Do you think asexuality has a scientifical explanation?

[leftbrainrightmind]

Do you think that the lack of desire towards humans can find an explanation such as neuronal misconnections, personality disoder, some chemical intercation lacking... or something, anything.

I mean, if sexuality has reasons, asexuality must have some too, right?

And do you think someone can stop being asexual or suddently become one?

[Herr Joseph von Löthing]

Genetics and exposure to a certain mix of hormones and chemicals in the brain. I doubt it's environmental, most people develop sexual attraction no matter where they're placed.

[Pandoren]

Technically there must be a scientific reason for everything. There must be some biological mechanisms that control sexual attraction so somehow I expect one day we'll be able to look into it and see why some people are interested in women, in men, in animals, in the Berlin Wall, or in nobody.

In my explanations, I like to simplify matters by explaining about the two "switches" that people have- naturally, people must have at least two (remember I'm simplifying here) one that controls attraction towards men and one that controls attraction towards women. For most people of course, this is heterosexual, so one switch is on, one is off. In homosexual people the same, except the "wrong" switch is active. Sometimes a child is born with both switches on. Why then can a child not be born with both switches off?

I suppose I do, yes. There seem to be some stories that people have been asexual and become sexual, or that some have been sexual and become asexual, or that people have been hetero/homosexual and changed to be the other. I hope it doesn't happen to me though, I'm happy as I am.

[Sally]

Considering the fact that despite decades of research, the "cause" of homosexuality has not been determined, the cause of asexuality probably won't be determined anytime soon. There's certainly no solid funding for that kind of research, and scientists don't usually do research on their own dime.

No, I'm not going to wake up tomorrow suddenly sexual, and my sisters aren't going to wake up tomorrow suddenly asexual.

[Sciatrix]

It probably exists. However, we have so little information at present in so many fields impinging on sexuality research that actually determining the cause is not something which is scientifically possible to do without resorting to really shitty methods, and oh hey also the particular study of human sexuality tends to be really problematic towards pathologizing "deviants from the norm" like pretty much anyone who isn't strictly into heterosexual missionary sex, and oh hey look there's all these gender roles issues we don't understand at all to play into it! And then we have genetics playing into all of this, and if you seriously think scientists have any more than the vaguest possible idea how the mechanisms of genetics and environment on the human brain work, well. That particular intersection is hopefully going to be my life's work, so allow me to tell you that we barely understand the genes affecting the mating behavior of fruit flies, who only have four chromosomes and don't require any socialization and have only like ten very stereotypical mating behaviors, and also have a lifespan of a few weeks to boot. Oh, and we know considerably less about the mating behaviors of female fruit flies, I might add, because everyone's been focusing on what the males are doing. Humans add infinite levels of complexity to that interplay.

Short Sciatrix: The answer is there. We don't know enough to ask the right questions yet.

[Professor T. Pollution]

I agree with Joe and Acer, basically; yes, there's a scientific reason (for everything, including asexuality). Just because there's generally no noticeable hormonal imbalance during the average asexual's life, for example, doesn't mean that he/she/etc wasn't exposed to hormonal imbalances in utero; just because we haven't yet found a genetic marker for asexuality doesn't mean there isn't one; and so on. Like Sally said, I doubt much heavy research into asexuality will be conclusively conducted anytime soon.

[The Student]

It certainly has a scientific explanatation but no one knows what it is yet. In my own case, I don't know if I'm asexual for psychological or biological reasons. My hunch is psychological, but, if it is, no psychotherapist has ever uncovered the root of my malaise. Some people don't even accept that there are asexuals yet, so a scientific explanation is a long way off.

[Sciatrix]

Of course, the trouble with trying to figure out whether a person is asexual for psychological or biological reasons is problematic in that it creates a distinction that does not actually exist; psychological factors are biological factors, if one considers that our experiences are known to alter our neurological structure. We do not exist independently of our brains, which are... biological organs.

[standup]

Sexuality has been speculated to be a congenital effect, and I know there have been a few studies about homosexuality and corresponding immune response levels from the mom to her baby's Y chromosome. Nobody can really prove anything right now, though, but orientation isn't something consciously chosen. Some people believe that sexuality is fluid, though, and that orientations can change over time, so I suppose it's possible to be asexual now and not later, or vice versa.

[Sally]

Some people believe that sexuality is fluid, though, and that orientations can change over time, so I suppose it's possible to be asexual now and not later, or vice versa.

That belief has been stated by some on AVEN but no one's come forward and said yes, they were an asexual (or sexual) for XX years, and are now sexual (or asexual). I think it's actually more of a hope than a belief, or maybe a belief of people who don't want to think of themselves as any one particular orientation. The experiences of homosexuals who have had attempts made on them to become sexual seems to belie that belief.

*just my standard rant about "fluid"*

[duckduck]

well, there is no way that it is genetic. i have six others siblings and they are all sexual.my parents were sexual.*twitch twitch* i'm surprised that i'm not sexual. there's got to be an environmental explanation for it all. but asexuality isn't really known so i doubt there has been any studies on it.

[Pandoren]

"No way" just because you are the only one in two generations? My dear, what about albinism? That can pop up randomly when no one in the immediate family is an albino. "Uncommon" isn't the same as "impossible".

[Sally]

And haven't you noticed that there aren't whole families of homosexuals out there?

By the way, just because your mother and father had kids doesn't mean they have to be sexuals. I have two children. I'm not saying your parents are asexual; I'm saying that the presence of children doesn't prove anything.

[standup]

There's a difference between genetic and congenital. Sexual orientation is almost certainly not genetic... that's equivalent to saying "liking strawberries is genetic," or mustard, or scary movies. There's no DNA sequence for "gay."

Congenital:

1 a : existing at or dating from birth <congenital deafness> b : constituting an essential characteristic : inherent <congenital fear of snakes> c : acquired during development in the uterus and not through heredit

Genetic:

2 a : of, relating to, or involving genetics b : of, relating to, caused by, or controlled by genes <a genetic disease> <genetic variation>

[BiGrAce]

Hi,

I'm sure there is a reason for asexuality, just as I'm sure there is a reason for people being gay and transgender and every other state of being that differs from the norm. With all due respect, however, I'm not interested in it. I wouldn't participate in any cure, even if there was one and I like the diversity of the world. I dread the day any 'gay gene' is found because I know how it would be abused, especially by religious fanatics. Imagine, one little test and they could find out if their baby would be gay, abort it and no one would need know.

I'd rather scientists spend their time finding a cure for cancer and diabetes and AIDS and every other horrible illness out there.

The sliding scales of gender and sexuality are wonderful.

Let's leave it at that.

Anna

[Sally]

There's a difference between genetic and congenital. Sexual orientation is almost certainly not genetic... that's equivalent to saying "liking strawberries is genetic," or mustard, or scary movies. There's no DNA sequence for "gay."

Being asexual has nothing to do with liking or not liking anything. It's not being sexually attracted to other people. I didn't like cauliflower when I was a child; I like it now. I've never been sexually attracted to anyone; that hasn't changed.

[standup]

There's a difference between genetic and congenital. Sexual orientation is almost certainly not genetic... that's equivalent to saying "liking strawberries is genetic," or mustard, or scary movies. There's no DNA sequence for "gay."

Being asexual has nothing to do with liking or not liking anything. It's not being sexually attracted to other people. I didn't like cauliflower when I was a child; I like it now. I've never been sexually attracted to anyone; that hasn't changed.

I was trying to equate it to a personality trait and that was the best thing I could come up with. XD

[Cpt. Jaq]

Do you think that the lack of desire towards humans can find an explanation such as neuronal misconnections, personality disoder, some chemical intercation lacking... or something, anything.

Asexuality, in some form or another, is usually considered to be part of schizoid personality disorder. But that's just one of many ways in which asexuality can manifest.

[Pandoren]

I still find Schizoid interesting because asexuality is supposedly about 1%, schizoid is supposedly about 1% but not all asexuals are schizoid ;)

I'm not.. sure I have social issues, but I attribute that to being poorly socialised in childhood, I do have the desire to be social and think about the possibility of a relationship, which means I'm not schizoid. It's just that, face to face, I tend to be very defensive, sometimes to the point of aggressive body language, shy, not very verbal, anxious and tend to stick to one or two people in a crowd to talk to. Not always, but a lot of the time.