Difference between revisions of "Gray-A/Grey-A"

From AVENwiki
Jump to: navigation, search
(added references)
(44 intermediate revisions by 17 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
Asexuality and sexuality are not black and white; some people identify in the gray (spelled "grey" in some countries) area between them. People who identify this way can include, but are not limited to:
+
'''Gray-A''' or '''Grey-A''', short for gray-asexual or grey-asexual, refers to a gray area relationship to [[asexuality]]. Reasons for identifying as gray-asexual can involve infrequent or ambiguous experiences of [[Attraction|sexual attraction]], low [[sex drive]], or disinterest in sex. Out of the ace respondents to the 2019 Ace Community Survey, about 10% categorized themselves as gray-asexual.<ref>Weis, R., Hermann, L., Bauer, C., Miller, T. L., Baba, A., van der Biezen, T., Campos, A., Smiga, J. A., Tomaskovic-Moore, S., Trieu, T. H., Walfrand, A., & Ziebert, J. (2021). [https://asexualcensus.wordpress.com/2019-asexual-community-survey-summary-report/ ''The 2019 asexual community survey summary report.''] The Ace Community Survey Team.</ref>
  
* people who do not normally experience sexual attraction, but do experience it sometimes
+
Among gray-asexuals, the identity has been broadly conceptualized as way to express finding asexuality to be "a useful idea" but an imperfect "fit."<ref>Siggy, [https://asexualagenda.wordpress.com/2012/08/08/many-ways-to-be-between/ Many ways to be between], ''The Asexual Agenda'', (August 2012).</ref> The ambiguity of the term is valuable, in this respect.<ref>Siggy, [https://asexualagenda.wordpress.com/2015/03/23/ambiguous-and-heading-nowhere/ Ambiguous and heading nowhere], ''The Asexual Agenda'', (March 2015).</ref><ref>Cor (epochryphal), [https://epochryphal.tumblr.com/post/90883721292/greyness-301 Greyness: 301], (July 2014).</ref>
* people who experience sexual attraction, but a low sex drive
 
* people who are technically sexual, but feel that it's not an important part of their lives and don't identify with standard sexual culture
 
* people who experience sexual attraction and drive, but not strongly enough to want to act on them
 
* [[Functionally asexual]]s who experience sexual feelings but do not engage in them
 
* people who can enjoy and desire sex, but only under very limited and specific circumstances
 
* people who experience some parts of sexuality but not others, according to a theoretical model such as [[Rabger's model|Rabger's]][http://www.asexuality.org/en/index.php?showtopic=19379]
 
  
Some people who most on AVEN would consider asexual choose to identify with the gray area instead, because they prefer a narrower definition of asexuality than AVEN's. For example, an asexual with a sex drive who prefers the [[nonlibidoism|nonlibidoist]] definition of asexuality might identify as semisexual rather than asexual.
+
Gray-asexuality has been rarely discussed in mainstream media coverage (relative to asexuality)<ref>Siggy, [https://asexualagenda.wordpress.com/2022/04/25/gray-asexuality-in-mainstream-media/ Gray Asexuality in mainstream media], ''The Asexual Agenda'', (April 2022).</ref> or academic asexuality studies,<ref>Coyote, [https://theacetheist.wordpress.com/2021/08/17/gray-asexuality-in-asexuality-studies/ Gray-Asexuality in Asexuality Studies], ''The Ace Theist'', (August 2021).</ref> and gray-asexual characters have also been rare in ace fiction.<ref>Sara K., [https://thenoteswhichdonotfit.wordpress.com/2020/10/30/why-are-there-so-few-grey-a-characters-in-ace-fiction/ Why Are There So Few Grey-A Characters in Ace Fiction?], ''The Notes Which Do Not Fit'', (October 2020).</ref>
  
Similarly, some people who might technically belong to the gray area choose to identify as asexual because it is easier to explain. For example, if someone has experienced sexual attraction on one or two brief, fleeting occasions in their life, they might prefer to call themselves asexual because it is not worth the bother of having to explain the one or two brief, fleeting occasions to everyone who asks about their orientation.
+
==Origin==
  
==Terms==
+
The concept of gray-asexuality was preceded by earlier discussion of semisexuality on the AVEN forums, referencing a spectrum of sexual intensity.<ref>Hezekiah, [https://pianycist.wordpress.com/2013/05/08/the-development-of-gray-asexuality-and-demisexuality-as-identity-terms/ The development of gray asexuality and demisexuality as identity terms], ''Critique of Popular Reason'', (May 2013).</ref> The term "Gray-A" itself comes from a 2006 thread by AVEN user KSpaz, who introduced the term for "fuzzy" experiences and those "who may sometimes feel unsure of their asexuality/sexuality."<ref>KSpaz, [https://www.asexuality.org/en/topic/15539-gray-as "Gray-A's,"] (April 2006).</ref>
  
The most common term used to refer to the gray area is "gray-A". Other terms that have been used for the gray area include "hyposexual", "demisexual", "semisexual", "pseudosexual "low sexual intensity", "low-key sexual", "soft sexual", "nearly sexual", "not quite sexual", "halfway sexual", "asexual-ish", "sexual-ish", "sexual but not very sexual", "almost sexual", "middling", and "gentle sexual".
+
==See also==
 +
* [[Gray-romantic]]
 +
* [[Demisexual]]
  
Some of these terms refer to specific parts of the gray area rather than the entire gray area.
+
==External links==
 +
*[http://www.asexuality.org/en/index.php?/forum/72-the-gray-area/ AVEN's Gray Area]
 +
*[http://demigrace.forumotion.com/ Demi Grace] - a forum for demisexuals, grey-asexuals and allies
 +
*[http://demigray.tumblr.com/ Demi Gray] - advice for demisexuals and gray-asexuals
  
'''Hyposexual''' can be used as a catch-all term for the gray area, but in standard medical parlance the term refers to a sexual person with a low sex drive.[http://www.asexuality.org/en/index.php?showtopic=11822] This can be a lifelong condition or occur because of stress or changing hormone levels. Most professionals consider hyposexuality a sexual dysfunction, but on AVEN the consensus is that, like asexuality, it should not be treated as a disorder if it does not cause the hyposexual person any distress.
+
==References==
 +
<references />
  
'''Demisexual''' has two closely related uses. It tends to be used by adherents to [[Rabger's model]] of sexuality, referring to people who experience secondary sexual attraction but not primary sexual attraction (however, it should be noted that Rabger's model defines asexuality as a lack of primary sexual desire rather than a lack of attraction). It is also used, more generally, to describe people who only experience sexual attraction to a single romantic partner.[http://www.asexuality.org/en/index.php?showtopic=29621]
+
{{Sexuality}}
 
+
[[Category:Orientations]]
[[Category:Related identities]]
 

Revision as of 22:20, 11 September 2022

Gray-A or Grey-A, short for gray-asexual or grey-asexual, refers to a gray area relationship to asexuality. Reasons for identifying as gray-asexual can involve infrequent or ambiguous experiences of sexual attraction, low sex drive, or disinterest in sex. Out of the ace respondents to the 2019 Ace Community Survey, about 10% categorized themselves as gray-asexual.[1]

Among gray-asexuals, the identity has been broadly conceptualized as way to express finding asexuality to be "a useful idea" but an imperfect "fit."[2] The ambiguity of the term is valuable, in this respect.[3][4]

Gray-asexuality has been rarely discussed in mainstream media coverage (relative to asexuality)[5] or academic asexuality studies,[6] and gray-asexual characters have also been rare in ace fiction.[7]

Origin

The concept of gray-asexuality was preceded by earlier discussion of semisexuality on the AVEN forums, referencing a spectrum of sexual intensity.[8] The term "Gray-A" itself comes from a 2006 thread by AVEN user KSpaz, who introduced the term for "fuzzy" experiences and those "who may sometimes feel unsure of their asexuality/sexuality."[9]

See also

External links

References

  1. Weis, R., Hermann, L., Bauer, C., Miller, T. L., Baba, A., van der Biezen, T., Campos, A., Smiga, J. A., Tomaskovic-Moore, S., Trieu, T. H., Walfrand, A., & Ziebert, J. (2021). The 2019 asexual community survey summary report. The Ace Community Survey Team.
  2. Siggy, Many ways to be between, The Asexual Agenda, (August 2012).
  3. Siggy, Ambiguous and heading nowhere, The Asexual Agenda, (March 2015).
  4. Cor (epochryphal), Greyness: 301, (July 2014).
  5. Siggy, Gray Asexuality in mainstream media, The Asexual Agenda, (April 2022).
  6. Coyote, Gray-Asexuality in Asexuality Studies, The Ace Theist, (August 2021).
  7. Sara K., Why Are There So Few Grey-A Characters in Ace Fiction?, The Notes Which Do Not Fit, (October 2020).
  8. Hezekiah, The development of gray asexuality and demisexuality as identity terms, Critique of Popular Reason, (May 2013).
  9. KSpaz, "Gray-A's," (April 2006).
Sexual orientation
Asexual · Bisexual · Demisexual · Grey-A · Heterosexual · Homosexual · Pansexual
Research
Kinsey scale · Storms' model · Asexual studies · Asexual behavior in non-human animals
Category:Orientation