Asexual Aromantic Youth
Keywords:
asexuality, aromantic, adolescents, young adults, sexual identity, sexual orientationAbstract
PURPOSE: Sexuality in humans has drawn scientific interest increasingly, and its thorough approach has revealed various patterns of expression. Being asexual or/and aromantic is an aspect neither fully investigated nor acknowledged. Sexual expression effects people’s personality, their life choices, their health and their place into society, making it not an individual’s matter but affects society as well.
MATERIAL-METHODS: Articles were searched in the international literature, in reputable websites such as Pub Med, Google Scholar, but also other internet resources, using key words “asexuality, aromantic, adolescents, young adults, sexual identity, sexual orientation”.
RESULTS: studies, reviews and social networks around asexuality showed that it is a different sexual expression not much investigated but seems to claim prevalence almost the same as other sexual minorities. Asexual doesn’t need to be aromantic as well, or feel distress because of it, differentiating this behavior from sexual or psychiatric disorders. Many factors may contribute to the formation of this sexual expression like gender, age, religiosity, cultural background, health issues and socioeconomic status.
CONCLUSIONS: sexual identity is a complex issue and must be seen through the needs and beliefs of people involved to better understand it and accept it. No safe conclusions can be retrieved from typical investigations who do not consider as many shades as possible of this sensitive human expression, especially when it concerns the young.
References
REFERENCES:
Smith A, Rissel C, Richters J, Grulich A, De Visser R. Sexual identity, sexual attraction and sexual experience among a representative sample of adults. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health. 2003;27:138–145.
Greaves LM, Barlow FK, Huang Y, Stronge S, Fraser G, Sibley CG. Asexual identity in a New Zealand national sample: Demographics, well-being, and health. Archives of Sexual Behavior. 2017;46(8):2417-2427.
Baams L, Dubas JS, Overbeek G, Van Aken MA. Transitions in body and behavior: A meta-analytic study on the relationship between pubertal development and adolescent sexual behavior. Journal of Adolescent Health. 2015;56(6):586–598.
Suleiman AB, Galvαn A, Harden KP, Dahl RE. Becoming a sexual being: The ‘elephant in the room’of adolescent brain development. Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience. 2017;25: 209–220.
Bogaert AF. The demography of asexuality. In: Baumle AK, editor. International handbook on the demography of sexuality. Dordrecht: Springer; 2013. p. 275–288.
Priebe G, Svedin CG. Operationalization of three dimensions of sexual orientation in a national survey of late adolescents. Journal of Sex Research. 2013;50(8):727–738.
Yule MA, Brotto LA, Gorzalka BB. Human asexuality: What do we know about a lack of sexual attraction? Current Sexual Health Reports. 2017;9(1):50–56.
Bogaert AF. Asexuality: prevalence and associated factors in a national probability sample. Journal of Sex Research. 2004;41(3):279-287.
Brotto LA, Knudson G, Inskip J, Rhodes K, Erskine Y.Asexuality: A mixed-methods approach. Archives of Sexual Behavior. 2010;39:599–618.
Carrigan M. Is there more to life than sex? Differences and similarities within the asexual community. Sexualities. 2011;14(4):462-478.
Asexual Visibility and Education Network (AVEN) Wiki (2017) Main Page. Retrieved from http://wiki.asexuality.org/Main_Page
Asexual Visibility and Education Network (AVEN). (n.d.). Overview. Retrieved from https://www.asexuality.org/?q=overview.html
Jones C, Hayter M, Jomeen J. Understanding asexual identity as a means to facilitate culturally competent care: A systematic literature review. Journal of Clinical Nursing. 2017;26:3811–3831.
Chasin CJD. Making sense in and of the asexual community: Navigating relationships and identities in a context of resistance. Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology. 2015; 25:167–180.
MacNeela P, Murphy A. Freedom, invisibility, and community: A qualitative study of self-identification with asexuality. Archives of Sexual Behavior. 2015;44(3):799–812.
Chen A. Ace: What asexuality reveals about desire, society, and the meaning of sex. Boston: Beacon Press; 2020.
Clark AN. Labeling Intimacy: Examining attitude differences about romantic and sexual intimacy in sexual and asexual people. [thesis on the internet].Illinois: U. State;2019[cited 2023 May 5].
Poston DL, Baumle AK. Patterns of asexuality in the United States. Demographic Research. 2010;23:509–530.
Morandini JS, Blaszczynski A, Dar-Nirod I. Who adopts queer and pansexual identities? The Journal of Sex Research. 2017;54:911–922.
McInroy LB, Beaujolais B, Shelley LC, Eaton AD. The Self Identification, LGBTQ+ Identity Development, and Attraction and Behavior of Asexual Youth: Potential Implications for Sexual Health and Internet Based Service Provision. Archives of Sexual Behavior. 2021;50:3853–3863.
Smith SE. Asexuality always existed: You just didn’t notice it. The Guardian 2012
Simon KA, Hawthorne HM, Clark AN, Renley BM, Farr RH, Eaton LA, Watson RJ. Contextualizing the well-being of asexual youth: Evidence of differences in family, health, and school outcomes. Journal of Youth and Adolescence. 2022;51(1):128-140.
Sumerau J, Barbee H, Mathers L, Eaton V. Exploring the experiences of heterosexual and asexual transgender people. Social Sciences. 2018;7(9):162–178.
Gressgård R. Asexuality: From pathology to identity and beyond. Psychology and Sexuality. 2013;4(2):179–192.
Ryan C, Russell ST, Huebner D, Diaz R, Sanchez J. Family acceptance in adolescence and the health of lgbt young adults. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing. 2010;23(4):205-213.
Robbins NK, Low KG, Query AN. A qualitative exploration of the “coming out” process for asexual individuals. Archives of Sexual Behavior. 2016;45(3):751–760.
MacInnis CC, Hodson G. Intergroup bias toward “Group X”: Evidence of prejudice, dehumanization, avoidance, and discrimination against asexuals. Group Processes & Intergroup Relations. 2012;15(6):725–743.
Russell ST, Fish JN. Mental health in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology. 2016;12:465–487.
Legate N, Weinstein N, Ryan WS, DeHaan CR, Ryan RM. Parental autonomy support predicts lower internalized homophobia and better psychological health indirectly through lower shame in lesbian, gay and bisexual adults. Stigma and Health. 2019;4(4):367–376.
McInroy LB, Beaujolais B, Leung VW, Craig SL, Eaton AD, Austin A. Comparing asexual and non-asexual sexual minority adolescents and young adults: Stressors, suicidality and mental and behavioural health risk outcomes. Psychology & Sexuality. 2020;13(2):387-403.
Gupta K. “And now I’m just different, but there’s nothing actually wrong with me”: Asexual marginalization and resistance. Journal of Homosexuality. 2017;64(8):991–1013.
Colour Youth. [accessed 13 May 2023]. Available from: https://www.colouryouth.gr/en/colour-youth/.
REFERENCES:
Smith A, Rissel C, Richters J, Grulich A, De Visser R. Sexual identity, sexual attraction and sexual experience among a representative sample of adults. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health. 2003;27:138–145.
Greaves LM, Barlow FK, Huang Y, Stronge S, Fraser G, Sibley CG. Asexual identity in a New Zealand national sample: Demographics, well-being, and health. Archives of Sexual Behavior. 2017;46(8):2417-2427.
Baams L, Dubas JS, Overbeek G, Van Aken MA. Transitions in body and behavior: A meta-analytic study on the relationship between pubertal development and adolescent sexual behavior. Journal of Adolescent Health. 2015;56(6):586–598.
Suleiman AB, Galvαn A, Harden KP, Dahl RE. Becoming a sexual being: The ‘elephant in the room’of adolescent brain development. Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience. 2017;25: 209–220.
Bogaert AF. The demography of asexuality. In: Baumle AK, editor. International handbook on the demography of sexuality. Dordrecht: Springer; 2013. p. 275–288.
Priebe G, Svedin CG. Operationalization of three dimensions of sexual orientation in a national survey of late adolescents. Journal of Sex Research. 2013;50(8):727–738.
Yule MA, Brotto LA, Gorzalka BB. Human asexuality: What do we know about a lack of sexual attraction? Current Sexual Health Reports. 2017;9(1):50–56.
Bogaert AF. Asexuality: prevalence and associated factors in a national probability sample. Journal of Sex Research. 2004;41(3):279-287.
Brotto LA, Knudson G, Inskip J, Rhodes K, Erskine Y.Asexuality: A mixed-methods approach. Archives of Sexual Behavior. 2010;39:599–618.
Carrigan M. Is there more to life than sex? Differences and similarities within the asexual community. Sexualities. 2011;14(4):462-478.
Asexual Visibility and Education Network (AVEN) Wiki (2017) Main Page. Retrieved from http://wiki.asexuality.org/Main_Page
Asexual Visibility and Education Network (AVEN). (n.d.). Overview. Retrieved from https://www.asexuality.org/?q=overview.html
Jones C, Hayter M, Jomeen J. Understanding asexual identity as a means to facilitate culturally competent care: A systematic literature review. Journal of Clinical Nursing. 2017;26:3811–3831.
Chasin CJD. Making sense in and of the asexual community: Navigating relationships and identities in a context of resistance. Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology. 2015; 25:167–180.
MacNeela P, Murphy A. Freedom, invisibility, and community: A qualitative study of self-identification with asexuality. Archives of Sexual Behavior. 2015;44(3):799–812.
Chen A. Ace: What asexuality reveals about desire, society, and the meaning of sex. Boston: Beacon Press; 2020.
Clark AN. Labeling Intimacy: Examining attitude differences about romantic and sexual intimacy in sexual and asexual people. [thesis on the internet].Illinois: U. State;2019[cited 2023 May 5].
Poston DL, Baumle AK. Patterns of asexuality in the United States. Demographic Research. 2010;23:509–530.
Morandini JS, Blaszczynski A, Dar-Nirod I. Who adopts queer and pansexual identities? The Journal of Sex Research. 2017;54:911–922.
McInroy LB, Beaujolais B, Shelley LC, Eaton AD. The Self Identification, LGBTQ+ Identity Development, and Attraction and Behavior of Asexual Youth: Potential Implications for Sexual Health and Internet Based Service Provision. Archives of Sexual Behavior. 2021;50:3853–3863.
Smith SE. Asexuality always existed: You just didn’t notice it. The Guardian 2012
Simon KA, Hawthorne HM, Clark AN, Renley BM, Farr RH, Eaton LA, Watson RJ. Contextualizing the well-being of asexual youth: Evidence of differences in family, health, and school outcomes. Journal of Youth and Adolescence. 2022;51(1):128-140.
Sumerau J, Barbee H, Mathers L, Eaton V. Exploring the experiences of heterosexual and asexual transgender people. Social Sciences. 2018;7(9):162–178.
Gressgård R. Asexuality: From pathology to identity and beyond. Psychology and Sexuality. 2013;4(2):179–192.
Ryan C, Russell ST, Huebner D, Diaz R, Sanchez J. Family acceptance in adolescence and the health of lgbt young adults. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing. 2010;23(4):205-213.
Robbins NK, Low KG, Query AN. A qualitative exploration of the “coming out” process for asexual individuals. Archives of Sexual Behavior. 2016;45(3):751–760.
MacInnis CC, Hodson G. Intergroup bias toward “Group X”: Evidence of prejudice, dehumanization, avoidance, and discrimination against asexuals. Group Processes & Intergroup Relations. 2012;15(6):725–743.
Russell ST, Fish JN. Mental health in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology. 2016;12:465–487.
Legate N, Weinstein N, Ryan WS, DeHaan CR, Ryan RM. Parental autonomy support predicts lower internalized homophobia and better psychological health indirectly through lower shame in lesbian, gay and bisexual adults. Stigma and Health. 2019;4(4):367–376.
McInroy LB, Beaujolais B, Leung VW, Craig SL, Eaton AD, Austin A. Comparing asexual and non-asexual sexual minority adolescents and young adults: Stressors, suicidality and mental and behavioural health risk outcomes. Psychology & Sexuality. 2020;13(2):387-403.
Gupta K. “And now I’m just different, but there’s nothing actually wrong with me”: Asexual marginalization and resistance. Journal of Homosexuality. 2017;64(8):991–1013.
Colour Youth. [accessed 13 May 2023]. Available from: https://www.colouryouth.gr/en/colour-youth/.
REFERENCES:
Smith A, Rissel C, Richters J, Grulich A, De Visser R. Sexual identity, sexual attraction and sexual experience among a representative sample of adults. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health. 2003;27:138–145.
Greaves LM, Barlow FK, Huang Y, Stronge S, Fraser G, Sibley CG. Asexual identity in a New Zealand national sample: Demographics, well-being, and health. Archives of Sexual Behavior. 2017;46(8):2417-2427.
Baams L, Dubas JS, Overbeek G, Van Aken MA. Transitions in body and behavior: A meta-analytic study on the relationship between pubertal development and adolescent sexual behavior. Journal of Adolescent Health. 2015;56(6):586–598.
Suleiman AB, Galvαn A, Harden KP, Dahl RE. Becoming a sexual being: The ‘elephant in the room’of adolescent brain development. Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience. 2017;25: 209–220.
Bogaert AF. The demography of asexuality. In: Baumle AK, editor. International handbook on the demography of sexuality. Dordrecht: Springer; 2013. p. 275–288.
Priebe G, Svedin CG. Operationalization of three dimensions of sexual orientation in a national survey of late adolescents. Journal of Sex Research. 2013;50(8):727–738.
Yule MA, Brotto LA, Gorzalka BB. Human asexuality: What do we know about a lack of sexual attraction? Current Sexual Health Reports. 2017;9(1):50–56.
Bogaert AF. Asexuality: prevalence and associated factors in a national probability sample. Journal of Sex Research. 2004;41(3):279-287.
Brotto LA, Knudson G, Inskip J, Rhodes K, Erskine Y.Asexuality: A mixed-methods approach. Archives of Sexual Behavior. 2010;39:599–618.
Carrigan M. Is there more to life than sex? Differences and similarities within the asexual community. Sexualities. 2011;14(4):462-478.
Asexual Visibility and Education Network (AVEN) Wiki (2017) Main Page. Retrieved from http://wiki.asexuality.org/Main_Page
Asexual Visibility and Education Network (AVEN). (n.d.). Overview. Retrieved from https://www.asexuality.org/?q=overview.html
Jones C, Hayter M, Jomeen J. Understanding asexual identity as a means to facilitate culturally competent care: A systematic literature review. Journal of Clinical Nursing. 2017;26:3811–3831.
Chasin CJD. Making sense in and of the asexual community: Navigating relationships and identities in a context of resistance. Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology. 2015; 25:167–180.
MacNeela P, Murphy A. Freedom, invisibility, and community: A qualitative study of self-identification with asexuality. Archives of Sexual Behavior. 2015;44(3):799–812.
Chen A. Ace: What asexuality reveals about desire, society, and the meaning of sex. Boston: Beacon Press; 2020.
Clark AN. Labeling Intimacy: Examining attitude differences about romantic and sexual intimacy in sexual and asexual people. [thesis on the internet].Illinois: U. State;2019[cited 2023 May 5].
Poston DL, Baumle AK. Patterns of asexuality in the United States. Demographic Research. 2010;23:509–530.
Morandini JS, Blaszczynski A, Dar-Nirod I. Who adopts queer and pansexual identities? The Journal of Sex Research. 2017;54:911–922.
McInroy LB, Beaujolais B, Shelley LC, Eaton AD. The Self Identification, LGBTQ+ Identity Development, and Attraction and Behavior of Asexual Youth: Potential Implications for Sexual Health and Internet Based Service Provision. Archives of Sexual Behavior. 2021;50:3853–3863.
Smith SE. Asexuality always existed: You just didn’t notice it. The Guardian 2012
Simon KA, Hawthorne HM, Clark AN, Renley BM, Farr RH, Eaton LA, Watson RJ. Contextualizing the well-being of asexual youth: Evidence of differences in family, health, and school outcomes. Journal of Youth and Adolescence. 2022;51(1):128-140.
Sumerau J, Barbee H, Mathers L, Eaton V. Exploring the experiences of heterosexual and asexual transgender people. Social Sciences. 2018;7(9):162–178.
Gressgård R. Asexuality: From pathology to identity and beyond. Psychology and Sexuality. 2013;4(2):179–192.
Ryan C, Russell ST, Huebner D, Diaz R, Sanchez J. Family acceptance in adolescence and the health of lgbt young adults. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing. 2010;23(4):205-213.
Robbins NK, Low KG, Query AN. A qualitative exploration of the “coming out” process for asexual individuals. Archives of Sexual Behavior. 2016;45(3):751–760.
MacInnis CC, Hodson G. Intergroup bias toward “Group X”: Evidence of prejudice, dehumanization, avoidance, and discrimination against asexuals. Group Processes & Intergroup Relations. 2012;15(6):725–743.
Russell ST, Fish JN. Mental health in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology. 2016;12:465–487.
Legate N, Weinstein N, Ryan WS, DeHaan CR, Ryan RM. Parental autonomy support predicts lower internalized homophobia and better psychological health indirectly through lower shame in lesbian, gay and bisexual adults. Stigma and Health. 2019;4(4):367–376.
McInroy LB, Beaujolais B, Leung VW, Craig SL, Eaton AD, Austin A. Comparing asexual and non-asexual sexual minority adolescents and young adults: Stressors, suicidality and mental and behavioural health risk outcomes. Psychology & Sexuality. 2020;13(2):387-403.
Gupta K. “And now I’m just different, but there’s nothing actually wrong with me”: Asexual marginalization and resistance. Journal of Homosexuality. 2017;64(8):991–1013.
Colour Youth. [accessed 13 May 2023]. Available from: https://www.colouryouth.gr/en/colour-youth/.
