This week is asexual awareness week in the LGBT community and in case you didn’t already know we’re going to take a moment to explain to you what it is and why it is significant.

The definition of asexual according to merriem webster dictionary is:

asexual adjective asex·u·al \(ˌ)ā-ˈsek-sh(ə-)wəl, -shü-əl, -ˈsek-shəl\

: not having or including sex

Unfortunately this definition doesn’t elaborate on the full spectrum of what it means to be asexual. Although an asexual doesn’t have sex it isn’t because they choose to as one would with celibacy. It’s their sexual orientation and it means that they are not sexually attracted to others- only romantically or emotionally attracted.

Asexuality can go hand in hand with other sexual orientations. For example you can be an asexual man and be attracted to only men or you can be a straight asexual.

Being asexual also does not mean the person has any sort of chemical imbalance or that they have psychological trauma causing them to not want sex… although that could be a reason in some cases.

It’s important to also remember asexual can’t be changed and they are not waiting around for the right person who is hot enough to have sex with them. That would be like saying one day there will be a female who will be so hot you’ll go straight again.

The goal is to be accepting of everybody’s sexual orientation and to bring awareness so that people feel comfortable and safe in a changing world. Bring visibility and information to asexuality so that it can become recognized and others who may not know what they are but feel this way can come out as so.

It’s important to work on sexual acceptance in both making it okay if people don’t want to have sex as well as making it okay if somebody has a lot.

This week get on Twitter and educate yourself on asexuality. Happy awareness week!