Asexuality — an attempt to critically review the concept of a fourth sexual orientation

Abstract

Asexuality, as a research phenomenon, was shed light on in 2004 thanks to a study by Anthony Bogaert. The results of the survey, carried out as part of it, showed that about 1% of people in the population have never felt sexually attracted to anyone. However, asexual persons declare that they do not feel in any way deficient or disturbed because of that. On the contrary, they fully accept this situation and treat their lack of sexual attraction as an integral part of their Self. This would suggest the possibility of treating asexuality as a new sexual orientation, but such an idea is highly controversial and is the subject of intense discussion – both among researchers, and in the public discourse. This article analyses the issue of asexual orientation based on reports from relevant publications. At the outset, the origins of perceiving asexuality as a sexual orientation are indicated, as well as a review of the arguments for and against the concept. The following part of the paper presents a deeper reflection on the current definition of sexual orientation, and thus the possibility of adding a new – asexual — form of it. The article concludes with a consideration of the concept of asexual identity, which, according to researchers, is a more accurate term in the context of asexuality, as it emphasises the subjectivity of the individual.