When Emily Johnston and some of her peers at Carleton College didn't see themselves reflected at the campus sexuality and gender center, they sought out an acronym revision.
Instead of LGBTQ and an "A" for "ally," they asked, can that letter recognize students who are asexual?
That was one year ago. Now, Johnston, a senior, is the president and co-founder of Asexuality Community and Education (ACE), which regularly draws 15 to 20 students to its meetings. And the campus center is actively working to expand its programs for asexual students.
An asexual describes someone who doesn’t feel sexual attraction, though, as Johnston points out, that's a rather basic definition that doesn't reveal all the variations of asexuality. As a result, many people use the term asexual spectrum.
“It means something different for everyone, and it means they experience relationships and intimacy differently,” Johnston said.
In the past couple years, student support groups for asexual students have grown more common on campuses around the country, including at the University of Colorado at Boulderand New College of Florida. In other cases, already existing groups, such as the Lambda Alliance at the University of Georgia, have added asexual to the list of gender identities and sexual orientations they represent.
Read more at Inside Higher Ed: https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2014/11/10/asexual-student-groups-growing-more-common-campuses