International Asexuality Day, or Asexual Visibility Day, was founded in 2010 by David Jay, the head of the Asexual Visibility & Education Network (AVEN). The day is based on advocacy, celebration, education, and solidarity.
Asexuality, which is characterized by feeling little to no sexual attraction to others, exists on a spectrum. Asexual people exist across various ages, genders, and romantic orientations, and live different types of lives. Some asexual people desire spouses and children, while others prioritize friendship and platonic relationships. Asexuality should not be confused with celibacy, dysfunction, inability to find a partner, or a response to trauma, and should be understood instead as a valid sexual orientation.
While someone unfamiliar with asexuality might wonder why such a label is important, asexual people experience attraction uniquely, and are often misunderstood by the public, while others are completely unaware of asexuality. A recent Trevor Project study showed that asexual youth can experience higher rates of mental health struggles, asexual people can experience bias in the form of others invalidating their identity or medicalizing their experiences, and may be offered or experience conversion therapy settings.
However, asexual people, just like everyone else, should be able to make their own choices about their lives, relationships, and how they identify. On Asexual Visibility Day, we should all remember that everyone has the right to be who they are.