The last full week of October is dedicated to spreading awareness of the Asexual/Aromantic or Aspec community. Kirkwood Community College has students who identify as asexual or are close to someone that is asexual.
Asexual Awareness Week, or simply Ace Week, is focused on teaching the details and nuances of asexuality. The week raises awareness of the differences between asexuality, the lack of sexual attraction and aromanticism, the lack of romantic attraction.
The week also focuses on the stereotypes of asexual people such as asexual characters constantly being portrayed as either prudish or sex-repulsed. According to the article, “Six Ways to be an Ally to Asexual People” on stonewall.org, this stereotype reinforces the misconception that asexuality and celibacy are the same thing.
One Ace student at Kirkwood said that they find the week empowering, as asexuality is often sidelined or not even acknowledged by both the general public and certain LGBT spaces.
Other LGBT students at Kirkwood state they are happy that the people they know are seen as part of the larger community. The spread of awareness in regards to the asexual spectrum shows the variations in asexual people and how people express that aspect of themselves.
In regard to how to show support toward the community, members of the Pride club suggest making donations to groups with goals of educating people on sexual orientation and addressing issues that asexual people face.
Members also suggested building more platforms for Aces in order to amplify their voices and allow them to speak for themselves.
Social media can also be used to support the asexual community.
Categories: Feature
