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Definition | Lack of sexual attraction to others; low or absent sexual desire or interest in sexual activity |
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Abbreviations | ace |
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Flag name | Asexuality pride flag |
Meaning | Black for asexuality; gray for gray-asexuality; white for allosexuality; purple for community |
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Asexuality is the lack of sexual attraction to others, or low or absent interest in or desire for sexual activity.[1][2][3] It may be considered a sexual orientation or the lack thereof.[4][5][6] It may also be categorized more widely, to include a broad spectrum of asexual sub-identities.[7][8]
Asexuality is distinct from abstention from sexual activity and from celibacy,[9][10] which are behavioral and generally motivated by factors such as an individual's personal, social, or religious beliefs.[11] Sexual orientation, unlike sexual behavior, is believed to be "enduring".[12] Some asexual people engage in sexual activity despite lacking sexual attraction or a desire for sex, for a number of reasons, such as a desire to physically pleasure themselves or romantic partners, or a desire to have children.[9][13]
Acceptance of asexuality as a sexual orientation and field of scientific research is still relatively new,[2][13] as a growing body of research from both sociological and psychological perspectives has begun to develop.[13] While some researchers assert that asexuality is a sexual orientation, other researchers disagree.[4][5] Asexual individuals may represent about one percent of the population.[2]
Various asexual communities have started to form since the impact of the Internet and social media in the mid-1990s. The most prolific and well-known of these communities is the Asexual Visibility and Education Network, which was founded in 2001 by David Jay.[4][14]
Asexuality is a condition characterized by a low interest in sex.