Why, So She Is

[bloodyrosemccoy]

Just came across this post by RJ Anderson. As the kind of person who groans when a story stops dead to have another damn sex scene, it is nice to be assured that won’t happen.

On the other hand, though, I can’t escape the feeling that she’s REALLY overthinking it.

I dunno. I’m asexual, I suppose, in the sense that I have no interest in having the sex with anyone, which seems like a top qualification, really,* but there seems to be all sorts of bells and whistles and Community and Identity associated with it that I just do not bother with. I have asexual characters—one of the two main characters in the OGYAFE is asexual. My previous Doctors! narrator is asexual.** It never struck me as something I’d announce with a big fanfare; it's just how they are. (Actually, I am stupidly pleased when I remember to give a character a romantic interest. It doesn't always occur to me.)

This probably speaks more to my own ignorance than anything. I do tend to take my own weirdnesses for granted until someone else points them out. But it does feel … I don’t know, overdone.

It’s very nice of her to think of different sorts, though. And I did like the one book I read of hers, so I may have to look into this. It is nice not to have to worry about overwrought sex scenes, after all.


*As a teenager I used to dread the day that I would have sex, because everyone just assumes that day will come for all people. At some point it occurred to me that if I wasn’t interested, there was no point in anticipating it. Load off my mind, let me tell you.

**The currect Doctors! narrator is rather hilariously NOT asexual. It becomes a plot point.

Comments

[acrossthelake.livejournal.com]

For my part, except for in very rare cases I only care for sex scenes in a book if I'm specifically reading it for the sex scenes. In most other cases it just feels slightly awkward and pointless. I won't even get into the asexual thing other than saying I have nothing against anyone who doesn't care for fucking and that it's always nice to find someone out there who (inadvertently or not) ends up catering to some weird little foible of yours. Believe me, I've been there.

[dinogrrl.livejournal.com]

What's fun is to write stories where a race's default is asexuality and it's the sexual individuals who are the odd ones out.
Unfortunately most of my readers either don't pick up on this or purposely ignore it. Sigh. (Of course, I haven't been very pointed about this thing but I don't want to be because the point of the story is not sex or lack thereof, so.)

[padparadscha.livejournal.com]

*grin* I've got some aliens who are only interested in sex for about three days a year, and the rest of the time they're baffled by everyone else's obsession with it.

And another species where ... oh, but that's a spoiler. ;)

[flutterbychild.livejournal.com]

So you've written Spock?

[padparadscha.livejournal.com]

Only if Spock is made out of bears. I wouldn't really characterize these guys as entirely logical. ;)

[delicious-irony.livejournal.com]

I would love a Spock made out of bears. He'd be cuddlier then, and less angular-bony-where-do-the-elbows-go.

I am perfectly aware that asexual doesn't mean asensual, or aromantic. It's good to see that essay.