Jorge Ace Flag Graphic by Summer Sit ‘25
Asexuality is a sexual orientation that describes someone who experiences little to no sexual attraction to others or has a low or absent interest in sexual activity. Asexual people are often referred to as “ace” for short. Asexuality is a spectrum with sub-identities, often called micro-labels. Since asexuality is a spectrum, some people choose to use these micro-labels as another way to express themselves and as an additional way to find community in the broader asexual community.
An example of a micro-label that you might have heard of is demisexuality. Demisexuality is where a person only experiences sexual attraction to someone after forming an emotional bond with them. It is important to note that not everyone under the asexual umbrella desires to use a micro-label and it should always be left up to the individual to use whatever label makes them feel the most comfortable.
Other terms used in this letter are aromanticism, a sexual orientation in which someone feels little romantic attraction, and a-spec, a broader label for anyone who identifies as either asexual or aromantic.
Now that we know what asexuality stands for, we can start getting into the history of asexuality and Ace Week. Asexuality is often seen as a newer identity, as it is still frequently unknown even to other members of the LGBTQIA+ community. The history of asexuality goes back further than many may think. Asexuality was first used in the mainstream in 1972 when “The Asexual Manifesto” by Lisa Orlando was published. Before the term asexual was mainstream, many asexuals identified as bisexual and were welcomed with wide arms by the bisexual community.
Ace Week, first starting as Asexual Awareness Week, began in 2010. The point of Ace Week was not only to spread awareness about asexuality, but also to have a place for the community. Only now, with all of that background information, can we finally get into the importance of Ace Week and the importance of a safe space for a-spec identities on campus. Many people who identify as a-spec don’t feel comfortable with calling themselves a part of the LGBTQIA+ community. Many a-specs do not identify themselves as queer or feel uncomfortable labeling themselves as such. This is why having a space on campus particularly for a-specs is so important.
The Coalition for Asexuality and Aromantic Awareness, or CFAA, was first formed in 2016, but only lasted for a couple of years before almost completely going under due to the pandemic. It was later revived in the 2022-2023 school year. CFFA is now a club on campus run by Autumn Gebhardt ’26, Holly Wrampelmeier ’26, Journey Freedman ’26, Maya Ornston ’27 and myself, Alyxa-Ray Showalter ’27.
The main purpose of the club is to fulfill the purpose that was talked about by many students both in this letter and just generally on campus. CFFA gives a-spec individuals their own space and community.
Even though acceptance of a-spec individuals has overall improved in the wider LGBTQIA+ community, it is still important to note that just because a-spec individuals are being more widely accepted does not mean that a-spec individuals feel comfortable in LGBTQIA+ spaces.
From my own experiences as an a-spec person and from talking to others in the community, many a-spec individuals do not feel comfortable with LGBTQ spaces. This isn’t because they have been explicitly told that they don’t belong there but more often because they are made to feel like an intruder in that space. Many a-spec individuals, including myself, have a hard time.
When I asked another CFAA member if they ever feel like they don't belong in an LGBTQ+ space because they identify as a-spec, they responded with the following:
“Yes, and I think that’s a huge reason why CFAA exists. Queer spaces sometimes feel overly sexualized and the topic is often romantic and sexual relationships which I, as an a-spec student, cannot relate to; the conversation and emphasis of choice make me feel sidelined and small. This is why CFAA is needed on campus, to have a space to celebrate queer joy and emphasize a-spec identities without the conversation centering on relationships and sex.”
This experience is just one of many, as there have been different conversations in the LGBTQIA+ community about whether a-specs are considered part of the community. Even if you have not ever had someone tell you that you do not belong in that space, it can often feel like that when you have a hard time relating to either straight people or non-a-spec people about how you feel about sex and/or romance.
This idea is only supported by another student who responded to the same question by saying, “I sometimes feel awkward in LGBTQ+ spaces because I sometimes cannot relate to conversations regarding relationships. However, I rarely feel purposefully excluded.”
As you can see, many a-spec people don’t feel comfortable talking about their identity in queer spaces, as they don’t feel like they belong, and also don’t feel comfortable being considered straight either. This is because conversations about relationships with either community tend to be sex-based, which will differ for people on the asexuality spectrum. This is similar for aromantics with romance.
Because asexuality and aromanticism are the only romantic and sexual identities that are categorized by the lack of something, the two are often paired up together and share a larger community. Asexuality and aromanticism are different identities and someone can identify as one and not the other.
When asked why Ace Week is important to them, the interviewees responded that it gave them a chance to celebrate their identity and a place to find community all while having people be aware of asexuality.
This is why Ace Week is so important and should continue to be celebrated and recognized, as it gives a voice and awareness to a community that is still trying to get its footing.
And I hope you had a great Ace Week!
-Alyxa-Ray Showalter ’27