Jez had a piece on asexuality that started out great

[walkitout]

But partway through it took a dive so deep into Teh Evil that I have abandoned it.

http://jezebel.com/interview-with-an-asexual-clarifying-what-i-got-wrong-a-1691087587

"Occasionally, I've been asked if asexuality is related to being intersex or, to being autistic, or to other mental states on the spectrum that affect how you relate to others, your empathy, or your social skills. People seem to wonder that a lot. Those questions are way more awkward for me because I see them as expressing a whole range of ableist ignorance beyond just general ignorance about what asexuality means and about the spectrum humans come in.

I think that's part of why those who are commonly seen as not equal by society are also seen as sexually deviant, sexually promiscuous, sexually vacant, or denied sexuality entirely. Thinking that asexuality means having no sex drive and then immediately connecting that to disabilities or the state of being intersex is about also seeing people who are disabled or intersex as having no sex drives or sexual agency of their own."

In connection with the earlier, more straightforwardly horrific doctor story involving intersex/asexuality confusion (I believe the interviewee has encountered this confusion, altho it is depressing that this is a confusion that is apparently so common), I feel like the interviewee is trying to separate out asexuality from a bunch of Less Cool sexual (and neurological) minorities. May not be a justified feeling, but ow.

Comments

[ethelmay.livejournal.com]

I took it differently -- the interviewee seems to me to be saying that other people are connecting asexuality with intersex conditions et al. because they have messed-up views about all of these things. It's as if someone said to you, "Oh, you're a [ethnic slur], that's kind of like being a [different ethnic slur], isn't it?" You don't even know where to start untangling the mess.

But your feelings are more than justified, given the way you did read it.