I’m joining in the “this blew my mind” sentiment and just want to say thanks for sharing this tidbit of info.
Makeshift
I’ve already left any asexual spaces because of how uncomfortably sexual they’d become, and how no one could share an experience of not being sexual without constant reminders of how sex is pretty awesome actually.
A safe space isn’t exactly safe when you’re only kept around to be kicked down.
Not exactly a Tl;dr but:
The lack of sexual desire can be just as hard or harder to learn about yourself than sexual preference.
We grow up in a world that assumes people will want sex. And anyone who doesn’t is either traumatized and needs help or just hasn’t found the right person yet.
Learning that there are other people who never develop that desire feels so good. It lets you feel, for once, that you’re not broken for not having that. There’s nothing wrong, some people are just like that!
The word for that was asexual.
But lately, asexual has been changed to mean something completely different. It’s still a form of sexual cravings, just in the flavor of microlabels to describe what gives you sexual feelings.
And places where the first group once could connect and joke and vent with each other over experiences of not having sexual desire, now you can’t say anything of the sort without a barrage of people saying “asexuals like sex, too!”
And if you just wanted a safe space to chill with people who share your experience… well, you see it in this thread. You get called a gatekeeping asshole.
So we get forced out of once safe spaces. For wanting a safe space with people we share commonality with. For wanting a simple way to say “Hey, this is how I am, and I’m not broken”.
And with more people identifying as asexual while seeking a sexual relationship, it’s even harder than ever to NOT feel broken. There’s no word for people who just don’t want sex. No word but broken, or “gatekeeping assholes”.
And we’re back to square one. “That’s not normal, you need therapy!” “You just haven’t found the right person yet!” “I bet I can fix you!” “But you’d have sex for ME, right?” “You’re just a late bloomer!”
And that hurts.
To add a touch of humor to a depressing situation: Why yes, my asshole is gatekept. I don’t want anal sex, either!
Edit to add: It’s not to say others don’t exist or are invalid. They do exist and are valid! It’s about others saying we’re assholes for wanting a safe space to not understand sexual desire together.
I…
Okay this works on at least two levels.
Is Bowser still the CEO of Nintendo?
Maybe get a fine for .0005% of their net worth. You know, so they don’t do it again.
That’s how it works, right?
Isn’t there something about insurrectionists not being allowed to be president?
We’re about to allow an insurrectionist to be president.
Pretty sure no silly little written amendment on a piece of parchment will stop him. They sure haven’t before. Those rules only apply when HE wants them to.
He has 2 options.
First is the obvious saying that there’s nothing stopping him from running for a 3rd term, and once again using Jim Crow era vote suppression and other slimy tricks to win again.
The second option is to just declare that presidency is a for-life position. He can do that, after all.
And he’s making that last part perfectly clear. He is above the law. There are no consequences for him breaking the law, and nothing stopping him from doing whatever he wants. The people who could are so polite that if words won’t stop him, they say more words at him. That’ll do it!
Oh hey look. It’s someone who may have sat out the election in 2020 because “both are bad”!
Did you do that this year because Harris wasn’t perfect? Or vote third party? Were you complacent to aid the convicted felon’s victory by voting for “divided we fall”?
WELP. Can’t say I’m surprised.
I’d like all of these data harvesting scumbags to get a kick where the sun don’t shine.
I’m not gonna boo one getting it because another hasn’t yet. I’m gonna cheer and hope for another.
Granted that’s not likely under the guy who wants to separate families and give billionaires tax cuts.