[The A Life Team]

Hey everyone!

This is the poll for Episode 7 of the asexy podcast A Life, in which the panel, joined this week for the first time by David Jay, meaning that this week there are more Americans than Finns on the panel, discusses asexuality and how it's portrayed in the media.

If none of the poll choices make sense to you, give our newest episode a listen first.

~The A Life Team

[Clone]

There aren't enough asexual zombies in the media.

[Ily]

The media portrays asexuals?

Seriously though, are you focusing on fictional or real asexuals? In terms of fictional asexuals, we only have Gerald, and no one on a soap is going to be a great role model. I know there's other characters we think are asexual, but if no one knows that outside of the asexual community, it's kind of a moot point in terms of portrayal.

As far as real asexuals go, I think it can be hard to differentiate between what the people being interviewed choose to portray and what kind of answers, if any, the interviewer is trying to get. I've been involved in media portrayals about 3 times, and the way that I was portrayed varied a lot within those experiences. Generally I'm not happy with mainstream TV portrayals because they feel the need to sensationalize everything. That's the way of TV and it doesn't matter what the content is. "If it bleeds, it leads" is the old dictum, but if it doesn't bleed, they have to find some other way to hook you into a topic.

I still think our best portrayal was the article in Bitch Magazine, which is unfortunately not online. I think I have it scanned somewhere though, so I could e-mail it to any interested people.

I'd say "no" to the poll, but Edward Cullen as a fate seems awfully harsh.

Here's an interesting post on the topic from Apositive:
http://www.apositive....php?f=14&t=315

Hope this comment was long enough for ya...I guess this is something I've thought a lot about

[ryan10242]

It does vary. If people know what they're talking about, then generally we're portrayed in the right way. However, if, like so many things, people don't really do enough research, then they form misconceptions, and we're portrayed in a bad light. Generally, I think we're given mainly portrayed positively. That's my opinion.

[Clone]

Clone, on Oct 5 2009, 03:34 PM, said:

There aren't enough asexual zombies in the media.

Then again I don't think I've ever seen a zombie have sex...

[annwyl_cariad]

Nice to hear from David Jay this week!

I said "Other": I'm not particularly pleased with media portrayals, but I understand that they have to sell their story, and an acknowledgment of people perfectly capable of having sex who choose not to isn't going to sell unless you sensationalize it. Also, to be chased by zombies and subsequently to join the ranks of the rotting undead would be a fate far preferable to being trapped for any length of time with Edward Cullen.

Basically, I agree with David that we have to package ourselves as an interesting story if anyone's going to cover us in a way that we approve of. I also agree that the big push of the asexual "movement," if there is one, is to get people to question the way they view relationships and intimacy. If we can get people to understand the possibility of intimacy without romance, and even the possibility of romance without sexuality, then we'll go a long way to being really understood by the general sexual population. I don't have a lot to add this week, really, just general agreement.

[articvibe]

Im happy that their spreading the word but theres no diversity and a sterotype for an asexual person is starting to develop and if you dont fit it and i definately dont fit people are more likely to laugh off your coming out or "try to correct you" and thats just a pain in the ass lol so yeah im of two minds it would be great if there was an asexual in the media so that their view of us didnt come out quite so skewed.... then again geuss thats the problem with the whole massive diversity thing

[kt8]

Sometimes I wish I was a zombie... then, when I'm having trouble understanding Lit Theory, I could just eat some brains.

BRAINS!!!

... but honestly, I've never seen asexies in the media. So I couldn't tell you.

[Hound]

There has been some excellent coverage of asexuality in the media but, in general, I'm dissatisfied with how it has been handled.