Welsh Ace Posted October 19, 2017 Share Posted October 19, 2017 http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/asexual-person-partners-doctor-fixed-sexual-urges-attraction-lgbtq-a7966596.html The Independent has published an article about a so so-caleld "former asexual" which, in my opinion, is very bad and could be damaging. It is a very badly written article but the part I especially have a problem with, which I believe seems to conflate asexuality with gender dyphoria " Quote Where does it come from? Price has since moved away from the term, explaining that the complexity of their situation transcends that of asexuality and attributes their lack of sexual attraction to gender dysphoria, a condition where a person experiences a mismatch between their biological sex and their gender identity, according to the NHS. “I was too disconnected and repulsed by my own body to imagine wanting to physically connect with someone,” they explained. “I still identify as on the asexual spectrum, but I do have the capacity to be attracted to people, and as I work through gender issues more, I am more sexual as a person.” Price is on the autism spectrum, and believes that this may have something to do with their gender issues While, of course, some people who have gender dyphoria are also asexual, to imply that all asexual people have "gender issues" like the article seems to (from how I have read it) is very disapoinnting. Or am I misreading the article? Link to post Share on other sites
WinterWanderer Posted October 19, 2017 Share Posted October 19, 2017 The article itself doesn't seem bad to me. But I can see how it could be misinterpreted. After the quoted part above, it goes on to explain that the person still identifies as on the asexual spectrum, but not as asexual specifically. That seems fine to me. And really, people often change their labels over time as they learn more about themselves. It's not a big deal. But if someone who doesn't know a lot about identities reads it, I can see them assuming that asexuality is false because this person realized they're not actually asexual. Link to post Share on other sites
cinary Posted October 19, 2017 Share Posted October 19, 2017 Things like that can be damaging. If you changed the label and don't feel asexual anymore you shoudn't (I my opinion of course) give an interviev. At least in a situation like that. And yeah, I have a gender dysphoria, too and would never say that's the "reason" for my asexuality, because feeling bad with yourself and because of that not wanting to have sex and having no sexual attraction and need for sex are two completely different things. Link to post Share on other sites
Music & Lyrics Posted October 19, 2017 Share Posted October 19, 2017 Urghh I completely agree, conflating asexuality with gender dysphoria and presenting it as something that can be 'cured'. Maybe interviewing someone who actually identifies as asexual would have been a good starting point? 'Male and female have been blurred by terms like "pansexual" ' WTF 'It may affect just one per cent of the population, but it's no less worthy of an empathetic understanding' Oh THANK YOU I'm so thrilled the Arbiter of All Empathy has decided we're worthy of some Yeah it's really a case of where bad representation is worse than none. Maybe we should get AVEN to complain haha Link to post Share on other sites
Rynn Posted October 19, 2017 Share Posted October 19, 2017 Haha this part is funny: Whilst in the past, Price has publicly identified as asexual, they now see themselves as non-binary, and has requested to be referred to in exclusively they/them pronouns. As if you can't be non-binary AND asexual. As if asexuality is a gender identity somehow. I think they should have clarified that while for some people gender dysphoria can cause them to be effectively asexual, and that can disappear after transition, this is not the case for all asexuals, or even for all trans asexuals. (I for one would definitely still be ace if I wasn't non-binary) Overall I don't think the article is that bad though. It also got a lot right. Maybe write them? The independent seems decent enough to actually listen, right? They may just correct it. Link to post Share on other sites
cinary Posted October 19, 2017 Share Posted October 19, 2017 @Music & Lyrics you are so frustrated, I love you, beautiful post. Oh and don't think I'm just sarcastic, I agree 100% with you. Link to post Share on other sites
Galactic Turtle Posted October 19, 2017 Share Posted October 19, 2017 Definitely not a very well researched article. Or maybe it's more of the tone... like "It may affect just one per cent of the population." Eheh... ok. I know we're only 1% but was it really that hard to find an asexual person to interview? Link to post Share on other sites
Acing It Posted October 19, 2017 Share Posted October 19, 2017 The header itself is not helpful in the first place I think, to say the least. Would they have printed something like this if they had to replace 'asexual' with 'gay'? I also agree that the sentence about 'Price' calling themselves now non-binary instead of asexual is not helpful at all, along with the Asperger's comment. In uninformed reader's minds that's what asexuality now equates to, Aspergers, a gender identity and if they don't read beyond the header, 'curable', thus an illness. A lot of asexual people, and non-binary people for that matter, don't have Asperger's syndrome and a lot of people with Asperger's syndrome have sexual attraction within the general norm. Equally, not all asexuals will identify or feel at home in the LGBTQ movement. If it didn't clearly say Independent at the top I would have expected it would have been on a tabloid's website. I think this article is unworthy of the Indy. Next time better, Olivia Petter. Link to post Share on other sites
WinterWanderer Posted October 19, 2017 Share Posted October 19, 2017 1 minute ago, Acing It said: The header itself is not helpful in the first place I think, to say the least. Would they have printed something like this if they had to replace 'asexual' with 'gay'? I also agree that the sentence about 'Price' calling themselves now non-binary instead of asexual is not helpful at all, along with the Asperger's comment. In uninformed reader's minds that's what asexuality now equates to, Aspergers, a gender identity and if they don't read beyond the header, 'curable', thus an illness. A lot of asexual people, and non-binary people for that matter, don't have Asperger's syndrome and a lot of people with Asperger's syndrome have sexual attraction within the general norm. Equally, not all asexuals will identify or feel at home in the LGBTQ movement. If it didn't clearly say Independent at the top I would have expected it would have been on a tabloid's website. I think this article is unworthy of the Indy. Next time better, Olivia Petter. Yeah, it has the tone of a click-bait article that you'd expect from somewhere like Cosmo. But even Cosmo publishes better written pieces than this. I'm curious to know how the interviewed person feels about the tone and headline of the article. They may not have realized how their story would be portrayed. (At least, I hope they didn't.) Link to post Share on other sites
Acing It Posted October 19, 2017 Share Posted October 19, 2017 Just now, Fioryn said: Yeah, it has the tone of a click-bait article that you'd expect from somewhere like Cosmo. But even Cosmo publishes better written pieces than this. I'm curious to know how the interviewed person feels about the tone and headline of the article. They may not have realized how their story would be portrayed. (At least, I hope they didn't.) That's a good point. I wonder if the person in question is still on here and could respond. Link to post Share on other sites
borkfork Posted October 19, 2017 Share Posted October 19, 2017 56 minutes ago, Galactic Turtle said: I know we're only 1% but was it really that hard to find an asexual person to interview? YES. It would have been really really hard to type "asexuality," "asexual groups," or "asexual message board" into Google. Or you know, follow the link to AVEN from Wikipedia. I know what you're saying, I'm just piling on. ----------- I'm sorry if you confused not liking your gender or body with a sexual orientation. Maybe next time, don't do an interview as "former asexual" like you prayed the gay, er uh, ace away. Tig Notaro: What if I want to pray the gay to stay? Link to post Share on other sites
Mermaidy Posted October 19, 2017 Share Posted October 19, 2017 I can see how the article would confuse and give the wrong ideas to someone if he isn't familiar with asexuality Link to post Share on other sites
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