Asexual exclusionism

{{significantly problematic}}[[File:Asexual Exclusion 1.png|thumb|right|165px|Art depicting anti-asexual bullying.]]
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{{Sources needed|We need more documentation of the phenomenon outside of tumblr posts from the same person.}}
'''Asexual exclusionism''' (often shortened to '''ace exclusionism''') is a trendy new form of [[bullying]] dedicated to pretending to care about the [[LGBT]] cause by kicking out those horrible [[cringe culture|cringey]] aceys ([[asexual]]s) from those spaces. It began to be popular around 2013, the same time as the rise of [[TERF]]s and people who insist "[[queer]] is a slur!"<ref>[https://geekandmisandry.tumblr.com/post/186386677505/gayharoldfinch-trannycrowley Tumblr user sabertoothwalrus found a correlation between TERFs, ace exclusionists, and hatred of queer people]</ref><ref>[https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=all&geo=US&q=is%20queer%20a%20slur,are%20asexuals%20lgbt,trans%20exclusionary%20radical%20feminism Google trends timeline of "is queer a slur", "are asexuals lgbt" and "trans exclusionary radical feminism"]</ref> Ace exclusionism is a manifestation of '''acephobia''' (discrimination and negative attitudes toward asexuals).<ref>Parmenter, Joshua Glenn. [https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=8347&context=etd The Culture of Sexuality: Identification, Conceptualization, and Acculturation Processes Within Sexual Minority and Heterosexual Cultures], p. 96. Utah State University, August 2018.</ref> 

The bullying from asexual exclusionists have harmed aces on [[Tumblr]] and pushed people back into the closet.<ref name="metapianycist">[https://metapianycist.tumblr.com/post/184921575348/idk-can-we-stoptreating-ace-discourse-like-its Tumblr post on ace discourse destroying the community]</ref>

While ace exclusionists often focus their hatred on asexuals, [[aromantic]] people are often targeted too (who may also be asexual).

==Tactics==
===Bullying and threats===
{{cquote|hey ace kids! stop scrolling! you deserve to get hit by a bus|||Tumblr user killaces<ref>[https://herefortheace.tumblr.com/post/160787783830/killaces-hey-ace-kids-stop-scrolling-you Tumblr post by killaces]</ref> But remember, this is definitely not bullying!}}

Asexual exclusionists aren't above vicious bullying. A few tools in their box include suicide baiting,<ref>[https://herefortheace.tumblr.com/post/153153067950/discoursejail-fucking-deactivated-hey-ace Tumblr user fucking-deactivated encouraging asexual minors to kill themselves]</ref> voicing violent fantasies,<ref>[https://herefortheace.tumblr.com/post/161946346405/fumbledeegrumble-sapiosexual-positivity Tumblr user moe-amethyst talking about the desire to murder asexuals]</ref> [[rape]] wishes,<ref>[https://herefortheace.tumblr.com/post/160774720490/danni-rants-so-aphobicalloagender-is-posting Tumblr post showing suicide baiting and rape wishes directed at asexuals]</ref> posting graphic content in positivity tags (never mind the existence of minors), and more. They've also discussed ensuring that aces stay in the closet and in the dark.<ref>[https://herefortheace.tumblr.com/post/156668387845/discoursegrips-this-is-fucking-terrifying-i-dont Screenshot of a Tumblr post about deleting asexuality from Wikipedia]</ref>

One such person has apparently made threats to the point of the [[FBI]] getting involved.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20200212210846/https://twitter.com/heybluewrites/status/1227665649767501824 Tweet with screenshot] alleging FBI contact. Apparently federal crimes count as "starting drama" for a fun hobby.</ref>

===Denial and bargaining===
They'll also deny the fact that asexuals are actually oppressed. Asexual people face dehumanization, sexual harassment, and discrimination if they dare to come out.<ref>Gordon Hodson Ph.D. [https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/without-prejudice/201209/prejudice-against-group-x-asexuals Prejudice Against "Group X" (Asexuals)], Psychology Today (September 1st, 2012).</ref><ref>Elizabeth F. Emens. [https://www.jstor.org/stable/24246965 Compulsory Sexuality], Stanford Law Review (February 2014). [https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Compulsory+sexuality.-a0360796126 Also available via The Free Library.]</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20180123224923/https://standupmag.org/2017/10/17/queer-but-not-deemed-queer-enough-the-battle-for-asexual-inclusion/ Queer But Not Deemed Queer Enough – The Battle For Asexual Inclusion]</ref> They're at risk for [[conversion therapy]] and even "corrective [[rape]]".<ref>[https://www.huffpost.com/entry/asexual-discrimination_n_3380551 Battling Asexual Discrimination, Sexual Violence And ‘Corrective’ Rape] - Huffington Post</ref> Asexual respondents to the British government's 2017 LGBT survey were significantly less likely to be employed.<ref>[https://asexualresearchstudies.carrd.co/#education Discrimination In Education And The Workplace: How The Marginalization Of Asexuality Occurs At School And Work], An Academic Look At Asexual Oppression, via Carrd.</ref><ref>[https://government-equalities-office.shinyapps.io/lgbt-survey-2017/ National LGBT Survey 2017 Data Viewer], Government Equalities Office.</ref>

Many ace exclusionism tactics are taken straight from the [[TERF]] and [[biphobia|biphobe]] playbooks.<ref>[https://feminismandmedia.tumblr.com/post/186813533884/fuckyeahasexual-still-funny-how-there-is-legit Tumblr post discussing how aphobes and biphobes are similar]</ref>

===History denialism===
Asexual people have a rich history.<ref>{{wpa|Timeline of asexual history}}</ref><ref>[https://theoutline.com/post/5065/tumblr-asexual-history-bloggers-ace-historical?zd=1&zi=qabxgaig The Tumblr bloggers building a canon of asexual history]</ref> Yet according to ace exclusionists, they are only [[closet]]ed [[cis]][[Heterosexual|het]] [[incels]] who want a piece of the victimhood pie and steal attention from those who are oppressed enough like the rest of the community.

===Common arguments===
Here are a few common anti-ace arguments.

{{sbs|title=1|Rhetoric|RationalWiki response}}
{{sbs|Calling non-asexual people "alloromantic" is lumping us in with our straight oppressors! |Calling anyone LGBT is also lumping LGBT people of color, women, [[disabled]] people, etc. with their oppressors. It's almost like there are multiple axes of oppression.}}
{{sbs|Suggesting that [[think of the children|children can be asexual]] is predatory! |Teens have sexualities, and acknowledging this won't kill us. You know what harms mental health? Marginalizing and dehumanizing ace teens by teaching them that everyone must have sexual urges or there's something "wrong" with them. Most ace teens grow up feeling broken and alienated from their communities, just like many other LGBTQ+ people have. Perhaps you'd like to do something about the exclusionists putting gore and graphic sexual content in the ace tag and telling asexual kids to kill themselves? Vicious words to aces are far more destructive to kids, as well as potentially turning them away from the community that can be a valuable source of validation, experience, and sense of belonging, which is supposed to be a paramount goal of the LGBT+ community.}}
{{sbs|Aces just want to be oppressed. |Who in their right mind wants to be oppressed? This common argument from bigots invalidates and downplays real harms that people have experienced. Why do aces go through these lengths detailing their experiences, creating safe and open communities to listen, and expressing their need for acceptance and belonging? They're trying to reduce stigma and oppression (particularly the pushback that comes when minority groups start becoming more organized and visible).}}
{{sbs|LGBT organizations only acknowledge them because they feel threatened! |Asexual people are a minority in the community. This argument hugely neglects the efforts of the organizations to include aces because they want to promote a positive atmosphere of validation, understanding, comfort, love, and acceptance. Trying to destroy this is a serious disservice.}}
{{sbs|Asexuals dating non-asexual people is inherently abusive! |This argument seems to claim that asexuals deny their lovers sex and therefore, it is inherently abusive. Typical of exclusionary bigotry, this is a huge misunderstanding of asexuality and healthy relationships. Sex is an optional part of dating, and some asexuals do actually choose to have sex. And if someone doesn't consent to sex, that's not abusive; '''they have a right to say no.''' If two people in a relationships have different needs or wants, they can try communication. Ace exclusionists should be well aware of basic relationshipping before they start disparaging aces in their ignorant hatred and calling a class of people inherently abusive, besides which non-asexual people seemingly never get called abuser and victim for only having “platonic” or non-sexual relationships.}}

==A few of their many, many problems==
===Racism===
Exclusionists love to paint asexual people as [[racism|white teenagers]] who want to [[strawman|pretend to be oppressed]]. They ignore and speak over asexual people of color.<ref>[https://geekandmisandry.tumblr.com/post/175062726445/chthonicfantasy-stardust-rain-when-asexual Tumblr post on the agency of asexual women of color]</ref>

===TERF connections===
Many people have pointed out that ace exclusionism is a lot like [[TERF]] rhetoric,<ref>[https://courteousmingler.tumblr.com/post/157026554235/arentyouacuteone-courteousmingler A Tumblr post on ace exclusionism being a gateway ideology for TERFs]</ref> and that many people who start as ace exclusionists become TERFs as well.<ref>[https://geekandmisandry.tumblr.com/post/175275248920/why-tme-ace-exclusionists-are-especially A Tumblr post showing ace exclusionists who became TERFs]</ref> Ace exclusionism normalizes TERF ideas and brings them into the popular lexicon.

===Anti-autistic ableism===
{{cquote|you guys get REAL fuckin nervous when i highlight that the majority of your jeering about aces' perceived awkwardness, missed social cues, infantilization/dehumanization, or "unfuckability"/"[[Cringe culture|cringey-ness]]" are repackaged [[ableism]], especially considering that a good percentage of the ace community is also autistic|||Metapianycist on Tumblr<ref name="metapianycist" />}}

Many of the bullying tactics used against asexuals are the same things used against autistic people.

Of course, ace exclusionists flip it around and claim that asexuals, actually, are the ones hurting autistics (Which again, speak over Autistic Asexuals). Ace exclusionists have tried to say that asexuals are somehow [[Appeal to emotion#Autistic people|harming autistic people]]. When asexuals use "a-spec" to describe the asexual and aromantic spectrum, exclusionists claim that "a-spec" is a word for the autism spectrum. (It isn't. Autistic people have said that it isn't.<ref>[https://autistic-answers.tumblr.com/post/157485900522/feminismandmedia-geekandmisandry-if-people Tumblr post on how a-spec is NOT about autism, and autistics would really appreciate it if exclusionists would stop]</ref><ref>[https://asexuality-and-aphobia.tumblr.com/post/168624315688/wetwareproblem-theoutli3r-fuckyeahasexual Tumblr post with many screenshots of autistics saying that a-spec is not a word about autism]</ref> But exclusionists are too busy "defending" autistics from the evil aceys to pay attention or care.)

==See also==
*[[Asexuality]]
*[[Biphobia]] -- another phenomenon where sexual minorities exclude other sexual minorities for being too "normal".
*[[Trans-exclusionary radical feminism]]

==External links==
* [https://feminismandmedia.tumblr.com/post/184546009714/moon-attuned-atlas-herefortheace A roundup of some horrifying anti-asexual posts]
* [https://herefortheace.tumblr.com/post/177003658125/masterpost-people-in-ace-discourse-do-hate-aces Another roundup of horrifying anti-asexual posts]
* [https://www.google.com/search?q=cute+dog+photos Google image results for "cute dog photos"] in case you made the unfortunate decision to read through those roundups

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

[[Category:Ableism]]
[[Category:Discrimination]]
[[Category:Identity politics]]
[[Category:Racism]]
[[Category:Side-by-side articles]]
[[Category:Denialism]]

Categories: Ableism, Discrimination, Identity politics, Racism, Side-by-side articles, Denialism