Research Participation Request: Asexuality, a Fixed and Fluid Orientation: The Emerging Identity

[timewarp]

Rebecca J. Clarke from the University of Glasgow has contacted AVEN about the following research project on "Asexuality, a Fixed and Fluid Orientation: The Emerging Identity":

The proposed research prospectively aims to explore asexuality, both as a fixed and fluid identity in line with the asexual spectrum, and inclusive of its branches; heteroromantic, homoromantic, biromantic, panromantic, aromantic, grey-a, and demisexual. (AVEN, asexuality.org, 2016.) Inspired by the symbolic interactionist account of Dawson and Scott (2012) and drawing further inspiration from Cerankowski (2015), this dissertation will attempt to expand upon the existing body of literature whilst investigating whether asexuality is a fixed identity, or a fluid identity which changes and adapts over the life-course.

Several factors will be explored throughout this qualitative line of inquiry, namely how asexuality is perceived as an identity within society, and in addition to its fixed or fluid nature, the projected pathological classification of a lack of sexual desire. (Cerankowski, 2015.) As a further consideration of research, I will attempt to demonstrate whether or not asexual tendencies adapt over the life-course to suit the expected and normalised level of sexual desire and to determine if asexuality as a sexual identity (or indeed, an asexual identity) has emerged.

Additionally, this piece of research will discuss and draw conclusions on why now is the ideal time for recognition of the asexual as an orientation within the social world.

In order to research the proposed elements of asexuality, a series of qualitative interviews will be conducted on a one-to-one basis with each participant. This will be followed with a focus group meeting shortly after all interviews have been conducted to allow participants to share thoughts and feelings after the interviews with each other and with myself, the researcher.

I aim to conduct interviews with at least 12 asexual participants throughout the summer months of this year. In terms of sampling, participants will be selected through advertising on AVEN – a website and community with a focus on all branches of asexuality (asexuality.org), and across advertisements across social media in order to reach as large an audience as possible for participation. Interviews will be conducted via Skype to be able to reach out to participants across the globe to enable their contribution to the research.

Participation is restricted to adults of 18 years and over.

If you are interested in taking part or if you have questions about the project, please contact Rebecca at the following email address:

2096627C@student.gla.ac.uk (Rebecca J. Clarke)

This research request has been approved by the Research Approval Board for advertising on AVEN.

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Dedicated Research Contact

[rjrebeccajane]

Hello everyone at AVEN!

I'm the researcher behind the above study, and I'm just writing an additional post to let you know that the interviews for this project are being conducted via Skype, so any and all participants are welcome to participate and share their stories with me.

With that being said, quite a few participants have also answered the questions via an email interview so if you would prefer to do so, please feel free to contact me at the above email address.

Rebecca.

[Toothlesss]

My email provider is saying the email address isn't valid? :/

[rjrebeccajane]

My email provider is saying the email address isn't valid? :/

I'm so sorry to hear that! I've noticed there's a full stop at the end of the email address advertised, try taking it out and hopefully it should work!

Looking forward to hearing from you.

[timewarp]

I've just removed the full stop from the first post, so it should be okay now I hope.

[Guest Jetsun Milarepa]

Sounds interesting! Will email you.

[Ladyinred]

I'm interested, will email you.