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Does 'asexual' as adjective annoy you?


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Not really Philosophy/Politics but sort of cultural-lingustical so, close enough.

'Asexual' is often used in a sort of adjective form. Often referring to someone's attitude or appearance as 'not being very/at all sexy'. It sort goes along the lines of what we conjure up when we think of (sometimes true, sometimes not) asexual stereotypes, you know the things that could set off our a-dar(but these are not necessarily asexual people). For example I've heard people refer to Michael Jackson as 'asexual', but these (seem to be) people who have never heard of actual asexuality in the orientation sense, and are using it as an adjective/descriptor

I have also heard it used as an adjective as a synonym for adrogynous/undifferentiated people.

As well as an adjective for sexual people who are prone to not getting finding sex.

How do you feel about this second way of using the word 'asexual'?

(the third way being in reference to single-celled things and biology, which is legitimate)

In a way while it might not be the most evil thing in the world, it has the possibility to steal our thunder, as in , if you were to say to someone "I am asexual" they might not understand clearly, and to them you could just be a sexual who being mildly self-depricating.

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Well, that would certainly explain that woman saying to AVENguy, "It's okay, I don't think you're asexual." :lol:

I haven't really thought of it. It's not something you hear often.

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Hmm. Well, not to step on anyone's toes, but OUR way isn't really 'legitimate' either - we just made it up and defined it. Which is awesome, don't get me wrong.. but we're not really in a place where we can lecture people about using other made up forms. Asexual using 'sex' as 'gender' can be applied to androgynous/undifferentiated people quite smoothly. The fact that we've chosen to use 'sex' as 'the attraction.. blah blah blah..' doesn't mean we get any thunder, it's just a convenient label.

As to misunderstanding.. that's a fair concern, and we'll just have to smack some sense into anyone who misunderstands.

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Good point, Davey.

While equating androgeny with asexuality doesn't bother me, if somebody were to say in front of me that Michael Jackson is asexual I would be sorely tempted to smack more than a little sense into him/her.

Pedophiles are NOT asexual.

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He's not just a pedophile.. he's also semi-androgynous. If you define people by their perversions, you meet a lot of perverts.

Not that I don't recommend smacking people on a regular basis.

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Cate Perfect

We didn't make it up, though. It's in the dictionary.

*goes to fetch dictionary*

This is Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary:

First they do the typical biological/plant definition. And the third definition is: 'Devoid of sexuality'.

The only thing we say is that asexuality IS a sexuality.

Cate

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Cate Perfect

I know. It makes me think of the story someone told about coming out and the response was, 'But asexuality only means reproducing alone.' Now we can say, 'You need to take that up with Webster. He seems to think words can have more than one meaning.'

Cate

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Vicious Trollop

It does annoy me. The on-campus Everyone Is Bi Patrol at my school have started calling themselves asexual when what they mean is agender. I don't want to lecture them and I don't want to fight for rights to use the term, and I'm also not in a place where I'm prepared to bring asexuality as a movement to my campus. But it does annoy me, because the word does not make sense in the way they're using it. On the other hand, I'm not worried about their use of it confusing people about asexuality, because no one takes them seriously (both fortunate and unfortunate).

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fluffy_hime
I have also heard it used as an adjective as a synonym for adrogynous/undifferentiated people.

As well as an adjective for sexual people who are prone to not getting finding sex.

Yes, this annoys me. Perhaps I just don't like any type of insinuation that someone can't "get" sex, because I always kind of assumed that to be my problem, and know how humiliating that innuendo is, even used against oneself.

'You need to take that up with Webster. He seems to think words can have more than one meaning.'

:lol:

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Good point, Davey.

While equating androgeny with asexuality doesn't bother me, if somebody were to say in front of me that Michael Jackson is asexual I would be sorely tempted to smack more than a little sense into him/her.

I don't know about smack them, it'd be more like I'd be prone to bursting out laughing and spraying whatever I may be eating/drinking in their face.

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Hmm, I've actually never heard of that. Interesting to know though. As for how I feel about it, irritated. :evil:

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wysiwygchik
While equating androgeny

Androgeny means "producing only male offspring." I think the word you mean is "androgyny" [andro=male, gyn=female].

I'm not totally against using "asexual" as an adjective. I'm more concerned with using the word "woman" as an adjective when it's clearly a noun [seen in the sexist phrases "woman lawyer", "woman doctor", etc.], which is improper English.

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  • 2 weeks later...

part of this is probably due to the lack of infomation people have regarding asexuality as a sexual orientation.

i know that when i tell most people i'm asexual they really dont believe/ understand me so i have to go into detail to explain. it gets pretty tiring...but gotta start somewhere. I dont mind educating my sexual peers one at a time. :D

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