Does anyone know where I can find any sort of survey data on aphobia?

[LostResearcher]

I'm getting kind of desperate. I'm doing a reflexive essay on being asexual and I need references. It's been going pretty well so far but I'm really struggling to find data on aphobia that I can access. Can anyone point me in the right direction? The essay is due on the 12th.

[Janus the Fox]

Moved to Visibility and Education Projects

 

Janus DarkFox

Questions about Asexuality, Asexual Musings and Rantings & Open Mic Moderator

[NickyTannock]

This is an often referenced study within the topic of discrimination against Asexuals, so you might find it useful.

https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/03e6/a3e5bbd89620716c110381b3818dc6f4fad5.pdf?_ga=2.50597985.939990235.1588339006-1830876554.1588339006

[everywhere and nowhere]

Just mentioning, I don't like the term "aphobia". Yes, it mirrors the structure of "homo-phobia", "bi-phobia" and "trans-phobia", but due to the brevity of the "a-" prefix it sounds like it means "lack of fear". It has a few alternatives and my preferred one is "asexophobia" - also because it can emphasise the fact that anti-asexual and anti-celibacy prejudice may be impossible to separate.

[LostResearcher]

@Nowhere Girl That's fair. But I figure any possible data will be tagged as aphobia. And since the people who will be reviewing my essay are definitely unfamiliar with asexuality outside of maybe a vague understanding, I'm sticking to words they can make fast connections with. They'll see aphobia and the definition I've provided, see the mirror of other 'phobias' (which is generally a poor way to phrase any of them in my mind. It's rather a fear of other sexualities that results in these problems), and quickly get their heads around it, if that makes sense. Plus asexophobia kind of leaves out aromantics who are also briefly covered in the essay. 

[NickyTannock]

I usually call it Acephobia.

 

Incidentally, the 12th will be my birthday.

[EverlovingFiasco]

Hoffarth, M., Drolet, C., Hodson, G. and Hafer, C. (2016). Development and validation of the Attitudes Towards Asexuals (ATA) scale. Psychology and Sexuality. 7 (2), p88-100.

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19419899.2015.1050446    (PDF available through Taylor & Francis)

 

Emens, E. (2014). Compulsory Sexuality. Stanford Law Review. 66, p303-386

https://scholarship.law.columbia.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2787&context=faculty_scholarship      (PDF)

 

[kelico]

7 hours ago, Unamoosed said:

Hiya, I did a literature review of academic asexuality research before Christmas as part of my PhD, and I had a little section on aphobia (I personally use aphobia, but anti-asexual bias/prejudice/attitudes are often used). There really isn't very much research into aphobia, so aside from the MacInnis and Hodson study mentioned above, the two papers I came across that I think would be of most use to you are:

 

Hoffarth, M., Drolet, C., Hodson, G. and Hafer, C. (2016). Development and validation of the Attitudes Towards Asexuals (ATA) scale. Psychology and Sexuality. 7 (2), p88-100.

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19419899.2015.1050446    (PDF available through Taylor & Francis)

This paper built on the MacInnis and Hodson empirical study of aphobia,  and looked at commonalities between aphobia and other forms of prejudice, including homophobia and sexism. It also created a scale measuring attitudes towards asexuals, finding a link between aphobia and endorsement of traditional gender norms, and also finding that people with awareness of asexuality or who know asexual people are less likely to be aphobic.

 

Emens, E. (2014). Compulsory Sexuality. Stanford Law Review. 66, p303-386

https://scholarship.law.columbia.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2787&context=faculty_scholarship      (PDF)

This paper looks at the ways in which (American) law privileges sexuality, to the detriment of asexuality, and thus you can argue that these laws are aphobic (e.g. marriage consummation laws). Emens also discusses potential causes of aphobia, and legal protections for asexual people through anti-discrimination legislation.

 

I hope that helps you! 

May we share these on our (AVEN) social media?

[NickyTannock]

12 hours ago, kelico said:

May we share these on our (AVEN) social media?

Including the one I'd linked?

[kelico]

6 hours ago, MichaelTannock said:

Including the one I'd linked?

Yes!

[EverlovingFiasco]

On 5/2/2020 at 12:21 AM, kelico said:

May we share these on our (AVEN) social media?

Yes, of course!