lauralot89:

There’s this post going around that tries to “logically” “prove” that heteromantic aces are straight, and I’m sure to ninety-nine percent of people it’s obvious why it’s garbage but for the rest of you, allow me to explain.

“Homoromantic aces are gay, right?”

This is a leading question.  Homoromantic people absolutely can call themselves gay, as their romantic attraction means they share a lot of experiences and feelings and whatnot that homosexual people have.  Labels like gay and lesbian are absolutely open to them, but that doesn’t mean they have to define themselves that way.  There are homosexual people who don’t define themselves as gay or lesbian, such as in the SGL community. 

Of course, this assumes that the question is asked in good faith, when it’s more likely motivated by the acephobic belief that asexuality is a modifier in place of its own orientation, so homoromantic aces are really just defective gay people and aroaces exist in this spinning void of having no real identity.

“Biromantic aces are bi, right?”

Again, they can claim the label.  It’s not like they’re required to.

“Trans aces are trans, right?”

Obviously.  The way these questions are framed is meant to suggest that the word placed before “aces” in each question is the real identity, and that’s especially ridiculous here.  Transgender is a gender identity.  Asexual is a sexual orientation.  They are separate things, and one does not inform the other.

“So heteromantic aces are straight right HA HA GOTCHA ASEXUALS IF YOU SAY ANY DIFFERENT YOU’RE HYPOCRITES”

Congratulations.  You baited a post with leading questions to set up a false conclusion.  A winner is you.

Straight isn’t just a term for a sexual orientation.  It’s also a position of power and privilege within our society.  And asexuals, even the dreaded cisgender heteromantic asexuals, do not have access to this power structure.

Straight people aren’t dehumanized due to their sexual orientation.  Asexuals are.  Straight people don’t risk being denied housing or work due to their sexual orientation.  Asexuals do.  Straight people aren’t at risk of corrective rape to “fix” their sexual orientation.  Asexuals are.  Straight people don’t have their sexual orientation pathologized.  Asexuals do, and are often afraid to seek care for legitimate problems as a result.  Straight people don’t need suicide hotline resources specifically relating to their sexual orientation.  Asexuals do.

The straight power structure is only available to cisgender heteromantic heterosexuals.  Cisgender heteromantic asexuals have no more access to it than transgender heteromantic heterosexuals do.  That’s why they’re not straight.

(In before “why would you ever tell people you’re asexual in the first place you wouldn’t have any problems if you’d just shut up about the sex you don’t have”: This same terrible argument can be applied to any sexual orientation or gender identity that deviates from what’s socially acceptable.  And yet no one argues that closeted gay people have straight privilege and power.)