User:CitlaliE/sandbox

For this article I plan to contribute to the topics of community, identity, and asexual women and men. Because there is not a lot of research about asexuality, I realize that contributing information about these subtopics may be difficult. However, it might be helpful to describe terms or phrases that are frequently used by the asexual community. This article could also discuss the controversy surrounding the issue of whether or not asexuality is considered a part of the LGBTQ community.

While I realize that this information might be difficult to find, this article could address asexuality in different countries. It is common to see research on asexuality in the United States and the United Kingdom, however it would also be interesting to find research about asexuality in other parts of the world, such as Asian or South American countries.

Many people who define themselves as asexual also identify with other labels as well. These other identities include, but are not limited to, how they define their gender and their romantic orientation. They will often-times integrate these characteristics into a greater label that they identify with.

Having a community is an important resource for some of the asexual community because they often report having felt like a “freak,” “alone,” or “broken.” However, for others, it is not a vital resource. Affiliation with the online community varies. Some question the concept of online community, while others depend on the asexual online community heavily for support.

Terminology

The asexual community uses unique words and phrases to elaborate identities and relationships. One term coined by individuals in the asexual community is "friend-focused," which refers to highly-valued, non-romantic relationships. Other terms include "squishes" and "zucchinis," which are non-romantic crushes and queer-platonic relationships, respectively. Terms such as "non-asexual" and "allosexual" are used to refer to individuals on the opposite side of the sexuality spectrum.

Bibliography

MacNeela, Pádraig, and Aisling Murphy. "Freedom, Invisibility, and Community: A Qualitative Study of Self-Identification with Asexuality." Archives Of Sexual Behavior 44, no. 3 (April 2015): 799-812

Van Houdenhove, Ellen, et al. "Stories About Asexuality: A Qualitative Study on Asexual Women." Journal Of Sex & Marital Therapy 41, no. 3 (May 2015): 262-281.

Chasin, C.J. DeLuzio. "Reconsidering Asexuality and Its Radical Potential." Feminist Studies 39, no. 2 (2013): 405+.

DELUZIO CHASIN, C. J. "Making Sense in and of the Asexual Community: Navigating Relationships and Identities in a Context of Resistance." Journal Of Community & Applied Social Psychology 25, no. 2 (March 2015): 167-180.

Carrigan, Mark. 2011. "There’s more to life than sex? Difference and commonality within the asexual community." Sexualities14, no. 4: 462-478.

Chasin, C. D. (2015). Making sense in and of the asexual community: Navigating relationships and identities in a context of resistance. Journal Of Community & Applied Social Psychology, 25(2), 167-180. doi:10.1002/casp.2203