Why I Support Including Asexual People in the LGBTQ Community

I often hear people advocating to exclude (cishet) asexual people or other ace-spectrum people from the LGBTQ community. In this video I explain why I think this viewpoint is misguided and can harm numerous people, most of all, LGBTQ people who are not asexual.
Exclusion of any group, especially cishet people, is likely to also exclude closeted gay, trans, or other queer people who are in the earllier stages of questioning. These people often have not yet admitted their identities to themselves, and may be in denial, thinking of themselves as straight and cis. Excluding cishet ace people thus may exclude many other LGBTQ people, most hurting the people who have the greatest internalized homophobia or transphobia and are thus in most need of help.
Another completely different reason to include asexual people in the LGBTQ community and LGBTQ spaces is that they have something unique to offer: because ace spectrum people either do not experience sexual attraction, or do not experience it fully or in ways considered "normal" by society, talking to ace people about sexuality and attraction often requires or demands that you articulate your experience of attraction more explicitly or in more detail. The process of doing this can be immensely illuminating, helping people to learn more about their own sexuality and sometimes gender identity as well, in the process. Ace people also often lack some of the societal assumptions surrounding society, and can have more of a "blank slate" for discussing sexuality, sometimes even lacking assumptions that are common among gay or trans people.
Lastly I talk about the argument that asexual people do not belong in LGBTQ spaces because they are not "oppressed". I talk about how this sort of "oppression politics" often leads to bad places, and typically involves untruthful assumptions and overgeneralizations. I explain how the experiences of oppression can vary widely, both from one ace person to the next, and one gay person to the next.
I conclude by asserting that I am not interested in participating in any LGBTQ spaces that explicitly exclude ace people.
I hope that this video has made a compelling point to argue for the inclusion of asexual and other ace spectrum people in LGBTQ spaces!

[@yasdnilgoth4100]

Thank you for supporting ACE! I 100% agree with your reasons :D

[@AlexZorach]

Of course, and thank you for watching and commenting!

[@yasdnilgoth4100]

@@AlexZorach To be honest, there is a LGTBQ safe place at the university where they welcome everyone to hang out. However, I feel out of place because I was told by a few students that Asexuality is not included in the LGTBQ+ community. I haven't said anything to the people in charge of the place since I want to avoid any confrontation. So, I have been trying to research whether or not Asexuality is included. I have found a lot of videos that do support Ace to be included. Yours are one of the many in which I felt reassuring.

[@highclassd0mme380]

I definitely find useful language within the ace community.. I’m pansexual but thinking I may be grey or demi as well but I’m still figuring myself out

[@AlexZorach]

Good luck with your searching!

[@sylviaodhner]

Thanks Alex! I like what you have to say here. I'm glad you've found the experiences of asexual people like me to be so insightful. =)

[@AlexZorach]

Thanks! You were definitely one of the people I had in mind when I made this video, and I've hugely appreciated your perspectives on sexuality and gender.

[@crazitaco]

Wow, I never even thought about it like that, great argument! We really should focus on forming this mutualistic relationship with the rest of lgbt+

[@tylerketchum]

Thank you 💜🖤🤍

[@user-fv2wq5pm5k]

Omg I’m really surprised because I know you. I met you at Nihongo table at UD last year!!!!

[@siginotmylastname3969]

You rock and your channel rocks 😊

[@JonahMobarak]

Were you the same composer who made Fugue in B Minor? Because I don’t know what this is based on and that was on Krazy Krok’s BEMC Concert Hall.

[@AlexZorach]

Wow, yes, I did write a Fugue in B minor, wow, that was years ago! I haven't written any music in years, but I might get back to it some day. I am still really into music and I have been doing some interesting things like trying to master learning 31-tone equal temperament (I run 31et.com ) and I would love to some day go back and start writing fugues in that tuning!!!

[@yaixieez]

I feel so out from this community but at the same time there's people like u that make me feel better💖 we feel oppressed too but obviously not that much, people say to us like I'm gonna makes u straight or gay and that really makes me angry

[@CasainQ]

I say we should keep being excluded, just let us eat our cake

[@mammut4264]

Nice video!

[@maxmerkulov3085]

Thanks sir