<p>It’s called the fourth sexual orientation – men and women who are just not interested in having sex because they feel absolutely no physical attraction to other people.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The community of such people – called Asexual – is growing, with increasing demands that they be recognised as the fourth sexual orientation.<br /><br />Latest estimates put the community at 1 per cent of the population.<br /><br />In 2001, for the first time, the asexuals began the process of organising themselves when a website was launched, which was soon joined by over 50,000 followers from across the world.<br /><br />Since then, the community has become the focus of increasing attention.<br /><br />In July, the first non-academic conference to discuss asexuality was held at Southbank University, London.<br /><br />Michael Dore, organiser of the World Pride conference, said: “We want asexuality to be recognised as a valid sexual orientation, rather than a disorder or something people have to hide.”<br /><br />Anthony Bogaert, a Canadian professor, defines asexuality as a complete lack of sexual attraction, and has just written a book on the subject, titled ‘Understanding Asexuality’, according to The Independent.<br /><br />He says: “There are two forms: people who have some level of sex drive, but don’t direct this drive toward others (so they may masturbate); and other people who have no sex drive whatsoever.” The book argues that a growing number of people consider themselves asexual.<br /><br />He believes asexual people are “an under-studied population” who can feel excluded from our “very sexualised culture”. He says our society “can place expectations on both sexual and asexual people, but particularly asexual people”.<br /><br />The Independent reported that the asexual community is made up of people who define themselves as hetero-romantic, meaning they feel romantic feelings towards the opposite sex, though no sexual desire, homo-romantic, meaning they feel affection for the same sex, and bi-romantic.<br /><br />The report quoted Amy Gallagher, 20, a London-based student, as saying: “When everyone else my age at secondary school was talking about sex, I wasn’t interested at all.I thought there was something wrong with me. I did have sex out of curiosity, but afterwards I had no desire”.<br /><br />“I’m trying to meet another asexual person. I only came to know of asexual orientation a few months ago. I think if there was more awareness, people would identify themselves,” she added.<br /></p>
<p>It’s called the fourth sexual orientation – men and women who are just not interested in having sex because they feel absolutely no physical attraction to other people.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The community of such people – called Asexual – is growing, with increasing demands that they be recognised as the fourth sexual orientation.<br /><br />Latest estimates put the community at 1 per cent of the population.<br /><br />In 2001, for the first time, the asexuals began the process of organising themselves when a website was launched, which was soon joined by over 50,000 followers from across the world.<br /><br />Since then, the community has become the focus of increasing attention.<br /><br />In July, the first non-academic conference to discuss asexuality was held at Southbank University, London.<br /><br />Michael Dore, organiser of the World Pride conference, said: “We want asexuality to be recognised as a valid sexual orientation, rather than a disorder or something people have to hide.”<br /><br />Anthony Bogaert, a Canadian professor, defines asexuality as a complete lack of sexual attraction, and has just written a book on the subject, titled ‘Understanding Asexuality’, according to The Independent.<br /><br />He says: “There are two forms: people who have some level of sex drive, but don’t direct this drive toward others (so they may masturbate); and other people who have no sex drive whatsoever.” The book argues that a growing number of people consider themselves asexual.<br /><br />He believes asexual people are “an under-studied population” who can feel excluded from our “very sexualised culture”. He says our society “can place expectations on both sexual and asexual people, but particularly asexual people”.<br /><br />The Independent reported that the asexual community is made up of people who define themselves as hetero-romantic, meaning they feel romantic feelings towards the opposite sex, though no sexual desire, homo-romantic, meaning they feel affection for the same sex, and bi-romantic.<br /><br />The report quoted Amy Gallagher, 20, a London-based student, as saying: “When everyone else my age at secondary school was talking about sex, I wasn’t interested at all.I thought there was something wrong with me. I did have sex out of curiosity, but afterwards I had no desire”.<br /><br />“I’m trying to meet another asexual person. I only came to know of asexual orientation a few months ago. I think if there was more awareness, people would identify themselves,” she added.<br /></p>