International Asexuality Day 2025
6th of April 2025
Welcome to The Therapy Pages!
This is a space for reflection, growth, and meaningful conversations. Here, I explore mental health, healing, and the journey toward well-being—one page at a time. Whether you're seeking insight, support, or just a moment of calm, I’m glad you’re here.
Introduction
The 6th of April marks the 5th International Asexuality Day. As a mental health professional, I must advocate for the right conversations regarding the Ace experience. In Western society, we have a history of medicalising or pathologising Asexuality as something to be ‘fixed’, worked on or changed. Today, I want to add to the conversation and validation of the Ace experience and advocate for change and progression to protect our Ace peers from the harmful effects of conversion therapy in our society.
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What is Asexuality?
Asexuality, or being ace, is a sexual orientation where a person experiences little to no sexual attraction. But that’s just the beginning - there's an entire asexual spectrum.
Being ace doesn't mean someone is broken, afraid of intimacy, or celibate by choice. Many asexual people seek out romantic relationships, friendships, emotional bonds, and forms of physical intimacy that don’t involve sex.
Just like queerness has taught us to challenge binary thinking, asexuality reminds us that sexual desire isn’t universal.
The Split Attraction Model: How Aces (and Others) Experience Connection
The Split Attraction Model (SAM) is used by many asexual and aromantic people to describe how different types of attraction can exist independently. It helps people articulate their feelings more accurately and is especially useful in queer contexts.
Understanding these distinctions gives everyone, especially ace and aro people, the language to validate their experiences
Why Conversion Therapy Must Be Banned—Including for Asexual People
Conversion therapy refers to any attempt to forcibly change someone’s sexual orientation, gender identity, or romantic inclinations. While it's most often discussed in relation to gay and trans people, asexual individuals are also deeply affected.
⚠️ This video discusses and depicts conversion therapy, including emotional abuse, religious trauma, psychological manipulation, and medical harm targeted at LGBTQIA+ individuals. It may be distressing for viewers with lived experience of homophobia, transphobia, or asexual erasure.
Viewer discretion is advised.
In 2018, the UK government promised to ban conversion therapy, yet years later, legislation is still incomplete. A 2022 consultation acknowledged public support for a ban, but the proposed protections do not explicitly cover trans, nonbinary, or asexual people.
The Ban Conversion Therapy Coalition (https://www.banconversiontherapy.com) continues to pressure the government for an inclusive law that protects all LGBTQIA+ identities, including ace and aro folks who are often invisibilised.
“To leave asexual people out of this ban is to tell us our identities are still negotiable”
For true equality, the UK’s ban on conversion therapy must be:
Fully inclusive of all LGBTQIA+ identities.
Protective of minors and adults.
Backed by mental health regulations and education.
Next time in The Therapy Pages…
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Thanks for reading - Kelly
References
AVEN (Asexual Visibility and Education Network), n.d. Home. [online] Available at: https://www.asexuality.org [Accessed 4 Apr. 2025].
Ban Conversion Therapy Coalition, n.d. Home. [online] Available at: https://www.banconversiontherapy.com [Accessed 4 Apr. 2025].
Benoit, Y., 2023. @theyasminbenoit [Instagram]. [online] Available at: https://www.instagram.com/theyasminbenoit/ [Accessed 4 Apr. 2025].
Born Perfect, n.d. Ending Conversion Therapy. [online] Available at: https://bornperfect.org [Accessed 4 Apr. 2025].
GLAAD, n.d. Glossary of Terms - LGBTQ. [online] Available at: https://www.glaad.org/reference [Accessed 4 Apr. 2025].
Government Equalities Office, 2022. Banning Conversion Therapy: Government Consultation Response. [online] Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/banning-conversion-therapy [Accessed 4 Apr. 2025].
Human Rights Campaign (HRC), n.d. The Lies and Dangers of Reparative Therapy. [online] Available at: https://www.hrc.org/resources/the-lies-and-dangers-of-reparative-therapy [Accessed 4 Apr. 2025].
Stonewall UK, 2020. Asexuality: Busting the Myths. [online] Available at: https://www.stonewall.org.uk/about-us/news/asexuality-busting-myths [Accessed 4 Apr. 2025].
The Trevor Project, 2021. A Guide to Being an Ally to Asexual and Aromantic Youth. [online] Available at: https://www.thetrevorproject.org [Accessed 4 Apr. 2025].
Ace Week, n.d. About Ace Week. [online] Available at: https://www.aceweek.org [Accessed 4 Apr. 2025].
Milo Wren (@pocketmilo) (2021) Instagram photos and videos. [online] Available at: https://www.instagram.com/pocketmilo/?hl=en [Accessed 4 Apr. 2025].
Disclaimer: The examples provided in this blog are purely hypothetical and intended for illustrative purposes only. Any resemblance to real events, people, or businesses is purely coincidental. The views and scenarios shared are meant to offer general insights and should not be considered as professional advice.
Hi 👋 I’m Kelly
Meet the Face behind the Blog
I’m a Counsellor & Psychotherapist. I find passion in helping others navigate their complex family relationships, estrangement and all the layers that come with these experiences. I have personal experience in most areas I work and find this adds depth to the relationships my clients and I build.
Outside of work, I love escaping to other worlds through reading. I’m a cat lover and find the most joy in my life when it feels settled, quiet and slow-paced.
