“There is a void in research when it comes to asexuality and acephobia and this will help to fill it”
BY SIAN HOPKINS, IMAGE BY YASMIN BENOIT
To commemorate International Asexuality Day, ace activist Yasmin Benoit has launched a partnership project with Stonewall to spread awareness and facilitate understanding of ace peoples’ experiences in the UK.
Ace is an inclusive term that refers to a lack of, varying or occasional experiences of sexual attraction, with ace identities increasingly being recognised over the last few years. However, there is still a lack of understanding of the needs and experiences of ace people, and misconceptions and dehumanising prejudice remain prevalent.
With nearly 9 in 10 ace people admitting to avoiding being open about their sexual orientation in the National LGBT Survey, there are still significant barriers to being able to live freely whilst identifying as ace.
British model and award-winning asexual activist Yasmin Benoit, alongside media partner Pink News, has teamed up with Stonewall in response to these statistics to conduct research on ace experiences that has previously been lacking. Yasmin began her career as a lingerie model, before coming out publicly as asexual in 2017. In March 2022, she was shortlisted for the Influencer of the Year Category at the Burberry British Diversity Awards.
Yasmin stated her enthusiasm to be working with Stonewall on such a project: “I’m incredibly proud to be partnering with Stonewall on such a monumental project and using my experience, platform and research background to drive ace rights forward. Having worked as an asexual activist for the past four years, it has been continuously brought to my attention that there are ace people in UK who don’t feel protected by the current Equality Act. There is a void in research when it comes to asexuality and acephobia and this will help to fill it.”
The collaborative findings will eventually be published in a report later this year, offering information and research into how communities and individuals can offer more support to ace communities. To keep up with Yasmin’s work, follow her on Twitter and Instagram. Keep up with Stonewall via Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
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