Cultural Immersion: Mini Assignment C

Jasmine Barnes
SW 3000, Alpharetta
Georgia State University

What does Asexual Mean?

Sexual attraction has always been thought to be a universal aspect of human experience. After all, sex is
a part of the physiological need discussed in Maslows Hierarchy of Needs. However, there is evidence
that 1% of the population lack any attraction toward others. An asexual person is someone who does
not experience sexual attraction. Most individuals find there are certain people they are not sexually
attracted to, for asexual people, this includes everybody (Bogaert, 2004; Lucassen et al., 2011; Poston &
Baumle, 2010).
Asexuality is best conceptualized as a sexual orientation, just like homosexuality, bisexuality, and
heterosexuality. Unlike celibacy, which is a conscious decision not to have sex, regardless of sexual
desire. While its true that many asexuals never have sex, few asexuals express negative attitudes
towards sex. Most asexuals are open-minded in their attitudes toward sex regardless of their personal
feelings towards it. Some asexual people desire relationships and some do not. An asexual person can
find someone visually attractive (aesthetic attraction), be interested in someone romantically (romantic
attraction) and fall in love, but these feelings do not extend to a sexual aspect.
Although asexuals do not experience sexual attraction, many do experience what is called romantic
attraction in which most asexuals have a gender preference, or a romantic orientation. Some asexuals
describe themselves as heteroromantic (romantically attracted to a different gender), homoromantic
(romantically attracted to the same gender), or biromantic (romantically attracted to both men and
women). Panromantic asexuals have no gender preference when it comes to romantic relationships,
whereas aromantic asexuals are not romantically attracted to anyone, or do not wish to engage in
romantic relationships (retrieved from asexualawarenessweek.com).

Level of Exposure
Jasmine heard the term asexual only a few years back. She personally has never knowingly met
anyone who identifies themselves as asexual. Jasmine chose to research this group because she had
no prior knowledge about this community. She is guilty of having biases about this particular group.
Presently, she still has to work on prejudices she has towards this community. There is not a lot of
research out there on the asexual community, so Jasmine still believes there is mentally something
wrong with people in this community. She finds it very hard to accept asexuality could be normal since
sex has always been considered a basic need for the human experience.

Portrayals in the Media

Asexuality is hardly ever portrayed in the media in a world where sex and relationships run supreme.
The only portrayal of an asexual person in the media may be the character Sheldon Cooper on the hit
television sitcom The Big Bang Theory. Although, the show and its writers never give the audience
confirmation that Sheldon is asexual, he is depicted as the text-book example of an asexual person. He
showed no interest in anyone, either romantically or sexually and he disliked being touched. In the third
season another alleged asexual character named Amy Farrah Fowler comes on the scene and just like

Sheldon, she is uninterested in sex and is content with her hobbies. When the pair engage in a
relationship, it is a perfectly normal and functioning one, ideal for the two but a sudden change in the
narrative occurs later on. The Amy character undergoes a drastic change, she becomes a raging mess of
repressed sexuality, and is hell bent on receiving the physical contact she now craves from Sheldon. The
couple apparently kiss on an episode and that was supposed to signify the cure some of his asexuality.
The Sheldon and Amy relationship on The Big Bang Theory was a missed opportunity to represent
asexual community in a positive way. As opposed to being a joke or individuals who need to be cured.

Forms of Oppression
In a world where sex is prevalent, life for asexual persons is very isolating, lonely and distressing. An
asexual person would have to stand out in society like a sore thumb. Even if they never disclosed their
sexual orientation to others, it wouldnt take long for others to become suspicious of what some would
call abnormal behavior. Many asexuals feel broken because they do not experience the same wants
and desires as everybody else. Many asexuals are haunted by feelings of shame and face harassment
from peers because they dont fit in. Many asexuals lead unhappy lives by trying to be normal. For
example, some asexuals are in relationships with non-asexuals and will engage in sexual activity in order
to please their partner even though they are uncomfortable with sex.

Continued Cultural Work

Jasmine will continuously strive to learn more about the asexual community in an effort to rid herself of
biases and prejudices towards the group. She will persistently look for more scholarly articles and
upcoming research on Asexual to possibly change her current opinion on it being a mental issue.