Article

[AVENguy]

Interesting mention in an article on sexual complexity:

http://www.indianaobserver.com/2002/may/sex.html

An Observer staff member had three relatives, two females and one male, all now deceased, each of whom, for reasons unknown, throughout their lives, to the knowledge of relatives and friends, never expressed or exhibited a romantic or sexual thought, never had a single "date" or romantic or sexual encounter with anyone, male or female, and certainly were never married. The male relative had been a U.S. Marine who fought at Guadalcanal Island in the South Pacific during World War II. The relatives were sociable, successful, and wonderful people of whom the staff member has fond memories. It is possible that they were asexual. They might be referred to as "abstinent", or "celibate", but today those words imply some ideological motive. The staffer is not aware that the relatives subscribed to any such ideology, so the staffer speculates that they might simply have been asexual.

We believe that asexuality is, and always has been, much more common than most people today would imagine, and is possibly as common as homosexuality, or even more common, but is simply less visible. People who are "sexual", which is not only another sexuality, but is the most broad-based and most populous sexuality, find it difficult to imagine asexuality. Sexuals tend to assume that everyone is sexual. Sexuality activists never mention asexuals. It makes sense that asexuals would lack visibility because, by definition, they neither express nor exhibit anything of a sexual nature. Consciously or not, they are stealthy. The social radar does not pick them up.

Sexuals and asexuals. So, now we count twelve sexualities.

Another sexuality is that of loving and monogamous male/female couples who are happily married for many years, but, for whatever reason, do not engage in physical sexual activity. Their relationship is one of intense commitment, but is platonic. This is similar to heterosexuality, and it is similar to asexuality, but it is not sufficiently described by either term.

Thus, we count thirteen sexualities.

Hehe, damn right we're stealthy.

It's interesting how he draws the distinction between "romantic" asexuals and nonromantic ones as if its somehow sexual. The distinction seems to be "those who wound up in relationships" and "those who didn't."

[AVENguy]

..from the folks who brought you the Kinsey Scale...

http://www.indiana.edu/~kinsey/publications/column2.html

poised to move forward into the next millennium as the foremost institute in the world dedicated to the serious interdisciplinary study of human asexuality. We'll keep you informed or our progress.

I have to say that they're doing a pretty shitty job so far, unless they've been off in the background taking notes this whole time. I've been around most of the dives (it seems) and I've seen hide nor hair of any research being done. I'll e-mail them and tell them to get cracking..

[nemesis]

I find it oddly amusing to be called "stealthy".

Anyway, I'm curious about their claims of research. To say that they are in the foremost implies that other research is being done. Research, hopefully, other then pointing out that it's one of the side effects of malnutrition and/or too much exercise. I would like to see some of this research and find out what it is they are doing. Good luck on the e-mail.

[nemesis]

Actually, "foremost" also means the very first (possibly in time). I wonder if they picked it because that is the case...

[AVENguy]

I've e-mailed them about it, but I've got a sneaking suspicion that with "a" next to "s" on the keyboard it was a typo.

[Guest Anonymous]

Huh, the research is legit. I'm getting in touch with the head of the program..