Jump to content

Asexual Petition for Social Networking Sites


Regal Lager

Recommended Posts

I don't know if I've posted this in the right section, or if this has been posted before. If it's in the wrong section or this topic's been posted before I apologize.

I did a search for the term asexual on the internet and came across a link to an article for The Philadelphia Examiner. There is a petition online to get sites like facebook, myspace and other social networking sites to have an asexual and pansexual option. The article was date July 12, no year specified, so I believe it would only be a few months old. I know it doesn't seem like much, but this would be another way of getting word out about asexuality, even if it is just on facebook. It's important for asexuals to be identified as part of the sexual specturm as much as heterosexuals, homosexuals and bisexuals are.

The article
The petition



2015 Edit: The above links don't work anymore, but the article can be found here. For future reference:


Petition to let users select asexual and pansexual as their orientation on Facebook and Myspace
July 12, 11:26 AM

Dating sites usually do not include asexuality as a valid orientation. Why would they? The term asexuality has only recently been applied to people who are not interested in sex or do not experience sexual attraction to anything. A few asexual dating sites exist for aces looking for romance.. Fetlife already lets users select asexaul as their orientation.

The petition does not yet have many signatures, although if sites like Facebook and Myspace allowed people to select asexual and pansexual as their sexual orientation, it might solve many of the problems the ace community currently experiences with those groups. (The author does not fully understand the term pansexual, although he believe it encompasses both gender and people who fall outside the gender binaries. If any pansexuals read this column, they should feel free to define it clearly.)

The mainstream dating sites may take a while longer to catch onto the existence of this groups, but this may also require sites such as Okcupid.com to change their matching code, and allow for groups such as hetero-romantic, homo-romantic, bi-romantic and aromantic asexuals. It may take the owners of these sites to realize that there are asexuals out there and some of them are looking for romantic relationships. (The Love from the Asexual Underground blog covers this topic frequently.)

Interested parties can sign the petition by clicking this link. At least if we can select asexual as our orientation on Facebook, aces might be able to fend off potential stalkers. Such an option would invite comments from people asking if you’re asexual or just really bad at finding potential partners.



An archived copy of the petition can be found here. For future reference:


Options for asexuals and pansexuals on social networking sites

To: MySpace, Facebook, and other social networking sites
We are asking that MySpace, Facebook, and other social networking sites expand the available options for users in the "sexual orientation" category. Currently, most sites only offer "gay," "straight," or "bi," and some also allow a "not sure" and/or "no answer" option, but options for "asexual" and "pansexual" aren't listed. It's important to acknowledge that failure to include these categories forces asexuals and pansexuals to misrepresent themselves with another answer or to be unable to answer truthfully at all. These categories are not made up, nor are they a subsection of any of the available options. Thousands of people identify themselves with these terms and aren't being offered an appropriate choice.

An asexual is a person who doesn't experience sexual attraction (not "no sexual orientation" so much as it is "a sexual orientation of no"). A pansexual is a person whose attraction to others goes beyond bisexuality (it specifies a person whose attraction can express toward any person, regardless of biological sex or gender orientation, usually with the understanding that it is a sexual interest that grows from initially emotional attraction). Leaving asexuals without an option forces them to choose "no answer" or some other misrepresentation, and leaving pansexuals without an option removes their ability to express that they can experience attraction outside the gender binary.

We think it would reflect a progressive and open-minded view to consider these additions, and we think being in touch with members' need for proper expression options is very important for any influential social networking site. Please take our suggestions into consideration.
Sincerely,

The Undersigned

Link to post
Share on other sites

Facebook allows you to choose asexual, since you may choose "interested in guys" and "interested in girls" separately, but it is confused with "not declared". A list straight/bi/gay, even if pan and ace are added, is a step backwards. It should be "interested in guys/girls/both/none/gender-blind".

Link to post
Share on other sites
Facebook allows you to choose asexual, since you may choose "interested in guys" and "interested in girls" separately, but it is confused with "not declared". A list straight/bi/gay, even if pan and ace are added, is a step backwards. It should be "interested in guys/girls/both/none/gender-blind".

Second.

Also voted.

Link to post
Share on other sites

207. I really hope they add this. I have always felt left out by facebook and myspace!

Link to post
Share on other sites

I quite like the way facebook does it, though I believe there is an application (SGO or something) that allows you to elaborate further for those who want to.

No idea about other sites, I don't use them.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I signed it before, but what about all the grays?

Link to post
Share on other sites
I signed it before, but what about all the grays?

I wonder about that too. I wish facebook and myspace instead of making you choose an option (straight, gay, etc) would leave a comment box for you to put want you want. Facebook does it for the religion and politics section, why not for this. In the interested section you can either check men or women (or both)... as an asexual I just have to leave it blank. I know I could check both because I'm interested in men and women equally (aka not at all) but that would open up a slew of are you bisexual questions.

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...
In the interested section you can either check men or women (or both)... as an asexual I just have to leave it blank.

I am asexual and I AM interested in guys, romantically. People, PLEASE stop referring to asexuality as aromanticism. They're not the same thing.

233, BTW.

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...

265. I know not all aces are aromantic but I'd certainly appreciate an easier way to let guys know I'm not available. And to teach my friends about it.

Link to post
Share on other sites
Interested in: Not interested

XD

You can do that in a way but not ticking either Male or Female for Interested In though.

The problem is that lots of people, despite being 'Interested In' Male and/or Female, simply don't fill in that section for whatever reason. Therefore someone who doesn't fill in that section looks as though they just haven't bothered/don't want to seem pushy/have a relationship already so don't see the point/aren't looking for a relationship/whatever. Actual disinterest in either is not something people are likely to conclude from that.

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
×
×
  • Create New...