Interview with an Ace/Aro
We interviewed Ansel, an asexual aromantic friend of ours. We discussed stereotypes and responses to common questions.
I identify as asexual aromantic (ace/aro).
How old were you when you realized that you were ace/aro? How did you discover it?
I was 12. I had read about it on the Internet.
Who have you come out to?
I've come out to close friends.
Did you find it hard to motivate yourself to come out? If so, what did you find hard about it?
It was sort of hard; I didn't want people to be like "it's just a phase" or "you just haven't met the right person" or something like that because I knew that it wasn't true.
Did you face homophobia when you came out? If so, how did you deal with it? Did you have to explain what your identity meant to anyone?
A lot of people didn't really know what ace/aro was, so I had to explain it to them.
A lot of people tend to think that ace/aro people are basically "empty shells" because they don't feel romantic or sexual attraction. Do you feel this is accurate?
No, you can still live a full life without romantic or sexual attraction. You can still form deep and meaningful bonds with people, they're just platonic.
Do you feel that as an ace/aro person you have a stronger or closer bond with this close to you, and why?
I'd say that it strengthens my platonic bonds with people.
A common response to someone learning that someone is ace/aro is "you just haven't met the right person yet." How would you respond to this?
I would say, "The right person doesn't exist for me."
What advice would you give to someone who thinks they may have a similar identity or the same identity as you?
Your identity is valid and you shouldn't let other people try to define you.
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