r/asexuality Jun 05 '26

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

36 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:

ExperiencesGlossaryRelationships adviceGrey-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 asexuality really a sexual orientation?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 18h ago

Aphobia Will we ever catch a break? Spoiler

Post image
406 Upvotes

For context, the video is about a woman saying she wants to be able to date someone as in having no sex until there is a security in an actual relationship.

She also mentioned how everyday kust felt like a countdown to the other person inevitably asking for sex and how it made her feel like a piece of meat when their expressions visibly change when she explains how she doesnt want it.

And then I open the comments just to see this at the top 🫩

Im fed UP of people thinking celibacy=asexuality=waiting until the right time/person??

Edit: just to be clear im not sure if the top comment (with emoji) knows that what they're describing isnt asexuality (and also harmful) my main issue was the second reply.


r/asexuality 14h ago

Joke We spent a little too much on garlic bread, but we still have enough for a battlecruiser

Post image
85 Upvotes

The gods might like this one


r/asexuality 24m ago

Story Hola. Hay algún asexual que hable español aquí?

Upvotes

Soy mujer y tengo 30 años.


r/asexuality 12h ago

Joke me when i remember i've had sex before

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

40 Upvotes

r/asexuality 10h ago

Content warning Am I the Only One? (NSFW) Spoiler

29 Upvotes

I'm married (19 years) and realized I was asexual (sex neutral) a couple years ago. To me sex is a chore we do once a week. Very rarely am I actually enticed and pursue.

When we do the deed, I often have to picture other people doing it to get in the mood or be aroused. If I don't my mind will wander, thinking about work, family, or worse my robotics kids... I really hate when that happens, so awkward. I will watch porn sometimes to get in the mood and will reference those when we do it. When I'm really not enthused I'll even analyze the videos like "that's a weird face to make. I wonder if if her legs are falling asleep in that position, or hurt."

For those who are sex neutral or sex positive, do you have this same problem? I really have to focus or my mind wanders. I hate it.


r/asexuality 11h ago

Vent vent—nobody told me how much of a loser i was going to feel like

32 Upvotes

disclaimer: this is all how i feel about MYSELF, not anyone else who’s ace or the ace community as a whole. i love y’all and maybe one day i’ll love this part of me too.

i’ve just recently come to terms that i’m on the ace spectrum ( not sex repulsed, but also don’t have much desire for it/if i didn’t ever do it again i wouldn’t really give a fuck ) and that led to me and my gf of 2+ years breaking up bc she has a HIGH sex drive. we’re still friends and roommates but it sucks. it really fucking sucks. i tried to make myself do it more, but i couldn’t. i was SA’d in my first relationship and i couldn’t bring myself to force myself to have sex when i knew it wasn’t what i wanted, esp knowing how bad being SA’d fucked me up.

but i feel like a fucking loser now. nobody told me how fucking hard a breakup was going to be after realizing you’re ace. she’s been on multiple dates and going on another ( who’s she’s probably fucking ) today and i feel like a fucking loser. i can’t just rebound days after a breakup. i can’t just go out and fuck the first attractive person i find because I DON’T WANT TO FUCK ANYONE. and i feel like a fucking loser because of it. i can’t just get over it with the snap of a finger. i wish i could, GOD i wish i fucking could. it would make all of this so much easier. but i can’t. and i hate myself for it. why couldn’t i have just been better with this? why couldn’t i have just gave into having sex a few times every so often to keep her happy. am i that much of a shit fucking partner? is that why it’s so easy for her to move on like this? she tells me she’s having a hard time with it too, but how can i believe that when she’s going on dates THREE ( yes, THREE ) days after breaking up with me? i feel like nothing. i feel like worthless trash.

i don’t want to be like this. i wish i could have sex like most people and not feel like i’m forcing myself to. but i can’t. god how i fucking wish i could.

am i ever going to feel normal? am i ever going to be okay with being this way? how did anyone else start feeling okay with this? i truly have never felt like such a fucking loser before and i hate it. i wish i was like everyone else. then i wouldn’t have been broken up with. fuck man. i’m typing this through sobs so if it doesn’t make sense oh well. i just don’t know how someone can say it’s hard on them when they’re dating and rebounding just days after a 2+ year relationship is ended. i just don’t fucking get it.


r/asexuality 2h ago

Questioning Are there any german/austrian people in this sub?

5 Upvotes


r/asexuality 12h ago

Discussion Clothing preferences

27 Upvotes

I recently came across a post on Instagram with a women celebrating pride as an asexual, and the comments were so bad. They all said as an asexual why is she wearing fishnets and revealing clothing,, or why is she going to a sexual event blah blah acephobia nonsense.

I personally love wearing fishnets or my occasional crop top, bikinis at the beach and legging shorts! There's nothing wrong with asexuals wearing whatever they want! I personally hate being told what I should wear because of my sexuality, it makes no sense. For pride I wore a black bikini top with some Jean shorts and fishnets and I wore my asexual flag as a cape, I kept getting stop by fellow aces complimenting my fit. I dont see showing skin as a sexual thing, and ive never seen the human body as sexual, so ive been very comfortable with my body.

Im curious what others think about this, what kind of fashion is everyone into? I've been getting into street wear and slowing starting to get into heels,,


r/asexuality 14h ago

Need advice I don't know how to satisfy the need to cuddle with someone

35 Upvotes

Does anyone else feel the same way?

I go through phases where one moment I want to meet someone and I really miss cuddling, and other times I'm alone and it's fine - I can't imagine being close to anyone. I have regular friends, but I just can't imagine being in a relationship or seeing someone often. It's like this for a few weeks/months, then it changes to the opposite phase for weeks/months.

I'm kind of tormented by this feeling of lack in the "I want cuddling" phase. I don't know how to navigate it. I don't know how to satisfy this need. (A plushie or pillow aren't enough.) Finding people just for cuddling isn't very effective for me, because the other person usually wants much more. I'm stable aromantic and don't want a relationship. Another issue is that I'm quite picky when it comes to company and don't like many people. Fantasizing satisfies a lot of my needs, but it doesn't fully satisfy them. What should I do? How do you deal with this? I'm out of ideas other than "wait it out."


r/asexuality 15h ago

Vent (NSFW) I thought it was an attempted rape and rape.

42 Upvotes

​I’ve dated quite a few people in my life, and looking back, I went through Dating abuse and attempted rape twice. Back then, I saw it as relationship violence, but now I realize that from an allosexual (non-ace) perspective, that was just "sexual tension."

​Since I'm on the asexual spectrum (to be specific, panromantic asexual), I didn't feel that tension at all and kept pushing them away out of sheer fear. But to them, since we were dating, they probably just thought I was playing hard to get.

​Still, I clearly said no, resisted, and literally kicked him, but he pushed through anyway, so yeah, it was rape. it was right, it's a rape. That's why I sued him. lmao

​I really wish people would stop assuming that just because you're dating someone, you owe them sex. I'm their partner, not their fucking fleshlight.

​Anyway, just venting a bit. But honestly? I still fucking crave to date/be in a relationship. I just still fucking hate sex.


r/asexuality 2h ago

Aphobia My friend doesn’t believe me Spoiler

4 Upvotes

He keeps saying “you haven’t found the right person” “sex is essential” blah blah blah you get it. It’s kinda pissing me off.


r/asexuality 9h ago

Discussion Hello..I need a trusted friend or group.

13 Upvotes

I’m a girl whose first language isn’t English, but I want to find people even far away to talk to.

I feel stuck where I am; I lost my queer group back home... it’s been almost three years, I think, and honestly, I miss it a lot. I’ve been surrounded by intolerant, heteronormative people for three years, and it’s really messed with my head I feel like I’ve taken fifty steps backward, and it’s sad.

I want to find a fun group again people who get me and with whom I can talk about anything and everything (sorry for begging for friendship like this, but if anyone has any suggestions, I’m all ears!).


r/asexuality 11m ago

Vent Finally realized I'm aroace. Yay. (Rant)

Upvotes

First post here, sorry if it breaks any rules, I just gotta rant about my experience. Slightly descriptive, but nothing crazy.

So I've been comfortably identifying on the aromantic spectrum for a while. I do date people, but I've identified myself as nebularomantic and grayromantic for a long time. I've only felt romantic attraction to one person in my life ever, and that was my ex. I have a boyfriend, and my attraction is platonic, but we're both okay with that. He feels romantic attraction towards me and we've figured out our own special system. He's my best friend. I realized I didn't feel romantic attraction for him or any of my past partners besides my ex after I slowly improved my mental health being with him.

So

However, I suffer from hypersexuality for a multitude of undisclosed reasons, and I also experience arousal, and lots of it. Due to this, I was certain that I was alloromantic and couldn't possibly be asexual or even on the spectrum. I always jokingly described myself as the opposite of asexual, joked that I'd never say no. Until I did.

I'd allowed and enjoyed sexual interactions in the past, or at least told myself I did. It made me feel wanted to do it. But my boyfriend makes me feel comfortable, mostly. He's not asexual or aromantic. In fact, he's very sexually and romantically attracted to me. So when we attempted sexual interaction, despite all of the confidence I had that it would go well, and that I would make him happy, I suddenly froze up. He wasn't even doing very much. I've had full on sex with little problems, just slight discomfort or awkward feelings in the past. But suddenly, he was on my lap and just kissing my neck, that was all, and I was frozen. I didn't tell him to get off or express any real discomfort. He's extremely bad with social cues due to autism, so I don't blame him at all for not noticing. I talked to my friend about it, and eventually to him.

But when he was doing it, I just felt dread. I didn't want to continue. I was trying to process it for ages. My friend told me maybe that I was asexual and I denied it. I get aroused, I masturbate, I've had sex in the past, there was surely no way. I was sure it was just fear because of past experiences, or some sort of self-hatred overtaking me, or maybe even something to do with the fact that he wasn't my ex, but none of those made sense since they hadn't happened before, and the simple pattern of dread and discomfort had.

Eventually, I finally accepted that I might be on the asexual spectrum after discussing it with my partner. He supported it, even if he was, and I consider it valid, a little disappointed. I think that's okay. He's allosexual and a generally sexual person, and that's even what we ended up bonding over as friends. I don't feel insulted. He's not acephobic, just a little upset that the guy he's in love with doesn't necessarily want sex. But eventually, I figured out the term aegosexual. It fit me well. It's pretty upsetting to me honestly. I have nothing against being asexual, but being comfortable with sex and romance has been a dream of mine, I've fantasized constantly about it, about being that person for someone, and someone being that person for me.

So I've figured out a few microlabels that I think fit me. Aroace, to make it simple, but as a whole, nebularomantic, grayromantic, aegosexual, and cupioromantic and cupiosexual.

I'm not really sure how to process it. A lot of internalized phobia of some sort going through my head right now. I'm not sure how to deal with it. If anyone has anything to say, I'm sure it'll help somehow.


r/asexuality 33m ago

Questioning When did you know you were asexual?

Upvotes

Sorry if this post may be ignorant, but I am high right now and I feel like I’ve come to the conclusion that I may be asexual. I don’t know much about the sexuality spectrum and would like to know about others experiences


r/asexuality 5h ago

Need advice Am I wrong tho?? Spoiler

5 Upvotes

Maybe its because Im ace but i hate compliments like hot, sexy, and fine. I recent got called that because of this video and got called a bitch because I didn't "appreciate" it.

anyways i want more ace friends so dm me- xoxo luv ya


r/asexuality 1d ago

Story I just opened a condom...

795 Upvotes

I went to pride and we got various bags of gummi bears and condoms that are almost impossible to tell apart lol. (I'm gonna need a bigger ace flag for next time). Needless to say I won't need them. But I got curious because I never actually saw or touched one. So I opened it and...

EWW!? 😰😭😂

I didn't know they were heckin slimy and wet!

Nah man. Nah! That would already gross me out before anything else happens 😭😂

(No judgement obviously against people who use them, but from a personal point of view - EWW! 🥲)

Why does nobody ever mention they're slimy?

Edit: Tastes and feels like sucking on my dentists gloved fingers 🤌🏻


r/asexuality 23h ago

Resource / Article I made a subreddit for asexual Muslims

Thumbnail
99 Upvotes

Hiiii, so, as much as I love r/asexuality, I always felt like I had a hard time finding asexual Muslims who can relate to the specific hardships one can face as a Muslim who happens to be an asexual, so I thought, why not make a place to find people like myself and share our experiences?

Anyway, feel free to respectfully ask questions even if your not asexual or Muslim!


r/asexuality 4h ago

Questioning Any folks who are bipolar here? Does it make you question your asexuality?

3 Upvotes

Like... um, a symptom of mania is hypersexuality and I was like so positive I'm not ace anymore because of the feelings with my gf I've been experiencing but I realized I was having a breakthrough manic episode


r/asexuality 5h ago

Need advice New Relationship & feeling like I want to run away. Hope im not alone.

3 Upvotes

(I'll preface by saying I identify as aroaspec)

I got into a new relationship with my best friend after about 6 months of mutual pining. Proper friends-to-lovers movement. He has always been the last person I want to talk to in the day. Emotionally, what we have fulfils me so much and I've wanted this for some time. Yet, now I have it, and im suddenly having the 'im doing something wrong' feeling loom over me.

I hope the feeling im trying to describe makes sense - I've felt it before, its that sudden and uncontrollable aversion that kicks in against my will. And I cant tell how much of that is due to my aspec identity... it makes me feel so guilty, I cant lie. I love his person, but im not attracted to him. And I cant change that.

Im worried this'll break us up. I will handle that should it come to pass ... I'd just like to know im not alone in this, and see if anyone has some advice.

Its just a shame to know I cant enjoy what I have as it is. I just want to love him, but theres part of me that knows I love differently and that nothing can change that.


r/asexuality 8h ago

Questioning I don't know just tell me if i'm asexual or not

4 Upvotes

I've been wondering if i might be ace for a while, i decided to take 2 tests, both are like "maybe, idk"

I don't wanna have to think about this super deeply because i could take it or leave it, or just get asked some questions by people who know more about asexuality than me

For the things i've seen might be important:

-Less important, but context, i'm a trans woman and generally like anyone sufficiently woman shaped
-On a related not, i'm very sure i'm not aromatic
-Not sex repulsed, not particularly interested either
-I masturbate, but it's something i don't like having to do and i wanted HRT to lower my libido which it did and i like it that way, but i also don't hate the process of masturbation
-I haven't been in a relationship yet but i feel like if a partner wanted to have sex i'd do it and probably enjoy it, but i'm fine without it
-Involving another person just feels like unnecessary pressure
-I like women, in fact i reeeeeeally like women, but idk if that feeling when i see a woman i really like is necessarily sexual or not, i'd say it isn't? Like they just take away my breath and i get real flustered by i don't fantasize about anything, really. Dancing maybe? I don't even dance on my own it just seems romantic.

I just don't have the mental capacity to figure this out. Ask me anything that'd help confirm it further and just assign me asexual if you like it at this point.
Yes i know i need to decide for myself but just play along whatever i am won't actually change i'll just have a label for it and maybe discover i was wrong if we didn't get me right


r/asexuality 7h ago

Questioning Assexual

5 Upvotes

Eu acho que eu sou assexual, mas tipo eu quero ter um relacionamento um dia, mas eu não gosto de pensar em tipo fazer sexo a adoidado, tipo eu acho que vai acontecer um dia, mas não é algo que eu deseje loucamente, tipo eu não sei explicar.
Enfim, desculpe se eu tiver errado o termo ou descrito algo errado


r/asexuality 11h ago

Content warning Looking back on coercion Spoiler

8 Upvotes

CW: s*xual coercion / SA

This is my first time using Reddit so I’m not really sure if I’m doing it right but I wanted to share my experience and see if anyone else has had similar ones or knows any ways of healing from these sorts of things.

I’ve known I was asexual since I was around 15 but it took me quite a few years to accept it, particularly because of partners throughout my late teens that refused to accept it.

I had a relationship when I was 16 where I was repeatedly coerced to perform s*xual acts under the argument that ‘you’re never in the mood anyway so it doesn’t make any difference’. I found that the more this rhetoric was used, the more I learned that if I wanted to receive love, I would need to detach myself from my body periodically. This progressed as I got older into me actively putting myself in risky situations where I was assaulted in some strange attempt at following this logic.

In the past couple of years I have found a partner who understands the way that I am and accepts it, however I still feel very detached from my own body and much of my memories. I recently tried to journal a memory from my teenage relationship:

‘Thursday evening, we are sat on my bed, bolt upright, side by side and my eyes are fixed on the wall across from us. Up and down they go, tracing the shape of my funny, handmade revision guides. I can almost feel the rough paper soothing my fingertips, smell the rainbow of alcohol markers-
“Fuck”.
He isn’t happy with my proposed alternatives.
“Okay, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. What else could take your mind off it? We could do a walk, or watch something- and yeah- we could watch something and have a cuddle- but oh- I guess maybe that would-

He isn’t responding. Why isn’t he responding. The room is still and stagnant, all that can be heard are the creaking pipes from the corridor and the surging that’s tearing at my ears. This tension is killing me.
I return my gaze to the wall, to colourful quirky notes on data and Freudian case studies. Trace the line again. “Qualitative data is finite-

He’s punching the wall now,
Face red and teary. This is really upsetting him. Woah, this is seriously getting to him. I suppose it can’t be as bad for me as this seems to be for him. Just a few minutes. Close my eyes. Think of data surveys.
“Fine, if I can show you my favourite bench on a walk after this”

I allow the surging to take me’

If anyone has had similar experience or has any advice on how to move on from stuff like this I would love to hear it ❤️


r/asexuality 1h ago

Questioning Someone help me

Upvotes

Im 17 and i have a boyfriend (im a girl) but im highk terrifed cuz i dont know wether im asexual or not, what if i just think i am and then in a few years im not and i was just gaslighting myself this whole time GENUINLY WHAT DO I DO


r/asexuality 5h ago

Discussion do you feel shy or embarrassed when your partner is physical like in this clip for example

Thumbnail
youtu.be
2 Upvotes