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Being Asexual in a Hypersexual World
(It’s not just a phase.)
It’s not easy to be asexual in a world that loves sex.
You’re bombarded by it at every corner: the magazine covers, the advertisements, the movie trailers, the music, the media at large. It’s hard not to look at all of it and think, “Am I wrong for not wanting this?”
Let me be clear: I love romance. I’m not aromantic. I wouldn’t mind being in a relationship with someone. I like the idea of hand-holding and kissing. But sex? That’s not really to my tastes, no matter how much people try to convince me otherwise.
For a long time, I thought there was something wrong with me. I don’t like to be touched. I cringe away from close contact with anyone, even if it’s just a hug with a family member. And, when a boy asked me if I’d “ever been intimate” with anyone, I was struck speechless by the consideration that I’d never really pursued anyone in a way that would lead to a bedroom, romantic music, and a condom in a nightstand drawer.
What was wrong with me?
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