Yasmin Benoit

Yasmin Benoit (born 10 June 1996) is a lingerie and alternative model in the United Kingdom. She is also an asexual and aromantic activist.

Early life
Benoit is of Trinidadian, Jamaican, and Barbadian descent. She attended Reading Girls' School and Padworth College. At a young age, Benoit knew she was not interested in anyone sexually or romantically. She chose to attend an all-girls school to avoid conversations about sexual intercourse and relationships. Benoit came across the term asexual in high school, but she did not identify with it until later in life.

Benoit has a Bachelor of Science in Sociology from St Mary's University, Twickenham and a Master of Science in Crime Science from University College London.

Modeling career
Benoit began modeling at age 16, focusing her efforts on alternative fashion despite the industry's emphasis of Eurocentric beauty standards. Her first modeling breakthrough was in 2015 with Scottish brand CRMC. Her gigs following that included Love Sick London, Dethkult Clothing, Seduced By Lilith, Kuki London, Pin Up Girl Clothing, and Teen Hearts.

In March 2018, Benoit collaborated with African-American-owned gothic fashion brand, Gothic Lamb.

Benoit walked the runway in the London Queer Fashion Show that year.

Activism
Benoit appeared in a BBC Three documentary on asexuality, but was critical of the experience, claiming the way the documentary framed asexuality was a misrepresentation. She later appeared in a Sky News documentary on asexuality in February 2019. Regarding her work as a lingerie model whilst being asexual, she told Sky News, "I'm literally here to show off the clothes and make it look good. I'm not trying to sell myself, I'm trying to sell a product." This led her to found the hashtag #ThisIsWhatAsexualityLooksLike in 2019.

Benoit wrote for publications including HuffPost UK and gave talks at events and universities, including the University of Cambridge, the UK Asexuality Conference in 2018, Reading Pride, King's College London in February 2019, and National Student Pride. In collaboration with Asexual Visibility and Education Network (AVEN), Budweiser, and Revolt London, Benoit hosted the first asexual-themed bar at Pride in London in 2019. She joined the board of directors of AVEN that October. In a December 2019 issue of Attitude titled "The Activists", Benoit became the first openly asexual woman to appear on the cover of a UK magazine.

In early 2020, Benoit worked with England Unwrapped to interview asexual people. The episode was originally broadcast on BBC Radio Berkshire and later published on BBC Sounds. She co-founded International Asexuality Day (April 6) in 2021, and in 2022, launched an asexual rights initiative—known as the Stonewall x Yasmin Benoit Ace Project—in partnership with Stonewall.

In June 2023, Benoit became the first openly asexual person to be a grand marshal for the NYC Pride March.

Benoit was a consultant for the final season of Netflix's Sex Education. Following the release of the season, Benoit expressed disappointment that scenes involving an asexual character—especially those dealing with "the intersections of race, privilege, and acephobia"—had been cut or changed in editing.

Recognition
In 2018, Aislin Magazine wrote, in "the predominantly White alternative branch of modeling, [Benoit has] become one of the UK's most prominent Black alternative models."

In 2021, Benoit was given an Attitude Pride Award. In 2022, Benoit was nominated for a British LGBT Award in the category of Online Influencer. In the same year, she was awarded Campaigner/Influencer of the Year by the Bank of London Rainbow Honours.

Personal life
Benoit is asexual and aromantic. "I may not be the first four letters [of LGBTQ+], but I do not relate to the heterosexual experience in the slightest," she told The Nopebook in March 2019. She came out in a video on YouTube in 2017.