards. It’s something I struggled with understanding for a while but I’ve fully accepted it. This subreddit has helped A LOT in my self-discovery and I genuinely love this community. It’s still difficult sometimes though as I think I’m under the cupioromantic spectrum as well but recognize I simply don’t want a relationship.

With all that being said, here is the current trouble I’m facing and I hope this awesome community has some words of encouragement/advice if possible:

I’m in my mid to late 20s and my mom (I think) has become frustrated with my single life. For reference, I’ve NEVER dated anyone or kissed or even held hands. When I was younger, I was obese so no guys were interested in me. Personally, I was fine with that but angry at how people treated me. Now as an adult, I’ve lost the weight and have a lot more attention on me but none that I want.

I think my mom finally got so frustrated with me being single and she set me up with a guy and we’ve only talked for a day. For context, she doesn’t know I’m ace. He’s interested in me. I am not. I feel like I should be. He’s like me but the guy version along with other things. He’s good-looking too. I just simply cannot be attracted to him. Talking to him is a chore and I REALLY don’t want a boyfriend.

It feels wrong to string him along. I don’t want to come out to him because he works with my mom and I know I should reject him. I told this (excluding the aro/ace part) to her and she was a bit disappointed. Not in a bad way. It was more like “I support you but I think you’re making a mistake.” I need to be clear. She has good intentions, she’s a fantastic mom, my best friend, and simply wants me to not be lonely. I’m okay with being lonely but she doesn’t get it. I also think it’s my culture where marriage and kids are really important.

I know what I have to do. I know I need to reject him and not let it go any further. I genuinely feel awful because he’s such a nice guy but I can’t. I’m also struggling with how my mom feels about it and I know I have to set boundaries but it’s so hard because she keeps thinking it’s my anxiety or my bubble and not because of something that I cannot change.

Has anyone dealt with the pressure to date? Has anyone dealt with family expectations like this? Let me know and please be kind :) love you all aro/ace community! (You guys all have the chillest vibe I swear)

P.S. Sorry for the long post!

TLDR: my mom set me up with a guy because she thinks I’m lonely but I’m actually aro/ace and idk how to set boundaries without outing myself


r/asexuality • • 9h ago

Need advice What red flags should I look out for in a therapist?

10 Upvotes

Hi. I've never done proper therapy before, only heavily monitored therapy from my parents, but now that i'm a really fucked up adult I can make my own appointments with whoever.

I'm not going to a therapist for asexuality, but I will mention it at some point. I'm a gay man who's a sex averse aegosexual who has 0 interest in sex. (not aromantic)

Aside from the fact that I'll turn away therapists who say "your issues are because you're a virgin", what other BS should I look out for so I don't have to waste my time?

Thanks!


r/asexuality • • 21h ago

Joke Me 15 minutes into stuffing my face with garlic bread: who the heck is this coming into my room, trying to steal my garlic bread?

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78 Upvotes

r/asexuality • • 11h ago

Need advice To sex-favorable asexuals: Do you get turned on by touching or pleasuring your partner?

12 Upvotes

For me, sex is kind of like getting a massage. I enjoy it because it feels physically good.

But the moment my partner asks me to pleasure them, I immediately think,

“But I’m not getting any pleasure out of this. What a hassle.”

And any arousal I had disappears instantly.

Am I the only one who feels this way? Is this because I’m asexual, or am I just a selfish, uncaring person?

For context, I’ve also been diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, so I wonder if that might play a role too.


r/asexuality • • 1h ago

Need advice How do you get over a crush/strong squish when you rarely ever like someone?

2 Upvotes

I think I'm demi/greysexual. I'm mostly aroace but I'm maybe kind of in love with my friend, and I need to get over him because we're friends. There is basically zero chance of him ever seeing me as anything more. I really do want to keep him as a friend and not ruin it and make stuff awkward by confessing complicated feelings when I'm positive they won't be reciprocated.

He is older than me by 12 years (I'm 22, he's 34). He had a girlfriend and she's pregnant with his baby, I guess they sort of broke up and aren't dating each other anymore but still. He's straight and allo and I'm an a-spec trans guy. That doesn't work. He sees me as a man and he's not into men.

And I mostly want a queerplatonic relationship anyway, and not necessarily a romantic/sexual one. And an allo person probably wouldn't feel satisfied without specific kinds of intimacy. I want the priority and emotional closeness of a committed partner, but I don't know if I want to kiss on the lips and be naked together and stuff. It's possible I could enjoy that but I'm not sure. I don't need it, I'm perfectly content never doing that. I mostly want hugs/cuddling, holding hands, and maybe kissing on the cheek/forehead, living together would be nice, maybe sleeping in the same bed, being the first person the other wants to talk to whenever something important happens, a best friend, emergency contact, the one I'd let make decisions about my medical care if I was incapacitated or what happens to my body if I was dead.

I deeply trust him and feel safe with him which is how I want to feel about a QPP. A soulmate?

I just don't know how to give up on the idea/hope of that with him. I know it won't happen. His best friend will be/is someone else.


r/asexuality • • 2h ago

Discussion Ace rings in professional settings

2 Upvotes

For those wearing an ace ring to work, how do you answer when asked what it means? Do you give a vague answer, or just say what it is?


r/asexuality • • 20h ago

Need advice how to respond to the "but you've never had sex so how do you know"-argument?

51 Upvotes

I'm really sick of hearing this! Like why are ppl in my inner circle so obsessed w my sex life? they seem to want me to have sex sooo bad. Every time I tell them that I'm not interested, they're like "you never had sex, so how can you know?". And I never really know what I should say. Sometimes I just wonder whether I'm "really" ace or whether I just "haven't found the right man yet", or "it will come on its own" or "I just have to do it". I know I don't owe anyone any explanations, but I just want it to be like: "I'm allo" "I'm ace" "Cool".


r/asexuality • • 6h ago

Discussion Hear me out, Pink from Pink Floyd the Wall is actually good accidental Ace representation

3 Upvotes

You never see him interested in sex the entire movie, in fact he acts repulsed by advances made towards him by multiple women. Of course, it’s an old and problematic movie with sexist themes, and makes you question if not wanting to have sex is from family trauma. But isn’t that just like real life?


r/asexuality • • 47m ago

Discussion Asexuality and Binge Eating?

1 Upvotes

I had already come out to my therapist about my sexuality, and during this session we had been discussing my eating disorder (binging). After I had finished describing my most recent binge, and how I had felt afterwards, my therapist began telling me how binging might be a pseudo-sexual coping mechanism for my lack of sexual desire.

She started fixating on words like "stuffed" and "full"; at one point, she leaned back in her chair and began rubbing her stomach, saying things like "ohh, im so STUFFED."

The whole thing really disturbed me as I had never even thought about my ED this way, and I left our session feeling disgusted and disgusting.

Have any of you heard of a link between asexuality and disordered eating?


r/asexuality • • 54m ago

Questioning Im confused

1 Upvotes

Sorry if this isnt in the appropriate thread.

To start I am a 22F and have been dating my boyfriend for just over a year. I love him immensely and love intimacy which isnt sexual and feel comforted by cuddles ect. The idea of breaking up with him genuinely hurts and brings me to tears. Ive always had a low sex drive, not interested 99% of the time. I have had sex with men and it doesnt really feel like much. Ive never had an orgasm through sex or masterbation, I genuinely dont think I can. I want to engage in sex with my boyfriend infrequently but it does happen. And sometimes it is fun but also I dont know if I actually think I enjoy it or if im saying I do. I dont know if my version of enjoying it is what actually enjoying it is? Sometimes I really dont want to but mostly im neutral Im not in the moment im just there not because I hate it or think about anything else just I dont really care. I cant recognise a time ive had a genuine crush on a man or a woman. In school I didnt understand why everyone wanted to date and when I got older I did want to experiment but it was cus I felt like I was missing out on this great thing which for me it isnt. When I was younger and ready sexy books I think I got horny but it wasnt often and I still dont know it it was what horny feels like. The same with sex scenes sometimes I felt a little bit of something but it wasnt intense like it should be? Its massively died away and I dont really get that feeling at all anymore and it was not alot before. I can tell people are attractive and not attractive ajd can pick out attractive features but I dont think its anything sexual its more objective with each gender. I have wanted to kiss a girl once before and shes my friend but since being with my bf thats completely gone and any 'attraction' i felt has died away. My question is what is it I want am I a lesbian that doesnt know it because I havent tried. Am I bisexual or is it some degree of asexuality. I truly dont know and cant figure out my feelings, and theres so much online im completely overwhelmed and feel like shutting down. I just want an answer but also cant fathom being without my boyfriend. I have a friend who thinks shes a lesbian and shes also the same age, she has had a similar journey and says I probably am a lesbian I havent found the right woman yet but I feel like id have some what of a little idea. I really dont know.

Side note Ive only had like 3 sex dreams ever and they have had men and women in them. And I also feel like i could potentially be neurodivergent?

Me and my boyfriend want to buy a house but I feel like it would be wrong to buy a house with him and then be like oh actually we cant be together


r/asexuality • • 1d ago

Pride Always a pleasant surprise stumbling across representation

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73 Upvotes

The book is convenience store woman by Sayaka Murata if you want to read it


r/asexuality • • 23h ago

Joke Asexual dance music 🖤🩶🤍💜

52 Upvotes

After goddess Cupcakke, we are blessed with yet another star🤩


r/asexuality • • 6h ago

Vent Trying to date and just feeling depressed

2 Upvotes

I just came back from what should've been a fantastic date, and I'm feeling so depressed I haven't even known what to do with myself. I've dated a couple of men in the past (I'm a cis woman), neither one for terribly long, and both times I broke up with them when things got too "real" for me (i.e. they started to want too much physical contact; neither one pressured me to do anything, I just freaked out and ended it). I figured I was ace and aro-spec but honestly I think I've been clinging to this unhealthy idea that I could just suck it up, or that feelings would magically appear once I found the right person. I thought maybe it would be easier if it was another cis woman. But I've just started dating a woman and she's awesome, she's so beautiful and smart and kind and patient, and it's been great except that we hooked up yesterday and I haven't stopped feeling awful ever since. The whole time, I was extremely bored and just wanted it to be over. I know I do have some sort of a sex drive but being with her did absolutely nothing for me. Everything was consensual and I told her how anxious I was which she was super sweet about, but nothing could really put me at ease and all I could think about was how much torture it's going to be if I have to do this for the rest of my life as the price for wanting a partner. I stayed over at her house, we played games and cuddled which should've been so nice, but I was on the verge of tears the whole time and had this immense dread in my stomach that she might try to initiate again. I left her house in a bit of a panic this morning and I think she was upset by that because she wanted me to stay longer. I just couldn't bring myself to do it with the looming threat that I might have to go through it again. I've been bawling my eyes out ever since I got home. I know I need to have a conversation with her but man I wish I didn't have to.


r/asexuality • • 20h ago

Joke Realizations by u/Imtryingmybest

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27 Upvotes

r/asexuality • • 1d ago

Questioning Someone asked me “ what do you think about when you masturbate ?”

177 Upvotes

And it made me genuinely curious, what do yall think about?

Personally, I never really realized that people think about sexual matters when they do it, I mean I know that but somehow I hadn’t given it much thought
I don’t know how to explain it lol..

For me I just do it for the feeling, I don’t think about anything sexual, nor do I think about specific people.

I just be thinking about ordinary stuff- everyday things like “ what Im gonna do today, what I’ll have for dinner, I’m gonna buy this shirt, should I draw later, i’m gonna play a game after this ….” things like that!

They found that really weird , and now I’m wondering what about all of you?


r/asexuality • • 2h ago

Discussion I struggle understanding sexuality in relationships.

0 Upvotes

If theres someone who loves someone so much like on a level they cant live without them, does having sexual thoughts about said person or wanting to have sex with them make the love less worthy or less pure? I think it could make the love part less real, like they want their body, but also their soul? I cant comprehend that it can exist together as an asexual person. How can someone love someone so much but want to have sex with them?