Asexuality and Asexual Characters in Films & Series - a Collection

[Toff]

On 2/21/2021 at 10:56 AM, A User said:

Henry Higgins (Murdoch Mysteries series)

Not confirmed, headcanon

Love the show, and it's fairly inclusive, but I have trouble reading Henry Hieronymus Higgins-Newsome as asexual.

[Guest]

So, I just finished watching the show BoJack Horseman. And. Oh. My. Stars! It was so good! I didn't expect to like it going in, but it was actually a great watch! Spoilers ahead! The reason I started watching the show was because I heard there was asexual representation, the famous Todd Chavez. Most of the ace community seems to think this is good ace representation, but a few people said it was playing a bit into stereotypes. I totally get where those people are coming from, but I also disagree a little. So here's my take on Todd.

 

I absolutely loved this character, from his ace storyline to his regular wacky shenanigans. I think I was hoping for just a little more exploration of his asexuality, but I also understand that he's not the main character and that wasn't at all a main storyline. What they had there was excellent though. His initial hesitance to accept the label, but embracing it over time and finding a community, resonated with me. They also didn't spend a lot of time explaining asexuality, which I found refreshing. Instead, they took time to find out what it means specifically for Todd. I know that asexuality is not well known or understood, but at some point, it's really nice to feel like that representation is in there for asexuals and isn't just meant to educate allos, if that makes sense.

 

I've heard several people, both online and IRL, worry that Todd (who is a very goofy dude) is perpetuating the stereotype that asexual people are childish and naive. I totally understand this perspective. But I think that calling Todd's character a stereotype can also be pretty damaging. Firstly, while he does get up to some crazy adventures, he has some very mature moments. He starts setting boundaries in his friendship with BoJack and, if you ask me, setting boundaries is one of the most adult things you can do. He also specifically says at one point, "I understand sex. I'm not a child." I think this was the show creators directly addressing the criticism of his naiveté. Second, while there are some stereotypes about aces that are actually very damaging, I don't think Todd's character is one of them. The asexual experience is so vast and unique to each person, that calling Todd a stereotype could be exclusionary to people like this. I said much the same thing in a post about Issac from Heartstopper. He is bookish and introverted, but that doesn't make him a stereotype necessarily. As long as it's clear that those qualities are part of his personality and not because of his asexuality, it can be really good representation. I know that aces all have different experiences. But for me, I am bookish and introverted and somewhat naive about sex. Me existing and living my life is not a stereotype and I shouldn't be made to feel like I'm harming my community for it. No one should.

 

The show also includes other asexuals to really hit home with the fact that asexuals are in fact people and do in fact have their own personalities. Yolanda, for example, is the exact opposite of Todd. That means they don't work out for long, but it does balance out any assumptions people could make about asexuals. And then we meet Maude, who's voiced by an asexual actor! And Todd and Maude are in a happy, healthy ace relationship! Hooray! I think the show creators really put a lot of thought and effort into doing justice in Todd's ace storyline. I mean, they made a garlic bread joke. What more could we ask for?

 

So yeah, those are my thoughts on Todd. This post ended up being a lot longer that I thought, so if you made it this far, thanks for reading! Let me know what you think of Todd and if you agree or disagree that characters like Todd and Issac are harmful stereotypes. Regardless, I think more ace representation is a net positive for the community and I'm really excited to see more ace characters in the future!

[LeChat]

(Below is an official, green, mod message.)

 

@Sandpiper Spade Hi! I'm just letting you know that I've helped merge your "Bojack Horseman" thread from the "Musings and Rantings" forum to AVEN's main, T.V. and film thread in the World Watch forum, which includes discussions about the show.

 

@MLR @Forest Spirit @The French Unicorn  Hi! I'm just letting you know that I've helped move your posts about "Bojack Horseman" (starting here) from the "Asexuality and Asexual Characters in Books & Comics - a Collection" thread in World Watch to AVEN's main, T.V. and film thread in the World Watch forum, which includes discussions about the show.

 

@unopeneddoor Hi! I'm just letting you know that I've helped move your posts about "Bojack Horseman, here, from the "Members Questioning" forum to AVEN's main, T.V. and film thread in the World Watch forum, which includes discussions about the show.

 

I hope this helps!

 

LeChat,

Welcome Lounge, Announcements, and Alternate Language moderator

[sleepytess]

so! heartstopper season 2 drops in just over a week! which means we are also getting the most main-stream on-screen aroace representation i've ever seen in a week.

 

for anyone who doesn't know, a new addition to the heartstopper universe, isaac henderson, is a canonically aroace character - as confirmed by also aroace heartstopper creator, alice oseman - who is about to be my first ever aroace character i've seen on-screen (note: if you know anything else PLEASE SEND IT MY WAY).

 

from the few hints we've received from alice and from the trailer, it looks like isaac's storyline is going to involve another character, called james, and presumably he may mistake platonic attraction for romantic (as we all may have done) and question why he isn't too into all this romance stuff unlike his friends...!!

 

also, in one still from the season, isaac (known for always having a book in his hand) is reading 'summer bird blue' by akemi dawn bowman - though i haven't read it personally, alice has talked about this book before, as it depicts an aroace main character...

 

as someone who had a full on sexuality crisis after reading loveless, the idea that isaac might go through the same experience with a different book is really funny to me... though i slightly doubt it, and the book might just be there for foreshadowing.

 

lastly, this shot from the trailer is absolutely devastating. isaac is in a friendgroup full of couples... with elle and tao bound to get together in paris. the shot is so beautifully symbolic... but god is it upsetting, seeing him in the middle of all of these couples, most likely feeling pressure to fit in.

 

 

every single one of these hints to his storyline are experiences i've had myself being aroace. so, maybe i'm projecting or maybe i've just had the same bloody experiences as everyone else. but nevertheless, this is bound to ruin me and i'm so scared but so excited. this is going to be so important to so many people and i can't wait for its impact :]

[Beta_Version]

as someone who had a full on sexuality crisis after reading loveless, 

17 minutes ago, sleepytess said:

so! heartstopper season 2 drops in just over a week! which means we are also getting the most main-stream on-screen aroace representation i've ever seen in a week.

 

as someone who had a full on sexuality crisis after reading loveless, the idea that isaac might go through the same experience with a different book is really funny to me... though i slightly doubt it, and the book might just be there for foreshadowing.

 

OOOH YAY I also loved Heartstopper and relate so hard about Loveless being a big launch into a sexuality crisis! Thanks for the reminder about season two. I'm so excited it's coming so soon and even more excited to hear this news about the new aroace character. ❤️

[rosesnromantics]

Ugh i cannot wait!!!

[nanogretchen4]

Isaac was in the first season although he did not get as much story time as the other characters. He came across as very introverted in the first season. If he is going to have an arc about a QPR or even a new friend outside the old friend group, I don't know why he is alone in the photo.

[sleepytess]

37 minutes ago, nanogretchen4 said:

Isaac was in the first season although he did not get as much story time as the other characters. He came across as very introverted in the first season. If he is going to have an arc about a QPR or even a new friend outside the old friend group, I don't know why he is alone in the photo.

a qpr storyline would be Crazy... i kind of doubt it since so many people can barely (for some reason) get their brains around aro/ace-spectrum stuff nevermind qprs. plus there is definitely something going on between him and james... though james, in the graphic novel at least, can definitely feel attraction is some form. doesn't mean it can't happen though...!!! maybe in later seasons he might get someone... or maybe its enough of a sentiment that he can be happy on his own... thats pretty awesome too :]

[Guest]

I'm so excited!! I'm hoping that in addition to fabulous aroace rep, we also get romantic ace rep, maybe in Tori? I'm not expecting that, but it would make my heart happy. I hope Isaac gets the screen time he deserves this season and that a good amount of time is dedicated to his aroace plotline. Not only would it be great to feel seen, but something as big as Heartstopper will reach and (hopefully) educate a lot of people. Even most of the queer people I've spoken to don't really understand aro/ace identities. I know I'm not alone when I say it would be awesome if I get to stop explaining asexuality every time it's brought up.

[sleepytess]

10 hours ago, Sandpiper Spade said:

I'm so excited!! I'm hoping that in addition to fabulous aroace rep, we also get romantic ace rep, maybe in Tori? 

...i'm gonna tell you a secret. i don't know how much you've read of alice oseman's stuff, but in her first book about tori, solitaire, she enters a relationship with (the best boy ever) michael holden. and, for many years (but not in that book), tori has been canonically asexual with an unlabelled romantic orientation.

 

but here's the secret. alice oseman has a patreon where for like £4/$5 a month, you get access to heartstopper pages as alice draws them on a daily basis. and just recently, about a week or so ago, a page was released where tori came out to charlie as asexual. it is very very exciting because it means it will be in the live action meaning more asexual rep :]

 

also just always very exciting to me because i've always felt a connection to tori as a character so i'm super excited to see that :]! idk what season it will feature in... maybe the next season? depending on where s2 and s3 end

[_Anne_]

I can not wait !! I also hope there could be a movie adaptation of Loveless, that would be AMAZING !!!

[Beta_Version]

1 hour ago, sleepytess said:

but in her first book about tori, solitaire, 

 

 

Oh what!? My elibrary doesn't have this book and so therefore I haven't heard of it. Thanks for letting us in on this secret. Going to get the book somehow!

[sleepytess]

20 hours ago, Beta_Version said:

Oh what!? My elibrary doesn't have this book and so therefore I haven't heard of it. Thanks for letting us in on this secret. Going to get the book somehow!

solitaire is a lovely little experience!! i gotta reread it, especially because the heartstopper comic has caught up to when solitaire takes place, so we’re seeing events overlap a lot.

 

it was alice’s first book, which she says is why tori doesn’t explicitly say she’s asexual in solitaire, because alice herself didn’t even know the terminology for it… but she still displayed tori as pretty asexual despite not knowing what it was yet…!

[sleepytess]

21 hours ago, _Anne_ said:

I can not wait !! I also hope there could be a movie adaptation of Loveless, that would be AMAZING !!!

i think i would deaaaad if there was a loveless movie… i think i would sob my way through the whole thing T-T but it would be so awesome…

 

honestly because they took aled last out of the tv show (for good reason!!! i swear i completely understand why but GOD i miss him) i’d love if he still got his time as he wouldn’t have able to have gotten in the show by a radio silence adaptation. though that would Seriously destroy me. radio silence is heartbreaking and i fear it will never Stop being heartbreaking T-T

[Exoplanetarian]

There is this scene after he kisses the other guy and he just runs and cries and I cried with him bc its so...heartbreaking to see him go through all that stuff like he just deserves the best. And its so nice to see how he gradually finds himself. So here for it!!! 

[LeChat]

@sleepytess (Below is an official, green, mod message.)

 

Hi! I'm just letting you know your thread, here, was merged from the "Asexual Musings and Rantings" forum with AVEN's main, "Asexual Characters In Film & Series" thread, in the World Watch forum.

 

LeChat,

Welcome Lounge, Announcements, and Alternate Language moderator

[drwhofreak]

Film: Slow (dir. Marija Kavtaradze)

One of the leads is canonically asexual. (According to the trailer and the blurb, i haven't actually watched it, and there's obviously a small chance it's gonna be a House, M.D. situation but from interviews with the director and reviews of the film that definitely doesn't seem to be the case)
Its a Lithuanian romantic drama about an allo woman and an ace man (although seemingly slightly more focused on the allo woman's life) and how they negotiate intimacy in their relationship. Its playing at London Film festival in October. It won an award at Sundance and has also been selected as Lithuania's entry for Best International Feature at this year's Oscars. 

[Lilihierax]

Main character Kerry Mucklowe from This Country (BBC mockumentary) is canonically asexual (and, I think safe to say, aromantic), as described by her creator and actor, Daisy May Cooper.

[jesus dario]

Barbie is other character asexual Ken is asexual icon too

[Autumn ace]

14 hours ago, jesus dario said:

Barbie is other character asexual Ken is asexual icon too

Them not knowing what „staying the night“ meant felt like both asexual representation, and representation for oblivious asexuals who don’t even know about some well things (which is representation I can really appreciate) 

[jesus dario]

Definitely exist probably asexuals fictional characteres and asexuals non fictional characteres despite

of that a character is asexual per not show sexual scenes or that simply the character doesn't is interested

inthe sex topic there are many asexuals characteres that are fictionals and others non fictionals.

 

 

Raven of the Titans Teens.

Definitely Raven is asexual she is daughter of the Azarath Demon i say that is possible that is asexual

maybe Raven of the Titans Teens because is a daughter of a demon and the demons or angels are asexuals more can see offcourse

that Raven is ace, possibly.

 

Alan Garner of The Hangover.

The non fictional character of the movie The Hangover is asexual this character is asexual but in the third part The Hangover part 3 has a

marry but to be asexual doesn't means that can't feel others types of atractions as the romantic atraction.

 

 

Goku of Dragon Ball Z

The Dragon Ball Z character Goku is asexual. This character has never had relationships or experimented, despite being married and with children, Goku has never felt physically attracted to his wife or anyone besides the fact that Goku is asexual because he is busy saving the world from all the villains.

 

 

Foxy of FNAF.

Without a doubt Foxy from fnaf is asexual the anuimatronic in the form of a fox is possible asexual is an asexual icon

 

Barbie of Barbie Movie.

Barbie is an asexual character when she sees Ken with different eyes or the girls in a different way, not in that sexual way. Barbie is asexual

[LeChat]

@jesus dario (Below is an official, green, mod message.)

 

Hi! I'm just letting you know your World Watch thread, here, was merged with AVEN's main fiction/non-fiction asexual characters in film/T.V series in the same forum.

 

LeChat,

Welcome Lounge, Announcements, and Alternate Language moderator

[Blueberry Pie]

Many of us already know that Alastor from the animated adult TV show Hazbin Hotel is ace (and also aro); this is not new. However, Alastor's aceness was finally said aloud, in the show itself! Previously, him being labeled as ace came from sources outside the show itself (like creator livestreams when there was still only the pilot, or voice actor tweets). See the clip from Season 1, Episode 7 below in the Spoiler.

 

Spoiler

Rosie calls Alastor an "ace in the hole." Presumably, Alastor is confused because he's from the 1930s and hasn't made an effort to familarize himself with any LGBTQ+ terms. 

 

 

 

[Luftschlosseule]

The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean has an ace character and the word "asexual" is used.

[Blueberry Pie]

16 hours ago, Luftschlosseule said:

The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean has an ace character and the word "asexual" is used.

That’s awesome. I’ve seen that book before at my local bookstore and am now even more interested. You should post that to:

 

[Luftschlosseule]

6 hours ago, Blueberry Pie said:

That’s awesome. I’ve seen that book before at my local bookstore and am now even more interested. You should post that to:

 

Sorry, only have the energy to do it once. Picked the thread that was furthest up in the overview in the hopes that it is the one true thread.

[iff]

Category: Film 

Author or Source: susanna Fogel (Director), Michelle Ashford (Writer)

Title: Cat Person

 

In the psychological thriller, Cat Person, The character Clay (played by Isaac Cole Powell) is asexual. 31 minutes into the movie, the main character Margot (Emilia Jones) is talking to him and asks if he was seeing "anyone special? Any guys"

Clay realises that last time they talked, he wanted to explore dating guys, he explains "I realised I'm ace" and further explains "which is what asexuals call themselves"

 

The scene is about 2 minutes long, with him explaining how he came to the realisation of being asexual. 

 

[None of this is a spoiler to the film.]