Moonchaser Posted August 13, 2017 Share Posted August 13, 2017 You probably have to be 37 or older to help me with this question, so I'm posting it in the Older Asexuals forum. I'm wondering, because I'm 60 years old and only learned of the term being used by asexuals in the past 10 years or so. Right now I'm working on a piece of fiction that I've set in 1995, where two aces happen to fall in love, and I wonder if they could have had the word "asexual" in their vocabulary at all. Two people in their thirties in 1995 ... what would they have thought about their romantic interest but lack of interest in sex? Would they, like I did back then, just have assumed they had a low libido? When did you first hear the term asexual? For me I think I first read it used in this way in 2009 or 2010. It was at that time just something I came across in a Wikipedia article about a dead author. Then I looked up the term (quite excitedly) to learn more. Link to post Share on other sites
straightouttamordor Posted August 13, 2017 Share Posted August 13, 2017 I'm curious as well. I had never heard of it until about 2014. Glad I did though. Link to post Share on other sites
Moonchaser Posted August 14, 2017 Author Share Posted August 14, 2017 Well I hope someone knows the answer. I figure it had to be sometime before this site arrived on the scene. Link to post Share on other sites
daveb Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 I can't say. Other than the term in biology/biological reproduction I had not heard of asexuality as an orientation until just before I joined AVEN. But there are plenty of people who were here before I was. Link to post Share on other sites
ShyFeather Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 Here is a very detailed paper on the formation of the asexuality's definition: https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/bitstream/handle/2142/95433/HINDERLITER-DISSERTATION-2016.pdf?sequence=1 If you would like a basic summary, this breaks it down: https://theacetheist.wordpress.com/2015/12/20/history-of-asexual-definitions-a-summary/ Link to post Share on other sites
Moonchaser Posted August 14, 2017 Author Share Posted August 14, 2017 3 minutes ago, ShyFeather said: Here is a very detailed paper on the formation of the asexuality's definition: https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/bitstream/handle/2142/95433/HINDERLITER-DISSERTATION-2016.pdf?sequence=1 If you would like a basic summary, this breaks it down: https://theacetheist.wordpress.com/2015/12/20/history-of-asexual-definitions-a-summary/ Thank you very much, ShyFeather, those are a great help. My search earlier today didn't bring up either of these. Link to post Share on other sites
vega57 Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 Check out Wikipedia. It has some decent information spanning back to the 1970s. Link to post Share on other sites
Moonchaser Posted August 14, 2017 Author Share Posted August 14, 2017 Thank you all for your input. ShyFeather's information kind of opened up my mind to different search topics too, and that helped a great deal. Link to post Share on other sites
Muledeer Posted August 15, 2017 Share Posted August 15, 2017 I first heard the term and realized it could apply to me in about 2007. Link to post Share on other sites
NC Unicorn Posted August 23, 2017 Share Posted August 23, 2017 I never heard of it until 2015, at which point a giant light bulb went off over my head. Link to post Share on other sites
will123 Posted August 29, 2017 Share Posted August 29, 2017 On 8/13/2017 at 9:02 PM, daveb said: I can't say. Other than the term in biology/biological reproduction I had not heard of asexuality as an orientation until just before I joined AVEN. But there are plenty of people who were here before I was. That was pretty much my idea of asexual too. The first time I read about it the context of the human condition was in 2005. Link to post Share on other sites
will123 Posted August 30, 2017 Share Posted August 30, 2017 On 8/23/2017 at 7:27 PM, NC Unicorn said: I never heard of it until 2015, at which point a giant light bulb went off over my head. A perfect description! Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Jetsun Milarepa Posted August 30, 2017 Share Posted August 30, 2017 I'm sure Kinsey came upon asexuals in the 1940s and 1950s but didn't quite know what to do with us! Link to post Share on other sites
Skycaptain Posted August 30, 2017 Share Posted August 30, 2017 I hope he didn't come upon us!! Link to post Share on other sites
Zendalis Posted August 30, 2017 Share Posted August 30, 2017 8 minutes ago, Skycaptain said: I hope he didn't come upon us!! Aw, crap! There goes my coffee...again You have a dirty mind. Please never change Link to post Share on other sites
will123 Posted August 31, 2017 Share Posted August 31, 2017 6 hours ago, Skycaptain said: I hope he didn't come upon us!! 5 hours ago, Zendalis said: Aw, crap! There goes my coffee...again You have a dirty mind. Please never change LOL! I think the word you're thinking of is spelled c-u-m Link to post Share on other sites
Decaf Posted September 1, 2017 Share Posted September 1, 2017 I first heard the word used by British comedy actor, Kenneth Williams during a TV interview in the late 1970s or possibly 1980. The discussion was concerned with Kenneth's friendship with playwright Joe Orton, and the holidays that they took together in North Africa. While Joe was busy meeting sexual partners, Kenny was sat by the pool with a good book. The interviewer said something to the effect of 'But I thought you were gay', to which Kenny replied 'No....more sort of asexual'. I understand that Kenny wasn't using the word in the incredibly complex way it's used these days, but nevertheless I immediately identified with the word and knew that he was also describing me. I think it was maybe 2000 or 2001 before I heard the word used in the media again - this time in a Yahoo group. This group eventually split and I think part of it morphed into what became AVEN. I'm a bit hazy on the details. Link to post Share on other sites
cavalier080854 Posted September 1, 2017 Share Posted September 1, 2017 In the 1970's exploring my own asexuality, I went to the British Library and found that the oldest dictionary mentioning Asexual was a first edition dated 1830. "Without sex or sex actions". This has changed due to (in my opinion) include the female perspective, women can have sex, even take the lead without attraction. I do believe in the early days of AVEN there were discussions between nonsexual and without sexual attraction and which was relevent. Kinsey mentioned sexuality X for people who did not feel sexual attraction to either sexes. Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Jetsun Milarepa Posted September 2, 2017 Share Posted September 2, 2017 OOH! @Skycaptain, you are awful.....but I like you! (reminiscences of Dick Emery). Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Jetsun Milarepa Posted September 2, 2017 Share Posted September 2, 2017 @Decaf, yes, Kenneth Williams wasn't sexually active , but offered to marry Barbara Windsor because he was closeted gay, and in those days, sadly, it was illegal to engage in homosexual activity. I think his 'asexuality' was fear of coming out/being jailed. He used to do a radio show called 'round the horn', which was full of Polari . I'm not sure he had come to terms with being gay and eventually committed suicide. Link to post Share on other sites
Euna Posted September 17, 2017 Share Posted September 17, 2017 I first heard of the term about 8-10 years ago, and that was on a Sherlock Holmes internet forum, of all places. I may have googled for the definition, but otherwise it kinda went over my head. However, when I came across it again later, at least it wasn't totally unfamiliar. I am so grateful for the internet. TBH I have yet to send anyone information on asexuality, but if the opportunity comes up, I am glad there are resources. Link to post Share on other sites
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