- cross-posted to:
- science@mander.xyz
- lgbtq_plus@beehaw.org
- cross-posted to:
- science@mander.xyz
- lgbtq_plus@beehaw.org
New research on asexuality shows why it’s so important for doctors and therapists to distinguish between episodes of low libido and a consistent lack of sexual attraction
…
Over the past two decades psychological studies have shown that asexuality should be classified not as a disorder but as a stable sexual orientation akin to homosexuality or heterosexuality. Both cultural awareness and clinical medicine have been slow to catch on. It’s only recently that academic researchers have begun to look at asexuality not as an indicator of health problems but as a legitimate, underexplored way of being human.
In biology, the word “asexual” typically gets used in reference to species that reproduce without sex, such as bacteria and aphids. But in some species that do require mating to have offspring, such as sheep and rodents, scientists have observed individuals that don’t appear driven to engage in the act.
Instead of getting offended and thinking it’s a binary thing and everyone is either asexual or not:
Remember that any time someone talks about hormones or neurotransmitters, there is no “right” just “average”.
And the most unique human on the planet would be the hypothetical person who is dead smack on the “average” for the 100s of different ones.
Pointing out what causes differences isn’t the same as saying we need to get everyone in the average.
Hell, the entire article is about asexual people wanting to know the “why”…
Did you even read it yet?
On the contrary, the article listed in the OP is about people experiencing medical discrimination due to a lack of awareness that asexuality can be a valid orientation. The asexual people quoted in their personal anecdotes about their medical care were reporting that medical and psychiatric professionals continually misdiagnosed or gave erroneous treatment based on assumptions around what “healthy” sexual desire looks like.
Essentially, imagine someone posted an article talking about how medical professionals are finally recognizing being gay isn’t a medical issue that needs to be “fixed”, and then you respond saying what the physiological causes of being gay could be. You’re getting kick back because it’s at best pretty tone deaf, no matter whether it’s backed up with evidence or not.