I am a woman, I am 17 years old and I am asexual. I had long suspected that there was something ‘different’ about me. At first I thought it was just shyness, but today I realize that it is not: I am disgusted by sex, a real aversion … ”This statement about asexuality, posted by a young woman on the internet, provoked reactions and countless comments from people who feel the same way.
“The number of teenagers called ‘angels’ is growing every day. The person called asexual does not practice and does not like sex, but can maintain a purely romantic relationship of companionship. And most of the time without physical contact of any kind ”, explains psychologist and sex educator Rosangela Corrêa, Vittude’s partner.
According to the Brazilian asexual community A2, which shares information on the subject, one of the most accepted definitions of asexuality is: “One of the ways of manifesting human sexuality based on the lack of sexual attraction for people. But this concept is still under construction, since it does not cover everyone who adopts this label ”.
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Celibacy x asexuality
Unlike celibates – people who choose not to have sex – asexuals do not engage in sexual intercourse, although in some cases they are attracted. “They can even masturbate, but they don’t feel the need to share it with a partner,” says Rosangela. According to the expert, asexuals have the same emotional needs as anyone else. And they are present in all sexes, such as heterosexual, bisexual or homosexual .
Through social networks there are several communities on the subject. The biggest one is The Asexual Visibility and Education Network (AVEN) , founded in 2001 to increase visibility and discussion on the subject. It is informative and is intended for asexual individuals, friends , family and the media in general.
In the United Kingdom, there is a strong movement for this new sexual orientation to be included in the 2021 census. Although AVEN still has little visibility in the world, it has registered more than 100 thousand users around the world.
How a psychologist can help
“Many asexuals claim that they suffer prejudice because of their behavior . Some report that because of this they distance themselves from the world, develop fear of relating and even suffer from depression. But it is important to remember that being asexual can be a lifestyle. And for running away from the normal standards of society, it still causes astonishment. Through psychotherapeutic assistance, it is possible to work on personal empowerment so that the individual better accepts his choices and deals with social pressures and internal conflicts ”, concludes the psychologist and sex educator Rosangela Corrêa.
