Difference between revisions of "Antisexual"
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| + | Antisexualism is a belief that sexuality is wrong or should be avoided. It is distinct from asexuality; an antisexual person can be sexual or asexual, and not all asexuals are antisexual. | ||
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| + | Most asexuals on AVEN, far from being antisexual, take the viewpoint that sex (provided it is undergone safely and consensually) is a fine and dandy thing for other people to do, and they simply don't want to have to get involved with it themselves. | ||
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== Reasons for Antisexualism == | == Reasons for Antisexualism == | ||
| − | + | Some of the arguments for the antisexual position include: | |
*Sexuality can complicate relationships | *Sexuality can complicate relationships | ||
*Sex may be incompatible with [[intimacy]] | *Sex may be incompatible with [[intimacy]] | ||
| − | *Sexual desire can cause people to place primitive instinct ahead of intellect (people across the world continue to have unsafe casual sex despite their awareness of the dangers of | + | *Sexual desire can cause people to place primitive instinct ahead of intellect (people across the world continue to have unsafe casual sex despite their awareness of the dangers of STDs, as just one example) |
*Sexuality asserts itself in the human mind by releasing [[neurochemistry|neurochemicals]] comparable to addictive drugs into the brain | *Sexuality asserts itself in the human mind by releasing [[neurochemistry|neurochemicals]] comparable to addictive drugs into the brain | ||
*Sexual desire can cause people to lie and cheat in the pursuit of sexual relationships | *Sexual desire can cause people to lie and cheat in the pursuit of sexual relationships | ||
*Sexuality can lead to discrimination, based on perceptions of sexual immorality and intolerance of certain sexual preferences | *Sexuality can lead to discrimination, based on perceptions of sexual immorality and intolerance of certain sexual preferences | ||
*Sexual desires could be false assumptions that are foisted on you by society, hence you may need to look at how your sexuality is ideologically and institutionally constructed. | *Sexual desires could be false assumptions that are foisted on you by society, hence you may need to look at how your sexuality is ideologically and institutionally constructed. | ||
| − | *Sexuality makes no sense because it is too complicated for its functions; the variety of | + | *Sexuality makes no sense because it is too complicated for its functions; the variety of orientations, kinks, fetishes, and especially destructive variations like sadism and unsafe sex, make human sexuality seem too bewildering to be practical. |
*Some antisexualists make no distinction between consent and coercion, seeing sex as a means of oppression. | *Some antisexualists make no distinction between consent and coercion, seeing sex as a means of oppression. | ||
| − | *Some antisexualists see a link between unrestricted reproduction, resource depletion and environmental decay. This is a position ideologically connected to | + | *Some antisexualists see a link between unrestricted reproduction, resource depletion and environmental decay. This is a position ideologically connected to deep ecology and what some call "ecofascism". |
*Some antisexualists argue motherhood is a construct used to subjugate women, hence they oppose procreation. This is also an argument with pro-[[celibacy]] advocates. | *Some antisexualists argue motherhood is a construct used to subjugate women, hence they oppose procreation. This is also an argument with pro-[[celibacy]] advocates. | ||
*The relentless pursuit of sex may be nihilistic | *The relentless pursuit of sex may be nihilistic | ||
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| + | == Arguments Against Antisexualism == | ||
| + | Some of the arguments against the antisexual position include: | ||
| + | *Sexuality is still the easiest way for humans to reproduce. | ||
| + | *Most people (though not asexuals) have strong drives to express themselves sexually. Expecting them to abandon all sexuality may be an unreasonable or even harmful thing, similar to expecting an asexual to have sex or a homosexual to become straight. | ||
| + | *Many people (though not asexuals) experience strong emotions during sex that make them feel closer to their partners, especially when sex is undergone safely and thoughtfully and with connections to commitment. | ||
| + | *Although bad things (such as lies and violence) are sometimes done in the name of sex, the same things are also done for other reasons (such as power or the pursuit of monetary gain); therefore, sex is not at fault here. | ||
| + | *Discrimination based on sexual preference is not caused by sexuality itself, but by the social constructs around it. | ||
| + | *Demonizing natural sexuality may lead to more sexual discrimination rather than less. | ||
| + | *Far from seeing sex and procreation as a means of oppression, many feminists see ''restrictions'' on sex and procreation as a means of oppression, since many women (though not asexuals) desire sex. | ||
Revision as of 00:52, 14 October 2006
Antisexualism is a belief that sexuality is wrong or should be avoided. It is distinct from asexuality; an antisexual person can be sexual or asexual, and not all asexuals are antisexual.
Most asexuals on AVEN, far from being antisexual, take the viewpoint that sex (provided it is undergone safely and consensually) is a fine and dandy thing for other people to do, and they simply don't want to have to get involved with it themselves.
Reasons for Antisexualism
Some of the arguments for the antisexual position include:
- Sexuality can complicate relationships
- Sex may be incompatible with intimacy
- Sexual desire can cause people to place primitive instinct ahead of intellect (people across the world continue to have unsafe casual sex despite their awareness of the dangers of STDs, as just one example)
- Sexuality asserts itself in the human mind by releasing neurochemicals comparable to addictive drugs into the brain
- Sexual desire can cause people to lie and cheat in the pursuit of sexual relationships
- Sexuality can lead to discrimination, based on perceptions of sexual immorality and intolerance of certain sexual preferences
- Sexual desires could be false assumptions that are foisted on you by society, hence you may need to look at how your sexuality is ideologically and institutionally constructed.
- Sexuality makes no sense because it is too complicated for its functions; the variety of orientations, kinks, fetishes, and especially destructive variations like sadism and unsafe sex, make human sexuality seem too bewildering to be practical.
- Some antisexualists make no distinction between consent and coercion, seeing sex as a means of oppression.
- Some antisexualists see a link between unrestricted reproduction, resource depletion and environmental decay. This is a position ideologically connected to deep ecology and what some call "ecofascism".
- Some antisexualists argue motherhood is a construct used to subjugate women, hence they oppose procreation. This is also an argument with pro-celibacy advocates.
- The relentless pursuit of sex may be nihilistic
Arguments Against Antisexualism
Some of the arguments against the antisexual position include:
- Sexuality is still the easiest way for humans to reproduce.
- Most people (though not asexuals) have strong drives to express themselves sexually. Expecting them to abandon all sexuality may be an unreasonable or even harmful thing, similar to expecting an asexual to have sex or a homosexual to become straight.
- Many people (though not asexuals) experience strong emotions during sex that make them feel closer to their partners, especially when sex is undergone safely and thoughtfully and with connections to commitment.
- Although bad things (such as lies and violence) are sometimes done in the name of sex, the same things are also done for other reasons (such as power or the pursuit of monetary gain); therefore, sex is not at fault here.
- Discrimination based on sexual preference is not caused by sexuality itself, but by the social constructs around it.
- Demonizing natural sexuality may lead to more sexual discrimination rather than less.
- Far from seeing sex and procreation as a means of oppression, many feminists see restrictions on sex and procreation as a means of oppression, since many women (though not asexuals) desire sex.
