Asexuality and Fandom

Asexuality is an umbrella term that encompasses both people who do not experience sexual attraction, as well as those who feel little attraction, or attraction conditioned to some factor.See or 
In fanworks, an asexual or "ace" character usually does not display much or any interest in sexual sensations. A related term is an aromantic or "aro" character, who usually does not display much or any interest in romance. While fanworks featuring asexual and/or aromantic characters are common in some fandoms, they are very rare in others. 
There are many ace fans who create fics, fanart, and meta that portray ace characters. Ace fandom communities congregate anywhere there are fans, across all fandoms. Ace fans also put together communities, fic exchanges, and fests focused on ace characters and portrayals. Some asexual fans prefer gen or queerplatonic fic, while others enjoy or prefer shipping fic.
Additionally, some fictosexuals consider themselves ace, since they are only attracted to fictional characters and not real people, although the ace community may have at times defined the two terms differently. It is generally considered a microlabel when used by acespec folk, and some have drawn comparisons and overlap with the term aegosexual.
==Discourse and Discussion==
Ace fans sometimes interact with fanworks differently than allo (non-ace) fans do. This has led to meta about canon and fanon, as well as discourse over headcanons and other aspects of fandom. Common discourse topics on Tumblr include headcanoning characters of color and autistic or otherwise disabled characters as ace.
===Ace Characters and Sex in Fanwork===
Some fans have expressed concern over the prevalence of ace characters, for whom sex is not a focus, being depicted having sex in fanwork. One fan writes this is perhaps an effect of allo people writing ace characters as well as a problem with the constraints of the romance genre in general:
The pattern of ace characters altruistically entering into sexual relationships in fanwork is also criticized by other fans. 
Depictions of asexuality can be idealistic when it comes to the willingness of all ace characters to engage in sexual activity:
Overall there is a lack of variety in relationship patterns in fanwork, especially involving asexuals:
On the other hand, fic about ace characters having sex can be a way for ace fans to explore their sexuality. 
In addition, as one fan writes, the focus on discussing whether or not ace characters can have sex can distract from discussions on other ways writers can create harmful portrayals of ace people. 
===Asexuality and Other Marginalized Identities===
Headcanoning characters as both asexual and other marginalized identities can be a sensitive topic, out of a desire to avoid the stereotype of desexualising a group. This is especially common with headcanoning disabled characters as ace, or as both disabled and ace.
On the topic of headcanoning Oswald Cobblepot from Gotham as asexual, one fan writes:
However, marginalized ace fans exist, and many of them criticize this trend of avoiding writing ace characters that share a commonly desexualized identity. They argue that execution matters, and that it is important to represent the intersections of various identities.
In response to an unspecified post, one neurodivergent ace fan writes: 
===Inclusion in Queer Spaces===
In 2010, it was brought to the attention to asexual_fandom members that the popular LGBTfest only allowed asexual characters to be the center of fics if they were also otherwise lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. 
In response to this, community member theletterfour wrote an open letter to the festival moderators: 
As a result of the open letter, LGBTfest changed their policy on acefic. 
Further discourse occurred on fandom_secrets in the following days. Some commenters misunderstood the context as being about a broader LGBT community, while many more questioned the legitimacy of ace fans.parent thread in fandom_secrets, 2010 There were also criticisms of the change in policy. 
===Tagging on AO3===
Tagging on Archive of Our Own is always a somewhat contentious topic. A user on the anon meme fail_fandomanon asked, "Nonnies, Character A is asexual but not aromantic. Should I use Character A/Character B or Character A & Character B in the relationship tag?"Nonnie in Post 1025's Ask meme thread. 2019-02-04 which got a good spread of responses:
==Acephobia==
Fans have discussed experiences of Aphobia or Acephobia in fandom spaces, where they felt they could not write, draw, or headcanon characters as ace without negative attention from other fans. Fans have also pushed back against this by creating guides to sensitive and enjoyable portrayal of ace characters without falling into acephobic tropes. They've shared their experiences with acephobia on Tumblr, Dreamwidth, Reddit, and other spaces:
Fans have also described the rise and popularization of terminology around acephobia and asexuality in fandom:
==Ace Characters==
Human characters specifically stated to be ace are rare. Ace headcanons are common in some fandoms. Sometimes, distinguishing between a common fanon headcanon and deliberate ace-coding can be difficult. Characters commonly perceived as ace include:
* Archie Comics: Since the comics began, Jughead Jones was never a huge fan of women. The joke has been that he is in a relationship with food. Some fans feel that he was clearly coded as gay in the older comics, however in the 2016 issue Jughead #4 it is stated that he is asexual. In the CW show Riverdale, Jughead appears to be heterosexual. Jughead's orientation is a topic of much discourse in fandom.Tumblr thread, 2017
* Arthuriana: The majority of fans headcanon Sir Dinadan, who is known for his scorn of relationships throughout all his medieval appearances and referred to as "the wise man who does not love" in La Tavola Ritonda, as aroace. Sir Bors, Sir Galahad, and Dindrane are also frequently interpreted as asexual.
* Assassin's Creed: Many fans have expressed the headcanon that Ratonhnhaké:ton ("Connor") is on the asexual/aromantic spectrum.
* Barbie (2023): Margot Robbie has said that she views Stereotypical Barbie as asexual and many fans have seen aspec experiences in the movie's storyline. 
* The Big Bang Theory: Sheldon Cooper is often cited as an example of a character who is asexual in canon.At one point Penny asks Leonard "What is Sheldon's deal?" and clarifies that she means his sexuality; Leonard replies that as far as any of Sheldon's friends know, "he has no deal." A later episode has Sheldon declaring that he is "quite aware of the way humans usually reproduce" but if he and his friend Amy were ever to have children, it would happen "in a lab with petri dishes." Despite this, he does have sex in canon, and could be taken as an example of an asexual character who has had a sex life or as a demisexual character.
* BoJack Horseman: Todd Chavez is an openly asexual character.
* Critical Role: Caduceus Clay is an aro-ace character from Campaign 2. In-game in episode 114, An Open Window, Caduceus says that sex is "not really for him"; Talesin later confirmed on Twitter that Caduceus was also aromantic in addition to the fact that Caduceus was planned as ace from character creation , Nov 10 2020 (accessed April 3 2021) Nov 12 2020 (accessed April 3 2021). The revelation was especially meaningful to fans as it took place during Asexual Awareness Week. 
* DC Comics: Connor Hawke is canonically asexual.Connor Hawke, Green Arrow's Son, is Officially Asexual in DC Pride 2022
* Dishonored: Head writer Harvey Smith confirmed on Twitter that the assassin Daud (antagonist of the first game and protagonist of the DLCs) is asexual. An in-game book says that "sex had never interested him".
* Doctor Who: Especially fans of the classic series often viewed the Doctor as being asexual. Some fans were therefore dismayed by the 'shippy vibes included in the newer series.
* Dragon Age: Some fans interpret Cole as asexual due to the general disinterest in sex he shows during in-game dialogue. Cole's characterization is sometimes viewed as othering and infantilizing asexuality, since he is a naive, otherworldly spirit whose eccentricity and misunderstandings of the mortal realm are played for comic relief.Melissa Shani Brown & Nichola Lucy Partridge, "'Strangely Like a Person': Cole and the Queering of Asexuality in Dragon Age: Inquisition", Sexuality & Culture, Volume 25, Issue 3, June 2021
* Dreaming of Sunshine: The main character Nara Shikako is canonically aromantic and asexual, although the author, Silver Queen, has said she doesn't mind people shipping Shikako in their recursive fanfiction.Silver Queen, response to an anonymous ask on dosbysilverqueen.tumblr.com. Posted 20 August 2016. (Accessed 27 July 2018.)
* Good Omens: Crowley and Aziraphale, as well as other celestial beings, are often interpreted as asexual (and possibly aromantic), due to a line in the book which describes angels as "sexless unless they really feel like making an effort". Some fans consider this an asexual relationship, while others use "making an effort" as a euphemism for sex. After the TV series was released, many fans expressed joy at a positive portrayal of asexuality, although others wished the relationship had been made explicitly romantic. Co-author and showrunner Neil Gaiman has expressed support for many possible interpretations, including asexual and aromantic ones. Neil Gaiman response about queer labels on twitter. Posted 8 June 2019. (Accessed 29 December 2019.)
* Hazbin Hotel: Alastor is canonically ace, as said by word of god and implied in canon.
* Leverage: Some fans think that Parker is ace.
* Marvel: In 2023, it was revealed that Gwenpool is aroace and Nadia van Dyne is asexual. Yelena Belova has been canonically asexual and possibly aromantic in the comics since 2020 or perhaps earlier, which has caused discourse as MCU fans ship her with characters such as Kate Bishop. 
* Mass Effect: The salarians in general are considered to be an asexual race,"Due to their method of reproduction, salarians have no concept of romantic love, sexual attraction, or the biological impulses and social rituals that complicate other species' lives. Male-female relationships are rare (due to the scarcity of females) and more akin to human friendship. Sexuality is strictly for the purpose of reproduction." - Mass Effect codex entry on salarians but the most prominent example of the salarians' asexuality within fandom is the character of Mordin Solus. While he eventually sees Commander Shepard as a good friend, he politely turns down any notion of a relationship with them -if they are not in a romance with another character at the time-, but adds that if he were to "try human", he would "try" Shepard (interestingly enough, he says this to both male and female Shepards).Female Shepard and Male Shepard conversations with Mordin.
* Les Misérables: Enjolras is often interpreted as being asexual, due to Hugo's description of him in the Brick.Enjolras’ sexuality in The Brick, one of the most clearly articulated interpretations of the canon that reaches the conclusion that Enjolras is asexual. However, Enjolras's sexuality is not clearly defined in any canon and is mainly understood through interpreting Classical allusions, and is accordingly one of the most commonly debated issues in the Les Mis fandom.
* Mob Psycho 100: Shigeo and Reigen are commonly percieved as ace, especially Reigen due to a line where he asks Dimple if love requires sexual desire. This caused discourse on tumblr.
* Monk: Adrian Monk has been interpreted as asexual by some fans, due to various factors in canon including a dialogue which indicates he and his wife never had intercourse.https://prudence2019.tumblr.com/post/183126649919/stardust-and-serotonin-so-theres-a-monk (dead link)
* One Piece: Monkey D. Luffy is widely thought to be asexual, as he never shows interest in dating. 
* Raise de wa Chanto: Ume is asexual in canon, and identifies as such in the show. In season 1, she goes to a lesbian bar to see if it's just men she's not attracted to, and finds she's not attracted to women either. In season 2, she identifies as asexual and considers marrying a bisexual character to get his mother off his back about his boyfriend, with him going as far as to offer to write her a contract that they will never have any sexual contact.
* Saiki Kusuo no Psi Nan: Saiki Kusuo is commonly portrayed as ace or aroace, he often expresses disinterest in his romantic prospects in canon.Asexual Saiki Kuso and Aromantic Asexual Saiki Kusuo tags on AO3
* Sherlock Holmes fandoms: The character of Sherlock Holmes is sometimes seen as being asexual.For example, see BBC Sherlock's sexuality.
** Some writers like exploring what this means for his possible romance with Watson. Holmes/Watson or Sherlock/John fic where Holmes and Watson first get together and Holmes is asexual and Watson is not often has some element of angst as they negotiate their romantic relationship. John is often portrayed as missing sex and many stories end in a compromise where their relationship has some consensual sexual element. One common plot in Sherlock BBC fanwork ends with Sherlock convincing a reluctant John that he is comfortable participating in some sexual activity with John.
** Sherlock Holmes's brother, Mycroft, is also sometimes characterized as asexual and other characters rarely.
* Steven Universe: Peridot is commonly headcanoned as ace. She's one of the few alien gems from the show who's never known to have fused with any other character.
* SpongeBob SquarePants: In 2005, the We Are Family Foundation released a music video featuring more than 100 well-known children's characters, to promote diversity and tolerance. Multiple conservative groups were offended and attacked Spongebob in particular, alleging that the cartoon series depicted SpongeBob and Patrick in a gay relationship. Creator Stephen Hillenburg made a statement in response that "We never intended them to be gay. I consider them to be almost asexual." Many fans embraced this as canon.
* Stargate Atlantis: In SGA fic, the character of John Sheppard has multiple times been written as asexual.For example, see Asexual_fandom's delicious tags for SGA (Accessed 31 March 2011) This may in part be due to the fanon trope that he is touch-averse.
* Trigun: Vash the Stampede has romantic storylines in canon but is often perceived as asexual.
* Total Drama: Many characters from the show, such as DJ, Wayne, and Heather, are commonly headcanoned as ace.
* The Magnus Archives: Jonathan "Jon" Sims is canonically ace and Biromantic.
* Wooden Overcoats: Rudyard Funn is commonly perceived as and has been confirmed asexual via Word of God.
==Example Fanworks==
===Fanfiction===
James Bond:
Harry Potter:
Leverage:
DC Comics:
Marvel Cinematic Universe:
Teen Wolf:
BBC Sherlock:
Inception:
Fullmetal Alchemist:
Supernatural:
Les Misérables:
BTS:
Stargate: Atlantis:
Animash:
===Zines===
*Ace Omens - a Good Omens ace-positive charity zine.
==Communities & Resources==
* asexual_fandom on Dreamwidth
* asex_sherlock
* asexy_who
* BNHA Ace Exchange, a fandom-specific gift exchange
* BNHA Aro & Ace Week, a fandom-specific fanweek
*BTAce & Aro Spring Fest, a fandom-specific gift exchange
*Asexy April, a multifandom challenge
*Asexual SPN Mini Bang
* Recs tagged Asexual & Demisexual Characters at Fancake
==Meta & Discussion==
*Being an asexual slasher. by nike_victory, 2006. 
* warning -- this is an emotionally complicated meta; archive link by Sandy Herrold (August 2008)
*This is borne of frustration and likely should not be posted. by quinara, 2009. 
*Some words are rather unpleasant to read in this context... by kaz, 2010. 
*asexual characters in lgbtfest by theletterfour, 2010. 
*A brief history of asexuality in fandom, as seen by Kaz by kaz, 2011. 
* Ramp-Up Essay/Meta/Q&A Session/Rec-List on Asexuality (& Kink) for Kink Bingo, 2011. (Archived version)
* Ramp Up Essay: Being a Kinky Ace for Kink Bingo, 2011. (Archived version)
* Asexuality and Femslash, 2011. (Archived version)
*ace stereotypes in fic by aceofannwn, 2013. 
*My Humble Opinions on Using Ace Terminology in Fic by blitzwing, 2013. 
*Ace-Flipping Characters by blitzwing, 2013. 
* Some Issues with Asexuality in Fanfic, 2013
*Audiometa: Sherlock fic by calvinahobbes and exeterlinden (BBC Sherlock), 2013. 
*I get really frustrated by how difficult it is to find or even headcanon aromantic or asexual female characters. by beranyth, 2013. 
*Putting Relationships Into Binary Boxes by melannen, 2014.
*Why I’ve Never Gotten into Fanfiction by Sara K., 2014. 
*compulsory sexuality in fandom by beranyth, 2014. 
*Representation in acefic by asexualagenda, 2014.
*Asexual Fanfiction, 2014–2016. 
*Asexuality in Fandom Tumblr blog, 2015.
*ArospAce forum, 2014–2017. 
*This Tumblr thread on asexuality and demisexuality in fanfiction, 2015.
*My experiences with being ace in Vorkosiverse fandom by Sara K. (Vorkosigan Saga), 2017. 
*Asexuality x Draco/Harry by bafflinghaze (Harry Potter), 2017. 
*My Vidding, Fanfiction, Podfics, and Meta: The Works that Incorporate Asexuality by luvtheheaven, 2017. 
*Viewing Shipping, Sex Scenes, even Friendship through Asexual Eyes: a Privilege and a Curse since 2013 by luvtheheaven, 2017. 
*My Asexual Experience with Fandom by aceyugiohdreamer, 2017. 
*Asexuality and Aromanticism on AO3 by toastystats, 2017.
* Navigating Fandom As an Asexual on Medium.com, 2018. (Archived version)
*Slashsing the Invisible: Bodily Autonomy in Asexual Fan Fiction by Lysa Hannah Pernille Nielsen Westberg, 2018.
* Writing fic as an aroace or aro/ace fic (or with an aspec element to it) it is really frustrating..., 2019. (Archived version)
*Otterly Sexy – navigating fandom as an asexual fan by fanofacertainage, 2019. 
*Asexuality and erotica by fanofacertainage, 2019. 
*Shipping in Fandom on AVEN, 2020.
* This Work Is Tagged Asexual Character: An Analysis of Asexuality in Fanfiction, 2021. 
* Shipping While Aspec, "this blog is a safe place for all arospec & acespec folks to rant about the woes of fandom shipping while aspec." (dead link)
* Ace Media Analysis & Metacommentary, 2021. (Archived version)
*Being a Gray-Aro Asexual Shipper, and a Gray-Aro Asexual Huge Fan of Certain Actors, etc. by violetemeraldx, 2021. 
*This Work Is Tagged Asexual Character: An Analysis of Asexuality in Fanfiction by Hendrike Johanna Janny Tel, 2021.
*“Normalizing my identity with characters I love” : aromanticism & asexuality in fanfiction writing by Sidney Michelle Garner, 2023.
==Gallery==
File:Ace Cas by Casei Solus.jpg|alt=illustration of Cas standing in silhouette with wings behind him, his wings are the ace flag colors of black, gray, white, and purple|Castiel of Supernatural with ace pride wings (Casei Solus, 2019). ‎
File:Ace Rights Babey by SuperKirbylover.png|Ace Rights Babey by SuperKirbylover – Papyrus and Sans of Undertale holding an ace pride flag (2021).
File:Kars by MrGekk0.jpg|Kars of ‎JoJo's Bizarre Adventure in ace pride colors (MrGekk0, 2023). 
==References==
Category:Tropes_&_Genres
Category:Queer
Category:Discussion