Asexual Community

‘Asexual’ is a term used to describe individuals who experience little to no sexual attraction to other people. The scientific community acknowledges that asexuality is not a sexual or mental disorder, but rather is a variation in human sexuality (1). However, the asexual community still has a variety of unique physical and mental health needs - asexuality is often pathologized and therefore asexuals may face misdiagnoses/improper treatment in physical healthcare or have key parts of their identity ignored in therapy and mental healthcare. Previous research has also indicated that asexual individuals experience higher prevalence of depression, anxiety, suicidality, and interpersonal problems compared to their heterosexual counterparts (2). As such, our team is beginning deeper collaborations with asexual communities to develop more research in this area.

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Notes:

1. Gupta, K. (2017). What Does Asexuality Teach Us About Sexual Disinterest? Recommendations for Health Professionals Based on a Qualitative Study With Asexually Identified People, Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 43:1, 1-14, DOI: 10.1080/0092623X.2015.1113593

2. Yule, M.A., Brotto, L. A., Gorzalka, B. B. (2013). Mental health and interpersonal functioning in self-identified asexual men and women. Psychology & Sexuality, 4, 136-151. doi.org/10.1080/19419899.2013.774162

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Current Project

• A Narrative Investigation of Asexual Identity Formation and Well-Being. Although our team is still in the process of developing a program of research, addressing the health of asexual people will be a key area of focus. We welcome new collaborators in this work.

We also welcome additional collaborations with asexual researchers and communities to explore new research possibilities. Please contact us if you have an idea for a project or would like to get involved with one of our projects: l.ross@utoronto.ca

Resources

For resources regarding the asexual community, please visit our Resources page.