You are valid...

I like to think of myself as an inclusionist with most of my beliefs. Whether it’s religious (like, even though my religion is very conservative; I still am accepting of those in the LGTBQIA+ community) or social, I like to have all the facts before I judge on anything.

I’m learning that not all people are like that. Especially in the LGTBQIA+ community. You would think that people who have experience alienation and rejection wouldn’t do the same to others. I love the community. It’s a place where I feel like I should have a place.

I like to peruse Tumblr sometimes, and of course I sometimes get sucked into the vortex. I follow a lot of ACE pages there because, obviously, I’m ACE. And yet the people there couldn’t stop going on and on about how cishet asexuals shouldn’t be part of the community. They say that they don’t understand what it’s like to not belong because they’re like everyone else in the world.

I, personally, would like to disagree with this. I don’t have the personal experience to back me up being an aromantic, but I like to think that I have enough empathy with the experiences that I have had.

Asexuals, regardless of how else they identify, have problems in the romance area for obvious reasons. That alone would make me think that they aren’t like everyone else in the world. Relationships seem to always be so invested in the sexual component of everything. If you’re lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual, etc; you might have a somebody. Asexual relationships are a lot more difficult.

I just think that understanding and acceptance goes a long way. LGTBQIA+ experiences vary widely. There’s no one way to categorize them. They’re as different as people are.

It’s not everyone in the community, for sure. I guess it’s like every community out there, you know? You get the duds along with everything else. But I guess that these things just need to be taken. It’s life. You get used to it because people are a lot like life, they aren’t perfect.

I’m taking this one day at a time. I know how I identify and I’m secure with that. Honestly, I decided to do something on this because not everyone is going to feel the same. Maybe some people aren’t going to feel valid.

Well, let me tell you. You are. Whether you’re cishet, non-binary, gender fluid, trans. Asexual is an asexual, regardless of your romantic attractions or inclinations. You’re valid.

#asexuality #relationships #Tumblr