Episode 65: Understanding Asexuality
December 17, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
What does it mean to be asexual? This is something that different people have defined in different ways, and there are a lot of misconceptions about it. That’s why this episode of the podcast is all about understanding asexuality. We dive into what the science tells us about this subject and bust a lot of myths along the way. We also talk about helpful tips for navigating relationships in which one of the partners is asexual (lacking sexual attraction) and the other is allosexual (experiencing sexual attraction).
I am joined by Dr. Morag Yule, the founder and director of Ontario Sex Therapy, a private practice that offers sex therapy as well as clinical training and supervision out of Toronto, Canada. Dr. Yule has published extensively on human sexuality, but is especially recognized for her ground-breaking studies of asexuality.
Some of the topics we explore in this episode include:
- How do sex researchers define asexuality, and how do they measure it in their studies?
- What percentage of the population is asexual?
- How is asexuality distinct from celibacy?
- What have genital arousal studies told us about the sexual functioning of asexual persons?
- Do asexual people masturbate and have sexual fantasies? How is solo sexuality similar or different for asexual and allosexual individuals?
- Why is it important to view asexuality as a unique sexual orientation?
- How does asexuality intersect with kink/BDSM and consensual non-monogamy?
- How do you make a relationship work when asexual and allosexual people partner-up?
For more asexuality information and resources, check out the Asexuality Visibility and Education Network at asexuality.org
To learn more about Dr. Yule, visit ontariosextherapy.ca
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Credits: LEGIT Audio (Podcast editing) and Shutterstock/Florian (Music). Image created with Canva; photos used with permission of guest.
Dr. Justin Lehmiller
Founder & Owner of Sex and PsychologyDr. Justin Lehmiller is a social psychologist and Research Fellow at The Kinsey Institute. He runs the Sex and Psychology blog and podcast and is author of the popular book Tell Me What You Want. Dr. Lehmiller is an award-winning educator, and a prolific researcher who has published more than 50 academic works.
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