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Danish Newspaper.


Kez

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A while ago I did an interview for a Danish/Australian reporter. Here is the article translated into english. It has not yet appeared in an Aussie paper, but it was in the Danish paper B.T.

Some like it hot,

Some like it not

For some people having sex is so not interesting. Research shows that around three percent of the population has never felt any sexual attraction. J.J. Aagaard explores the quiet revolution of celibacy

Sometimes, headaches last a lifetime.

There are 780 articles on asexuals within the last six months in Anglo-Saxon countries. 768 of them are on amoebas. The rest concern a brand new phenomenon, the asexuals. The ones that have never felt any physical attraction to another person, and sometimes never felt any sexual feelings at all.

Until recently, many of these people felt ostracised and alone, not knowing that they were a part of something much bigger. Since the Canadian Dr. Anthony Bogaert’s research was presented in “The Journal of Sexual Research” and described in the “New Scientist” this month, the asexuals are coming out of the woodwork. Even better, they are finding each other and their own sense of identity.

Bogaert’s research is about a 1994 study of 18,000 Britons, and it showed that one percent agreed with the statement “I have never felt sexual attraction to anyone”. Compared to the estimate of the homosexual population, which is between two and three percent in most Western countries, the one percent of “not-interested” is a surprisingly large number.

The number of people lacking any interest in sex is far from unique to the UK. A large Australian survey from 2000 including more than 19,000 people aged 16 to 59 years shows similar tendencies. Behind the survey called “The Australian Study of Health and Relationships” was a large research team.

Dr Juliet Richters was part of the team and she believes that asexuality has been largely ignored: “Asexual is a universal phenomenon, it is not restricted to the UK. The [Australian] survey showed around three percent of people was not interested in sex, which is higher than the UK survey and the average rate of homosexuality of two percent”.

For 20-year-old Kerry, a female full time undergraduate student at Macquarie University in Sydney, sex is simply not worthwhile. She has never kissed, nor fallen in love, let alone had a sexual experience in her whole life. “I have never felt a physical or romantic attraction to anyone. In primary school, I lied and pretended to fancy movie stars like Tom Cruise, but it was only pretending. I told myself I was just a late bloomer. Two years ago, I found AVEN’s website, which gave me great relief. Finally, I knew that I was not alone, and there were others who felt [no interest in sex] like me.”

AVEN is the acronym for Asexual Visibility and Education Network and is a worldwide organisation for asexuals and a young American named Davis Jay created it two years ago (CHECK). AVEN’s homepage provides detailed information and an ongoing debate on what asexuality means.

Even more importantly, it provides people like Kerry with a forum and a chance to meet like-minded individuals and set up local support groups. “To be asexual comes with a stigma attached to it, even though we are no different from other sexual minorities like the gay community. It is hard to be bombarded with sexual images, movies and ads all the time. Sex is such an integrated part of society, and you can not avoid it,” says Kerry, who does not wish to have her last name published.

Kerry told her parents about her asexuality only months ago. It did not come as a big surprise to them and according to Kerry, her parents hope her lack of interest in sex is “just a phase”, and that she will eventually feel sexual attraction towards boys. “It felt like coming out of the closet,” Kerry says and adds, that she has not ruled out sex for the rest of her life: “If it [attraction] happens, I would not be sad, but I am not pursuing it. To some extent, I am curious as to what all the fuss is about. But deep inside me I know, it [sex] is not for me.”

Why does Kerry feel no attraction? So far, the focus on most research in human sexuality has been on the people who do have sex, or at least want to have sex. The emergence of Viagra and the competitive research into drugs, which will increase female sex-drive, has shown a rapidly growing market for sexual research.

As of now, the large pharmaceutical companies put millions and millions of dollars into adding spice to our bedroom lives. Another huge financial support of research is local and federal governments, which aim to prevent sexually transmitted diseases and improve the general health.

However, this has taken attention away from people, who do not have or wish to have sex. “So much research is about people who have a high risk of being infected with venereal diseases,” says Dr Richters, who now works for the National HIV Social Research Centre at the University of New South Wales.

Dr. Richters is working on an analysis of the Australian 2000 survey to find reasons as to why so many people prefer no sex because of a lack of attraction. The study in Australia showed a whopping eight percent had never had sexual intercourse in their life, but since the study concerned people aged 16 to 59 years, a number of the 16-20 year-olds would have their sexual debut.

After a statistical analysis and calculation of the average age of sexual debut, the estimated number of people forever virgins was down to three percent. Nevertheless, not having sex does not equal not wanting sex: “To a lot of people having sex requires a relationship. To a number of people this is especially difficult, either due to being chronically ill, or multiple disadvantaged as in being poor, unemployed and unattractive,” says Dr Richters.

The remainder of the no-sex group lack an interest in sex altogether. Why, is the question on the tip of the tongue for the sex-craving and sexual obsessed majority? Is no interest in sex a simple freak of nature, a sexual disorder due to psychological problems or is it hormonal deficiency?

Scientists have tested the sex-drive in various animals, from rats to rams. There seems to be around ten percent of rams with no interest in sex according to a recent American study. However, Juliet Richters believe that human sexual behaviour is learned, and she believes that a lack of interest in sex is a social dysfunction due to environmental factors.

“Studies with primates including chimpanzees show, that if you separate a male from infancy till adulthood and then put him in a cage with females, he will not know what to do with his sexual urge. He will sit in a corner and masturbate,” explains Dr. Richters.

It is paramount that human beings both have sexual urges, and that they relate those urges to other humans. Without experiencing lust linked to choosing an object of desire, there will be no sexual contact.

For the aspiring manuscript-editor from Sydney, Kerry, she never felt any sexual urge and says she would not know how to masturbate. According to the young woman, her asexualism is not connected to her upbringing, and both her older brother and younger sister lead healthy sex-lives: “I am happy with myself and content with my life. I do not have a need to be in a relationship”.

Science believes otherwise. A number of national and international studies confirm that especially younger people find sexuality an important factor in their quality of life: “sexual experience and relationships are key elements to satisfaction with life,” says Professor Marita McCabe from School of Psychology at the Deakin University in Victoria.

While we all may say today, that sex and relationships are important in our lives, it was different a few generations ago. In fact, the current fascination with sex steals away the spotlight from other issues in life: “We will move our focus to other aspects of life soon,” says Dr. Michael Dunne, an associate professor from Queensland’s University of Technology in Brisbane:”The social dialogue does not reflect reality.”

Reality is that while we all talk about sex, and few of us are getting any, according to Dr. Dunne’s substantial research in Australia. He has asked people, why they decline to participate in sexual surveys. More than one third of people do not wish to answer questionnaires and it is primarily because they lack sexual experience, Dunne says:

“There is not upper limit to the number of people, who lack sexual desire. The latest research from last year show between 27 and 40 percent of women lacked interest in sex during a period in the past year. We know that the lack of sex-interest is twice as common for women as it is to men.”

Dr. Dunne believes asexualism can be explained by biology and that one possible explanation could be a hormonal imbalance. Recently, Professor Evan Simpson from Prince Henry’s Institute of Medical Research in Melbourne performed an experiment with genetically engineered mice. The research showed that that the female hormone oestrogen was paramount to the male sex-drive.

But not much research has been done into this particular problem, or as many asexuals see it, a way of life.

One issue that has attracted the attention of much thought is female sexuality. Professor at University of Sydney, Dr. Hera Cook, is the author of “The Long Sexual Revolution: English Women, Sex and Contraception”, which was published this year. “A century ago, it was sinful to masturbate and that it would cause blindness. Sexual knowledge was considered bad.”

Cook focused on the interaction between reproduction and sexuality, and she perceives the current obsession with sex will fade: “My research showed that people can lead very happy lives without sex. The current perception of sex being an essential part of life stems from [father of psycho-therapy Sigmund] Freud.”

If – and when – our fascination with all things sexual recedes; Kerry’s life will be a lot easier: “I do not understand why everyone is so obsessed with sex. I think a lot of people confuse sex with love“.

SEXUALITY ON THE WEB (BREAKOUT BOX)

www.asexuality.org is the website for the “Asexual Visibility and Education Network” (AVEN). Through their message board on www.asexuality.meetup.com, you can get in contact with other asexuals in your area. The next meeting is for the Sydney group on November 6.

www.freedom.org.au provides information, support and referral for young gay, lesbian, bisexual, queer, transgender youth in Australia.

www.sexuality.org is the homepage of The Society for Human Sexuality. It is a social and educational organisation, which promotes understanding and appreciation for the many forms of adult intimate relationships and consensual sexual expression.

www.indiana.edu/~kinsey The Kinsey Institute in the USA promotes interdisciplinary research and scholarship in the fields of human sexuality, gender and reproduction.

www.bananasandmelons.com.au has a variety of links to national and international organisations and websites regarding sexuality. Sexologist Gabrielle Morrisey from Curtin University in Perth is behind the website.

www.relationships.com.au is a national organisation where everyone can get counselling. Relationships Australia (RA) is a provider of professional services to support relationships and is supported by the Commonwealth.

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Live R Perfect
A large Australian survey from 2000 including more than 19,000 people aged 16 to 59 years shows similar tendencies. Behind the survey called “The Australian Study of Health and Relationships” was a large research team.

Dr Juliet Richters was part of the team and she believes that asexuality has been largely ignored: “Asexual is a universal phenomenon, it is not restricted to the UK. The [Australian] survey showed around three percent of people was not interested in sex, which is higher than the UK survey and the average rate of homosexuality of two percent”.

Well well well! I've never seen THAT study mentioned anywhere before!

Well done AGAIN Kez! :D :vis:

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VivreEstEsperer

Kez, that's wonderful :) thank you for posting it here!

more asexuals than gays? ooh, i like that.

we just need a really, really big visibility movement to make them all come out :) (new sci was a good start...)

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  • 2 weeks later...
Guest Skinger

It seems that this particular newspaper (BT) has become very interested in asexuality. I was interviewed today for Sunday's paper. Apparently they have a special section on Sundays just for women, and they want to "spread the word". It's really great that we get to hear more about asexuality here in Denmark.

-Lisbet

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I have wondered before now about Scandinavian countries and their attitudes to asexuality, after all they do have a more relaxed and tolerant view of sexuality than many other countries.

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Guest Skinger

Well, the article was in the paper today. There was an entire theme of several pages devoted to asexuality. The article based on me was one page. Huge pictures (and I'm camera shy!!). I'll take some time to translate it tomorrow, so I can post it here if it is of interest to anyone.

-Lisbet

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That is *really* exciting! Congratulations!

Oh, how I wish other countries were as eager to hear about those of us who are "different"!

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  • 2 weeks later...

I am concerned that some paragraphs in this article reflect the typical idea that this is a "problem" and that people just "need more drugs." The pharmaceutical industry, remember, is not in the business of curing cancer and saving lives, it's about making big money. And there is big money in convincing people that they have a "problem" which requires drugs. Think about it, now. Why is it, in reality, a problem if some person ain't gettin' any??? Really, people, why is that a problem if the individual is okay with that? The only ones who view that as a "problem" are those who don't know what it's like to not want any -- and the drug companies which may earn big bucks by convincing mass numbers of naive people that they have "problems."

Just a few things to think about... ! :roll:

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