 Hey, Psych2Goers, welcome back to another video. Thank you for all the support that you've given us. Psych2Go's mission is to make psychology and mental health more accessible to everyone. Now, back to the video. Do you know what asexuality means? According to the Asexuality Visibility and Education Network, or AVEN, a person who identifies as asexual does not experience sexual attraction or an intrinsic desire to have sexual relationships with another. It's important to know what it means because there's a lot of stereotypes and false misinformation about the asexual community. Whether it's because of the assumptions that are constantly made about asexual people or the misinformation about how people experience asexuality, there are many people who don't fully understand what it is and what it means. So to help clear things up, here are 10 things people get wrong about asexual people. Misconception number one. People assume that they just haven't found the right one yet. Sometimes when a person identifies as asexual and openly tells others about it, they may be met with phrases such as, Don't worry, you just haven't found the right one yet. Or, give it time. You'll find somebody who is the one for you. This is a downright denial of their feelings and orientation. Finding or not finding the right person has nothing to do with someone's sexual orientation. In cases like this, it's important that you avoid making assumptions and trust that they are the expert of their own feelings and identity. Misconception number two. People who are asexual are not attracted to anybody. Just because somebody is asexual does not necessarily mean that they are not attracted to other people. Being asexual means different things to different people. And although some asexual people do not experience sexual attraction towards others, that doesn't mean that they can't experience other forms of attraction, such as emotional, platonic, sensual, or even romantic attraction to others. Misconception number three. People who are asexual hate sex and do not have sex. Not having sexual attraction and hating sex are two different concepts. The asexual community isn't anti-sex, but rather they do not feel sexually attracted to anyone. Some of them have sex, some masturbate, while others might choose to not have sex at all as they are repulsed or uncomfortable by it. Some may also express their intimacies in other ways with each other. Misconception number four. Asexual people are celibate or abstinence. Many people falsely think that asexuality is the same thing as celibacy or abstinence. So let's be clear on definitions. Abstinence is the decision to not have sex. This is usually temporary or changeable. For example, you might abstain from sex until marriage or abstain during a difficult period in your life until you feel better. Celibacy, on the other hand, is about deciding to abstain from sex, possibly for religious, cultural, or personal reasons. And it's often a lifelong commitment. Abstinence and celibacy are choices, whereas asexuality isn't. What's more, asexual people might not actually abstain from sex at all. As mentioned earlier, some asexual people do have sex. Misconception number five. Asexual women do not get periods or do not have a uterus. Women who identify as asexual are often asked dehumanizing questions, such as, do you have a vagina or do you have a uterus? Regardless of whether a woman is asexual or not, these questions are extremely personal and are not questions that should be asked under basic courtesy. The fact is, asexuality is only one type of identity that has nothing to do with a person's biology. Misconception number six. Asexuality is a medical concern. Do you assume that if a person identifies as asexual, then it means that there is something wrong with them? Like many others, you might believe that biology dictates that everybody must experience sexual attraction and that if they don't, then something is wrong with them. This is simply not the case. Asexuality isn't a medical concern and it is not something that needs to be fixed. Misconception number five. People who are asexual will never get married. Are you someone who thinks that because someone identifies as asexual, it means that they will be single forever? Asexual people are often told that they will never get married or will stay single for the rest of their lives. But being asexual has nothing to do with the desire to get married. If they have a connection with another person, then there is no reason why they would not or should not be allowed to get married. Misconception number eight. There is a reason why people are asexual. Do you think that there is a specific cause for asexuality? A common misconception shared with other orientations such as homosexuality and bisexuality is that there is a reason or underlying cause for someone's sexuality. But asexuality isn't genetic, the result of trauma or caused by anything else. Misconception number nine. Asexual people tend to dress a certain way. Like with other sexual orientations, there are stereotypes that exist that suggest asexual people dress in a certain way. Statements such as prudish, ugly according to beauty standards or shy nerds are often used to belittle and mock asexual people. But the fact of the matter is that being asexual has nothing to do with your attire, the jokes you crack or how you behave. And misconception number 10. All asexuals experience no sexual attraction at all. Not everything is black or white. Like how people view sexuality as a spectrum, asexuality can be seen as a spectrum as well. Some in the asexual community can experience no sexual attraction, a little sexual attraction, or even a lot of sexual attraction. Everyone can experience different levels of sexual attraction and still be part of the asexual community. But interestingly enough, one that is seen as a midpoint between asexuality and sexuality is gray sexuality. Gray sexual people rarely experience sexual attraction at all or they experience it with very low intensity. Did you learn something new about asexuality? Let us know in the comments below. If you found this video helpful, be sure to like, subscribe and share this video with someone who might benefit from it. And don't forget to hit the notification bell icon to get notified whenever Psych2Go posts a new video. The references and studies used in this video are added in the description below. Thanks so much for watching and we'll see you in our next video.