[Ily]

Hey AVENhomies!

October 12 is a special day, AVED. It's the Asexuality Visibility and Education Day. 9 years ago this October, Haven for the Human Amoeba was started, giving asexuals a place on the internet to talk with one another. It's also the day after Coming-Out Day. The ways to celebrate AVED are limited only by your imagination. Here are some things you can do:

-Lehcar made a letter that you can send to LGBTQ organizations in your school or area. See it here.
-Print out some AVEN documents and distribute them at your school health center, LGBTQ group, etc. You can also print out and share AVENues.
-Write about asexuality on Facebook, Twitter, or other websites.
-Tell one person about asexuality.
-Chalking! Get some chalk and cover some local sidewalks with phrases about asexuality.
-Or, there are always stickers.
-Send a link to an asexual site to someone.
-Wear an asexual-themed article of clothing (or purple if you're going to be stuck in an office like me).
-Stick pieces of paper talking about asexuality into books at the library (okay, maybe that's a little strange-- I'm just brainstorming here!)

Please post here and tell us how you plan to rock AVED, along with any other visibility ideas you want to share. After October 12th, send me pictures or blurbs about what you did, and you could be immortalized in AVENues!

[. . .but there are sounds]

Quote

Stick pieces of paper talking about asexuality into books at the library (okay, maybe that's a little strange-- I'm just brainstorming here!)

That is so awesome. If it wasn't for the fact that I am completely out on campus and to my knowledge the only ace out on my campus I would totally do it. As it stands, all of the Library and English faculty on campus would know it was me and I might get in trouble. : )

As it is, as soon as tuition is paid off, I shall be purchasing many fine items from the store and these will be worn.

[Tanzaria?!]

I'll certainly tweet about it.

I might stick some anonymous 'AVED 09' stickers around my school with the AVEN url on 'em if I feel brave.

[Akira-TotallyF-ingBadass]

Hmmm I see a large chalking in Pondon with a priest seven nuns and a cowboy pointing at it...and cake......

[FelineHuggles]

Writing all over the pavement with chalk! 'Why have sex when you can have CAKE?!'
Or maybe just posting whole loads about it on Facebook

[Ily]

To explain chalking a little better, it's an easy way to expose people to the idea of asexuality without having to directly talk to folks about it. At least to me, one goal of AVED is to get the world "asexuality" out there because a lot of people still have never heard it or think it refers just to amoebas. So if someone sees "asexual" chalked somewhere, when they hear about it in more depth somewhere later, it won't be their first time seeing the word. If you want to do chalking (and I hope you do!) I highly recommend using the word "asexual" or "asexuality" to get the most impact from your efforts.

Nothing would make my day more than seeing an asexual sticker or chalk slogan somewhere made by someone I didn't know!

I was the only asexual I knew of at my college, but statistically speaking there must have been at least 14 others, enough for a very hardcore IM football team. Some people are very quiet about it...

[ExeCUTE]

I'm doing a graffiti chain! On October 12th, I'm going to draw a Blank canvas with the word 'asexuality' on it, and pass it on.... It's a Twitter thang. By the way, we should totally try and make asexuality a Twitter trending topic!
(What's a graffiti chain? Click here http://twitdraw.com/...i.php?gt=chain)

EDIT: I've also written to a semi-local LGBT radio station called Rainbow Source and politely asked them to write/air a piece on asexuality... And they might air in on AVED if we're lucky.
I've sent off the letter, and trying to make an AVEN wristband and am doing more. I could really get into this!

[Ily]

Someone posted this idea on my blog:

By the way, you can donwload a template for business-card style 'Google Me' cards (just Google them). I'm going to put asexual phrases in the 'search box' and put them in random places.

Here's the template: http://www.pleaseenj...gle_me_card.pdf

Good ideas folks, keep 'em coming...

[Cicero]

Wow, can't believe it's nearly AVED time again. :S

Maybe I'll even do something this year...

EDIT: We so should have called it the Day of Asexual Visibility and Education instead

[SoulPhox]

I think I'm going to send that letter to a local radio station... They're so disgustingly sexual (their morning show is "The Morning Stiffy" ) that it would blow their minds & quite possibly get some air time. Heck, they did a bit on fursuiters...

And I like the library idea, too, I might do some of that. Maybe in the "mature" section...?

[Gotanks0407]

i thought this day was in may, the day aven was made? i thought that is when we celebrated it, i would like some more history on the matter before i decide to participate, even though i will any ways

[Ily]

Gotanks0407, on Sep 15 2009, 01:28 AM, said:

i thought this day was in may, the day aven was made? i thought that is when we celebrated it, i would like some more history on the matter before i decide to participate, even though i will any ways

To the best of my knowledge, October was decided on because the date in May, when AVEN was founded, is a time when a lot of people are out of school for the summer already, and schools people go to are a good place to work on visibility.

[Parth]

Haha. AVED is during TAFE (a bit like college) holidays where I live.

[ExeCUTE]

The blog post? That was me...

[henrik]

I can tweet, wear the shirt and talk about it in the podcast. That's about all I can do, but it's something.

[TheMelbourneMethod]

Whee! I'm totally doing something this year. And since I'm away from home, my mom can stay just as clueless as always (I'd tell her, but she's an intensely conservative Christian). Maybe I'll just wear a shirt, but still. Anyway, I'm still a little apprehensive (I go to a Catholic school) but there is no dress code and the other kids are all pro-gay etc., so I think I'll be fine. Besides, you don't gain anything being a coward, do you?

[SoulPhox]

Does anybody have a good flyer or postcard design? There are some websites that will print for free (plus shipping). They tend to include their ad on the opposite side, but still, it's cheap & it's something to hand out.

[Cicero]

Gotanks0407, on Sep 15 2009, 04:28 AM, said:

i thought this day was in may, the day aven was made? i thought that is when we celebrated it, i would like some more history on the matter before i decide to participate, even though i will any ways

I think we celebrate a general 'asexuality day' in May, but this one is specifically for visibility.

[Akira-TotallyF-ingBadass]

SoulPhox, on Sep 16 2009, 12:13 AM, said:

Does anybody have a good flyer or postcard design? There are some websites that will print for free (plus shipping). They tend to include their ad on the opposite side, but still, it's cheap & it's something to hand out.

There's some you can download on one of the pinned threads.

[mad_scientist]

Hmm... I'm already pretty "out" and my university queer group is so inactive as to be practically nonexistent...

There's a pamphlet rack thingy in the Women's Room full of pamphlets on health, abuse helplines, LGBQ support and info, etc... would adding ace pamphlets be effective? My concern is that not very many people actually use the Women's Room, so the exposure is pretty low. (Besides, I feel like an impostor every time I go in there.)

[SoulPhox]

How about writing to newspaper help columnists? It seems that every time I read one about a husband who is "sexually distant" or some such, the answer is that he's secretly gay, or having an affair, or addicted to porn, or suffering a hormonal imbalance, or just getting old...

[Ily]

mad_scientist, on Sep 15 2009, 10:53 PM, said:

Hmm... I'm already pretty "out" and my university queer group is so inactive as to be practically nonexistent...

There's a pamphlet rack thingy in the Women's Room full of pamphlets on health, abuse helplines, LGBQ support and info, etc... would adding ace pamphlets be effective? My concern is that not very many people actually use the Women's Room, so the exposure is pretty low. (Besides, I feel like an impostor every time I go in there.)

I'm of the "hey, it couldn't hurt" mentality. Same thing with the advice columnists; you don't have much to lose by writing a quick letter.

[carried in bags]

and not forgetting our AVENversary!

[Lakewolf]

Do you wany me to design a flyer w/out ads? Someone could put the AVEN logo on it.

We should start having our own " official" flyer.

I can design it on Word & send it to someone to print out on heavier paper. Staple it together & you've got a cheap flyer. I'm really good at writing content & I (naturally) wouldn't charge AVEN for the work.

When are we going to start local chapters of AVEN?

[Ily]

Lakewolf, on Sep 23 2009, 09:05 PM, said:

Do you wany me to design a flyer w/out ads? Someone could put the AVEN logo on it.

We should start having our own " official" flyer.

I can design it on Word & send it to someone to print out on heavier paper. Staple it together & you've got a cheap flyer. I'm really good at writing content & I (naturally) wouldn't charge AVEN for the work.

When are we going to start local chapters of AVEN?

If you're interested in the idea of local chapters, you might want to PM ghosts. She's been working with AVENguy on the idea for awhile. That said, there's no AVEN board of directors orchestrating things from on high, so if you want to get more stuff going in your area, you can go ahead and work on it; I'd be glad to help you out. Same thing with fliers-- if you want 'em, go for it!
I don't think our current materials have ads, though...

[Eerago]

I’m going to have to do something for this day. I’ll have to brain storm a little bit on it.

Perhaps do something within my Facebook status or post a link on asexuality that day. The chalk idea sounds fun, I may want to do something like that if I can. I’m at the local college library enough, maybe stick a piece of paper with something pertaining to asexuality in a book that seems to be checked out a lot or that pertains to human sexuality. (This all makes me think of glamourbombing; just asexy style).

[CrazyCatLover]

I just sent an email to the Sexual and Gender Diversity Resource Center asking if they could put a blurb on their calendar. I'm certain they will, but I don't know how many people actually look at the calendar.

[SoulPhox]

CrazyCatLover, on Sep 24 2009, 04:49 PM, said:

I just sent an email to the Sexual and Gender Diversity Resource Center asking if they could put a blurb on their calendar. I'm certain they will, but I don't know how many people actually look at the calendar.

Even if nobody looks, the person who updated it still may have learned.

[EllieZel]

Just sent a letter to my campus' newspaper! I was afraid they'd ignore too long a letter, so I made it short and attached a flier (and gave them the link to AVEN) in case they want more info.

I just hope they don't publish the letter in their 'opinion' section....that was the only department to which I could send a letter.

[Ily]

EllieZel, on Sep 25 2009, 10:56 AM, said:

Just sent a letter to my campus' newspaper! I was afraid they'd ignore too long a letter, so I made it short and attached a flier (and gave them the link to AVEN) in case they want more info.

I just hope they don't publish the letter in their 'opinion' section....that was the only department to which I could send a letter.

Niiice!