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http://www.somethingcool.ca/backissues/031...econdary103.htm




2013 Mod Edit: The above link doesn't work anymore, but the article can be found here. For future reference:

Issue 103 - March 14, 2005
Secondary Feature


Gabrielle Bauer writes for Saturday Night magazine, a National Post monthly. In the February 2005 issue, the reporter wrote an article called “Un is In” which explored how “the abnormal has become the new normal”. Bauer examined how unbelievers, unschoolers, apoliticals and, yes, you guessed it, asexuals had become more prominent in our modern society and why this was happening now. Bauer suggests we should not be so surprised to see these “un-types” rising in numbers.
“Asexuals and anarchists and atheists and a-fill-in-the-blanks have always existed; we just used to call them by different names: heretics, riff-raff and losers,” Gabrielle writes. “Do-not chic is a perfect way to sidestep this historical uber-calamity of being out of the loop – to turn uncool into cool. It’s Revenge of the Nerds writ large.”
These “nerds” are becoming a force to reckon with. According to a Brock University study, 1 in 100 people feel no sexual attraction towards, well, anyone. “In Canadian terms,” Bauer writes, “that translated into more than 200,000 people with no urge to merge. Asexual revolution indeed.”
With numbers like that, you’d think more people would know a little bit more about them, but alas the asexuals, while apparently growing in numbers, are still relegated to outskirts of obscurity. When I asked a friend what he thought of asexuals, he said, “Asexuals? You mean, like, frogs?”
I don’t how many people on the Asexual Visibility and Education Network (AVEN) would like being compared to amphibians, but there is something to what my friend was saying. It is well known that certain species of animal are asexual. What is lesser known is that there is a human breed as well, as the 3057 registered users on the AVEN forum can attest. These people run the demographic gamut, too - one poster on the forums is only 15, while others are in their fifties and sixties.

So who are these people? Their stories vary, but all contain a single, binding thread: the realization that they were all somehow different. AVEN member “Otley” recently discovered the forum and posted a bit of his story on there: “I am 45 years of age and have been married for 14 years and have 3 children. I have never been interested in sex and only did it because I thought it was the right thing to do. My wife and I have for years argued about the subject but it was only recently that we talked long enough to realize that something was wrong. A while later I saw an article in the newspaper about asexuality and the pattern of my life seemed to fall into place. I am still struggling mentally with this but I am sure it will help reading what other people have gone through.”
Another young female AVEN member posted her situation: “I'm 17 - nearly 18 - and I have heard about asexuality about 3 years ago and if I am honest with myself it has always been at the back of my mind. I am a virgin and although I have had loads of crushes I have never come close to having sex with a guy, the idea of a guy's naked body actually repulses me.”
Unfortunately, she finds the idea of a girl’s naked body even more repulsing. So what is she to do? She posts concerns about telling her family and what the future has in store for her in a life without sex. Fellow members immediately posted their support: “We *are* here for you. Just hang out awhile, read as much as you want to, post questions or your input anywhere you like, have some fun. Give yourself a little time to get comfortable here, and hopefully after awhile, you'll get a little more comfortable with yourself. We're a very supportive bunch and I'm happy you're in our midst!”
She’ll need the support too; many people – even homosexuals – have trouble with the idea of asexuality. Not only does it seem unnatural, but to some, the idea is just downright illogical. AVEN member “pkkennedy”, a Native Canadian, attempted to explain the logic. “I've never wanted sex with men ever since I was about 10 and saw a diagram of the act in a medical encyclopedia, and decided then that it looked like it HURT!” she wrote on the forum. “And it served no purpose if you didn't want to have babies. Lord knows I come from a family where there are plenty of babies already!”
Still, there are many who remain unconvinced and you can always count on some Christian fundamentalists to be in that group. “MrProtestant”, a member on the Christiantiy.com forums, likened asexuality to, surprise, surprise, something bad. “Asexuality may be a great ‘blessing’ to life-long hardcore celibates such as popes, monks, nuns, bishops, archbishops, and a few other Christians...but for the most part...it is a CURSE. Think about it. No sex, no sexual desire, no children, no desire for a wife, no desire for sexual passion...a pretty scary thought! People who think asexuality is a good thing must first read Song of Solomon. God thinks sex is a blessing and a good thing, as long as you only practice it in marriage with a member of the opposite sex. Not wanting to have sex is probably one of the worst curses someone could have.”
But another Christian member on the forum stood up for the Asexual Revolution. “You only think that, mrprotestant, because you yourself have sexual desire, if you're asexual it’s not like your missing anything, if you've never felt something how can you miss it? Saying you think the thought of not wanting sex is a curse, is like me saying to someone who doesn't like chocolate it’s a curse you don't like chocolate, because it tastes so good'. It doesn't make any sense. Chocolate only tastes good if you like it.”

“Andy M”, another Christianity.com forum member, disagrees. “Our sexuality is a gift from God,” he writes. “Without it, it's pretty difficult to ‘go forth and multiply’ as He told us. Remember, temptation in and of itself isn't evil, only acting upon it is wrong. Besides if we weren't tempted by sex certainly there would be something else that we would have to struggle with. The less we struggle with sin, temptation, and life's difficulties, the easier it is to become complacent. When Jesus spoke of it being difficult for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God, you don't think he was only talking about a man wealthy in terms of money do you?”
An AVEN forum member reacted to the Christianity.com posts: “They seemed a lot more accepting than I expected. Except the guy that quoted Genesis. Does anyone else get the idea that with 6 and change billion people we've gone forth and multiplied enough?” Another AVEN member suggested that asexuality was created by God as a form of population control once the earth got too full. “That’ll be a brain-breaker for the Christians!”
Indeed, like homosexuality and same-sex marriage, the debate about asexuality can turn into another classic us. vs. them battle. Which is hardly unexpected – in this current world climate where we can actually start to be honest about who we are and how we feel without fear of being literally crucified or sent to the back of the bus, people on both sides aren’t going to be shy telling others how they feel. This will either further ostracize or vindicate one side, but either way, the debate isn’t over and it seems the “a-types”, in whatever denomination, are here to stay.
At least the asexuals don’t all take themselves too seriously. Asexual AVEN member “ciijay”, in response to the “go forth and multiply” Christian argument, said we should just chill out: “Maybe He just meant get your ass to math class.”


The AVEN forum - http://www.asexuality.org/discussion/

Fred Johns
fjohns@somethingcool.ca

[-V-]

Did he interveiw anyone or just take quotes from peoples posts?

[Dargon]

I do wonder if this is the article that sparked up the whole plagarism thing. I also find all the arguments against us posed by the Christianity.com people amusing.