ABSTRACT
Asexuality is a topic that has been thus far neglected not only in the philosophy of sex literature, but also in many other discussions of sexual orientation. It is our view that consideration of asexuality will shed new light on our understandings of sexual orientation and of what it is to be a member of a minoritized sexuality. In this chapter, we first explain what asexuality is. We then focus our attention on developing a proper understanding of asexuality as a sexual orientation. In doing so, we explore several issues, including asexuality’s invisibility, the relationship between asexuality and some so-called “disorders,” and the various forms of oppression that asexual persons face. We conclude on a positive note by discussing some positive values and goods of asexuality. How might asexuality be understood as a set of gains rather than simply as a deficit?
