The Consequences of Asexual Misrepresentation in Queer Media

Asexuality has been misrepresented in queer-affirming media to an alarming extent. Queer media has often villainized, erased, or entirely excluded openly asexual characters, one defining moment being the erasure of Jughead’s asexual identity from Riverdale in 2019. Organizations such as the Asexual Visibility and Education Network (AVEN) as well as the many universities that celebrate asexual pride week have been instrumental in spreading awareness on the community’s misrepresentation. Through the comparative analysis of queer media’s portrayals of asexuality versus other queer identities, alongside the textual analysis of works done by prominent asexual figures, this study will examine the systematic forces that contribute to the marginalization of asexuality by its queer umbrella community. Ignorance of such a problem by the LGBTQIA+ community will most likely lead to stunted growth on behalf of the whole, not to mention contributing to the very systematic mistreatment they experience themselves. By acknowledging the historical as well as the ongoing discrimination against asexual individuals both within media and as a whole, this study plans to emphasize the prolonged issue of misrepresentation specifically within queer spaces. Only through true inclusivity and acceptance can the queer community successfully challenge inequality, and attain equal footing for all of its members.