Human Sexuality: An Undergraduate Research Guide : Asexuality/Demisexuality

This guide provides an introduction to resources, including databases and books, pertaining to asexuality and demisexuality.

According to AVEN and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's LGBT Resource Center:

Asexuality is low or the lack of sexual attraction and desire for sexual activity. It is not the same as abstaining from sexual activity or being celibate, as those are behavioral and are general motivated by other factors, such as personal or religious beliefs. Whereas, an individual who identifies as being asexual does not experience sexual attraction to any gender. There is current discussion if asexuality is considered a sexual orientation or not, as some believe that asexuality can be considered as lacking a sexual orientation. It can also be used as an umbrella term to categorize other asexual sub-identities, also known as gray asexuality/gray- sexuality (sometimes spelled "grey"), such as demisexuality.

Demisexuality is pertaining to an individual who does not experience sexual attraction unless the individual feels a strong emotional connection with another individual. Individuals who identify as being demisexual, usually are not sexually attracted to anyone of a particular gender. Rather, when an individual forms a strong connection (deep friendship or romantic love), the individual will then experience sexual desire and attraction towards the individual(s) the bond is formed with.

Try searching these terms using the resources linked on this page: asexuality, demisexuality OR demisexual, demisex*, gray asexuality, asexuality AND sexual orientation, asexuality AND human sexuality, asexuality AND sexual attraction

Note from the Librarians: You might find that some of these search terms aren't used as widely in academic articles as they are in popular/substantive articles. This doesn't reflect the day-to-day use of these terms, rather it reflects that subject terms in this field is still developing.