The Asexual Visibility and Education Network is a non-profit virtual community that advocates for asexuals and other individuals on the a-spectrum. It was founded in 2001 by David Jay.
History
Improving Academic Understanding of Asexuality
A study performed by Kristin S. Scherrer on asexual identity was published in 2008 that focused on analyzing survey responses from 102 individuals that identified themselves as asexual.[1] This study brought asexual perspectives into academic research at a time when there was relatively little academic literature available on the topic of asexuality, and even less that approached it as an identity rather than simply a behavior or desire.
The participants for this study were found and recruited through AVEN's website. As a result, AVEN not only contributed to the potential of this study to even be performed, but also served to inform the responses given by participants. For example, when asked to describe what an asexual identity meant to them, 44% of respondents closely echoed the definition of asexuality as found on AVEN's website. One respondent even referred directly to AVEN in response to this question.[1]
Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder and the DSM-5
AVEN is responsible for the creation of the AVEN DSM Task Force. As the American Psychiatric Association began efforts to make revisions that would become the new DSM-5, this task force sought to petition for changes regarding sexual desire disorders. One of these disorders criticized was HSDD, which many believed to be pathologizing asexuals.[2]
Asexual Culture
In 2005, AVEN users created the trend of wearing a black ring on one's right middle finger to symbolize asexuality. These are now called ace rings, and for aromanticism, it is a white ring on the right middle finger. These rings are worn almost like a wedding ring.[3] In 2010, a vote was put on AVEN for the official asexual pride flag, which is now the current asexual pride flag.[4] AVEN has also been the birthplace of many terms for a-spec identities, such as demisexuality.
Resources
Wikipedia contributors. "Asexual Visibility and Education Network." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 10 Jun. 2024. Web. 10 Aug. 2024.
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 https://web.archive.org/web/20180828104249/https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2893352/
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20240103031915/https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/asexuality-is-finally-breaking-free-from-medical-stigma/
- ↑ http://chasin.ca/cj/Chasin_Reconsidering.Asexuality_FS.Vol39.2_2013.pdf
- ↑ https://muse.jhu.edu/pub/3/article/912094