#allo ace

May 24th is Panromantic and Pansexual Visibility and Awareness Day!

[ID: “Happy Pan Visibility Day! Pan means feeling attraction or being oriented towards people of all genders or regardless of gender. It can be used with multiple other labels - pan alterous gray asexual, aro pansexual, pan aroace, etc.”

“20% of respondents to the 2019 Ace Community Survey identified as panromantic. 1% of gray ace respondents identified as pansexuals, along with 20% of demisexual respondents. 7% of respondents to the 2020 Aro Census identified as pansexual. Pan was also the most common identifier for those who experienced aesthetic, platonic, and sensual attraction - 35%, 35%, and 26% respectively.” End ID.]

[ID: A 4 panel meme. Kaiba from Yu-Gi-Oh, labelled “aphobes,” holds up a card that says “if you don’t experience romantic or sexual attraction then you must be a robot.” Yuugi, labelled “me,” smirks and holds up a card, then turns it to reveal it says “robots are awesome.”  In the last panel, Kaiba is blown away, screaming. End ID.]

With prevalent sex negativity and essentialist ideas of orientation & sexuality, aces often face invalidation and stigma for their sex drives and/or sexual behaviour. Check out these ace perspectives on sex and kink: https://taaap.org/2021/10/28/ace-week-21-aces-sex-kink/

[ID: Anakin and Padmé in Star Wars: Attack of the Clones staring at each other. In panel 1, Anakin, labelled “my body,” says “you’re asexual.”  In 2, Padmé, labelled “me,” smiles and says “that means I won’t be horny, right?”  Panel 3 zooms in on Anakin’s staring face (still labelled “my body”). In 4, Padmé’s smile falls and she repeats (still labelled “me”), “that means I won’t be horny, right?” End ID.]

Compulsory sexuality & sex negativity are mutually reinforcing: both insist on a narrow “proper” way of engaging in sexual activity, also considered to be an essential life milestone of “real” adulthood.  Check out An Asexual Perspective on Sex Positivity: https://taaap.org/2022/02/21/sexposcon-poster-asexual-perspective/

[ID: Four panels of a person looking extremely confused, with lots of math symbols overlayed, captioned “Why is it that your parents are okay with you NOT having sex UNTIL you come out as ace.” End ID.]