This blog is authored by Dr. Leesa Contorino, PsyD-L, a member of the IntraSpectrum Counseling team.
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What is International Asexuality Day (IAD)? It is a day focused on promoting advocacy, education, celebration, and solidarity with those who identify within the Ace community, with particular attention to those living outside of western culture.
While western culture has influenced mainstream messaging about romance and sexuality around the globe, it is important to remember that different cultures have a variety of teachings and beliefs surrounding sexuality and romance. These teaching and beliefs may align or not align with the mainstream view of sexuality and romance in western culture. As a result, the experience of somebody navigating life with an Ace identity within a world that sometimes centers sexuality and romance, or has conflicting messages about these areas, can be particularly challenging.
As therapists, our job is to create space for our clients to bring in all parts of themselves. Taking up space in this way may be particularly challenging for our clients experiencing the intersection of asexuality erasure, racism, and/or anti-immigrant rhetoric.
Some ways that therapists and allies of the Ace community can live out the values promoted on IAD are the following:
- Reflect on the role of sex and romance in our relationships: Do you prioritize your sexual and romantic partners over other relationships (i.e. platonic partners, friends, family). How does sexuality and romance show up in your values system?
- Reflect on your beliefs about sexuality and romance in cultures outside of the western world: Do you hold biases that label other cultures as hypersexual or sexually repressed? How do these biases influence how you talk about relationships with individuals from these cultures?
- Challenge beliefs regarding all people centering sexual and romantic relationships: When meeting new people, do you ask about important relationships outside of romantic and sexual relationships? Do you celebrate milestones experienced in platonic relationships?
- Speak up when others pathologize asexuality: Challenge assumptions that asexuality is always related to trauma or sexual functioning concerns. Normalize asexuality as a natural part of the human experience.
Click the links below for IAD resources and more information on International Asexuality Day:
https://internationalasexualityday.org/en/
https://www.asexualityasia.org/
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International Asexuality Day is observed each year on April 6th. As Chicago’s leading psychotherapy practice dedicated to the LGBTQ+ community, IntraSpectrum Counseling is proud to acknowledge and celebrate IAD, and to strive every day to provide the highest quality mental health care for clients of all ages and across the spectrum of identities. For anyone needing affirming and validating support or healing with any issue, please click here or email us at help@intraspectrum-chicago.com.
