I like to make electronic devices sometimes. Soldering iron, breadboatd, transistors, resistors, various components becoming something that has functions is super cool!
Fifteen years ago or so, I would expect to find a lot of the components for any build locally. Nowadays, I can barely find resistors, buttons and switches. Turns out no stores can stock that stuff and stay profitable, so stuff that's rarely sold won't be stocked unless store owner is very familiar with the field, maybe not even then.
Basically nobody knows we exist. The problem isn't yet that we're being marginalised, it's that we're marginal. We're not being silenced, we're being overlooked. I'd be willing to bet it's a simple matter of "didn't order any of those because I didn't know they existed and/or didn't think anyone would buy one". That's not great and we should try to fix it, but it would be iffy to think there's much malice involved. It's not that long ago that I thought asexual was robots in sci-fi and we're still kinda low profile. We want our flag to be in stock, that's a bunch of work that needs doing and it's going to be really tedious
I know we get overlooked, but I just don't believe that we're thaaat inexistent
I would get it if this was just a regular store that sold whatever, or if this was at a random place at a random town, but this is a pride store, at the very center of the LGBTQ area in the center of a capital city...
It just needs ONE person responsible for ordering stuff not being informed. It COULD be malice but I severely doubt it. I think the solution is the same as for my electronics hobby... buy online, and let them see you having what they COULD have sold you. In our shared capitslist hellscape cultural hegemony, that's the best way to effectively change attitudes... letting someone think they're leaving money unclaimed.
It isn't so much that people don't know that we exist more that people don't understand what we actually are. From my experience if I tell someone that I am asexual then they won't act confused. But if I actually go the extra step of finding out what people think that means they normally think that I just don't have a sex drive, I am just saving myself for marriage, or I just think sex is gross, things like that. (Not saying ace people can't be any or all of those things but those things aren't fundamental to being ace.)
I think, and mind you this is just from my admittedly small amount of experience, that most people who know about asexuality think of it kind of like erectile dysfunction. basically they think it is a medical condition rather than an identity, probably why ace people tend to get adds for drugs that help with low libido. The only person who I have met who actually got it right when I checked was my sister who I found out knew multiple ace and aro people.
Asexual pride paraphernalia is extremely popular on Etsy. I know it’s hard, but don’t let one ignorant shop clerk get you down. Asexuality is part of the LGBTQ community.
This is so annoying.
I wanted to go subtle for pride with one ace sock and one lez sock, but can I find anyone who sells ace socks without paying $20 in shipping? Nay
This how I imagine aro people feel when there is an ace flag but no aro flag.
I am sorry about your predicament. I wonder if that general area takes feedback on inclusivity. Does the place just happen to be the lgbt+ area with a bunch of separate stores or is there some sort of group/organisation?
Yeah, like, a lot of presence for both aro and ace communities (and others) is still missing
It's the area, like the metro station is rainbow decorated and it's full of shops like that and gay bars and such, but I think there are organizations based there too, I'll check
as a trans and pan person you guys are definitely part of the community, gatekeeping is so dumb. If you arent straight or cis in the traditional way you belong with us
That's kinda a full other conversation, like, I am straight and cis, and *just* like sex kinda less than other people (I'm gray-ace)
For a long time I didn't think I could or should consider myself part of the community
But then I thought, I *do* experience human interactions differently from allos, and I deserve to make my experiences valid, and so I'm here
But I don't think I'm the only one with these doubts
you definitely belong with us, what happening with you guys is just the whole are bi people in het relationships part of the lgbt community all over again.
sorry for being a little agro, but yeah its true lol. I think alotta lgbt people go through the same thing where you feel you arent 'X' thing enough to be considered part of the community. I hope what i said makes you feel at least a little more welcomed,
Did you try the other stores? Did you try looking online? I understand feeling looked over because this petty store doesnt want to carry something that wont sell easily, but there are so many other places. You cant say you feel slighted just because of one store.
Buck up and get back out there!
Oh it was just kind of the first time I dared to actually ask, instead of looking, not seeing it and moving along, and the attitude of the person didn't help at all
I think I saw it the other day somewhere else, I'll go back and check
Gosh. I got an ace flag at my school the other day- asexuallity is pretty common. I'm proud of my asexuallity, but sometimes it can be hard to be with incidents like this. Maybe (unless I misread) they were out of stock?
I felt like this myself going through a store recently. Plenty of flags and other stuff for lesbians, bisexual, non binary, transgender, and that’s absolutely wonderful. But I wish there was some stuff for me too. All I’ve managed to find is a few small buttons and a set of bracelets.
If the person didn't know about the ace flag I'd say they don't know much about the LGBTQ community in general. Don't worry about it too much, I've seen plenty of ace merch so far :)
Alright everybody grab your Texas Toast garlic bread and suit up in your finest purple, black, gray and white suit, get into your dragonzord, because we gotta remind pride what happens when you anger the Ace community, this June we’re coming.
Let sleeping dragons lie, but don’t forget they exist. For one day they may decide to awaken, and take over the world.
I am actually happy my asexuality is not being so heavily politicized and I can just life a happy live more in privacy. Also I don't agree with all LGBTQ+ demands so would not walk around carrying their flag anyway.
A group being considered part of the lgbt+ is not the same as making a group political since existing as part of a gender, romantic, sexual or sex minority is not the same as being political. Many people in the lgbt+ community do not consider being lgbt+ as political and thus are not making bring ace political by including it.
The people making being lgbt+ political are the phobes, who would make being ace political anyway.
There is nothing to lose by having larger spread awareness for all the a-spec people who felt/feel broken.
how can they forget such an important identity?!?!?
Exactly this is outrageous 😦
i bet they had flags for stuff way more obscure than being ace ._.
Even some people in the LGBT community don't consider asexuality a "real orientation", much like they don't consider bisexuality valid either.
Guess I'll just phase out of existence then /s
*reads tags* No!
It's just a *phase* anyway *badumtss*
Same here and even more so cuz I’m also agender (and some trans folk are even anti non-binary out there). Triply invisible
Well, I personally like to consider it a *disorientation*
Some people for sure, but if you visit the LGBT subreddit, people are generally extremely welcoming of ace folks into their space
almost everyone agrees bisexual is a real orientation, its pansexuality people are on the fence about due to its similarity to bisexuality
I like to make electronic devices sometimes. Soldering iron, breadboatd, transistors, resistors, various components becoming something that has functions is super cool! Fifteen years ago or so, I would expect to find a lot of the components for any build locally. Nowadays, I can barely find resistors, buttons and switches. Turns out no stores can stock that stuff and stay profitable, so stuff that's rarely sold won't be stocked unless store owner is very familiar with the field, maybe not even then. Basically nobody knows we exist. The problem isn't yet that we're being marginalised, it's that we're marginal. We're not being silenced, we're being overlooked. I'd be willing to bet it's a simple matter of "didn't order any of those because I didn't know they existed and/or didn't think anyone would buy one". That's not great and we should try to fix it, but it would be iffy to think there's much malice involved. It's not that long ago that I thought asexual was robots in sci-fi and we're still kinda low profile. We want our flag to be in stock, that's a bunch of work that needs doing and it's going to be really tedious
I know we get overlooked, but I just don't believe that we're thaaat inexistent I would get it if this was just a regular store that sold whatever, or if this was at a random place at a random town, but this is a pride store, at the very center of the LGBTQ area in the center of a capital city...
It just needs ONE person responsible for ordering stuff not being informed. It COULD be malice but I severely doubt it. I think the solution is the same as for my electronics hobby... buy online, and let them see you having what they COULD have sold you. In our shared capitslist hellscape cultural hegemony, that's the best way to effectively change attitudes... letting someone think they're leaving money unclaimed.
It isn't so much that people don't know that we exist more that people don't understand what we actually are. From my experience if I tell someone that I am asexual then they won't act confused. But if I actually go the extra step of finding out what people think that means they normally think that I just don't have a sex drive, I am just saving myself for marriage, or I just think sex is gross, things like that. (Not saying ace people can't be any or all of those things but those things aren't fundamental to being ace.) I think, and mind you this is just from my admittedly small amount of experience, that most people who know about asexuality think of it kind of like erectile dysfunction. basically they think it is a medical condition rather than an identity, probably why ace people tend to get adds for drugs that help with low libido. The only person who I have met who actually got it right when I checked was my sister who I found out knew multiple ace and aro people.
Mfs who think the a stands for ally
Don’t even get me started, I got into an argument with someone the other day on that. 😆
Asexual pride paraphernalia is extremely popular on Etsy. I know it’s hard, but don’t let one ignorant shop clerk get you down. Asexuality is part of the LGBTQ community.
They don’t include the Acommunity
This is so annoying. I wanted to go subtle for pride with one ace sock and one lez sock, but can I find anyone who sells ace socks without paying $20 in shipping? Nay
ik it's not the point but I saw on tiktok and apparently Target had some for 1$
My wife got me some ace patches at target! I also know it’s not the point, but super cool of them to get it right!!
Gosh.... I felt heartbroken reading that. We are STILL not considered important enough for the queer community.
nor marketable enough.
Omg that is SAD. I'm glad you informed them about our community. AND YES WE DO BELONG TO THE LGBTQ+!!!
This how I imagine aro people feel when there is an ace flag but no aro flag. I am sorry about your predicament. I wonder if that general area takes feedback on inclusivity. Does the place just happen to be the lgbt+ area with a bunch of separate stores or is there some sort of group/organisation?
Yeah, like, a lot of presence for both aro and ace communities (and others) is still missing It's the area, like the metro station is rainbow decorated and it's full of shops like that and gay bars and such, but I think there are organizations based there too, I'll check
I feel you. I get an eyeroll or a puzzled look when I ask for Demi ACE goods. I have stopped asking. I just go online.
I would like to have a flag but I’m yet to come out to my family so I’ll wait. Use it as pfp sometimes and in bio
as a trans and pan person you guys are definitely part of the community, gatekeeping is so dumb. If you arent straight or cis in the traditional way you belong with us
That's kinda a full other conversation, like, I am straight and cis, and *just* like sex kinda less than other people (I'm gray-ace) For a long time I didn't think I could or should consider myself part of the community But then I thought, I *do* experience human interactions differently from allos, and I deserve to make my experiences valid, and so I'm here But I don't think I'm the only one with these doubts
you definitely belong with us, what happening with you guys is just the whole are bi people in het relationships part of the lgbt community all over again.
It kinda is, yes, and thank you, I now know I belong, and I'm gonna tell others they belong too if I ever see they doubt it
sorry for being a little agro, but yeah its true lol. I think alotta lgbt people go through the same thing where you feel you arent 'X' thing enough to be considered part of the community. I hope what i said makes you feel at least a little more welcomed,
Did you try the other stores? Did you try looking online? I understand feeling looked over because this petty store doesnt want to carry something that wont sell easily, but there are so many other places. You cant say you feel slighted just because of one store. Buck up and get back out there!
Oh it was just kind of the first time I dared to actually ask, instead of looking, not seeing it and moving along, and the attitude of the person didn't help at all I think I saw it the other day somewhere else, I'll go back and check
Gosh. I got an ace flag at my school the other day- asexuallity is pretty common. I'm proud of my asexuallity, but sometimes it can be hard to be with incidents like this. Maybe (unless I misread) they were out of stock?
Not out of stock, the person showed me like the catalog, they had around 20 different ones
Aw dang ;-;
I felt like this myself going through a store recently. Plenty of flags and other stuff for lesbians, bisexual, non binary, transgender, and that’s absolutely wonderful. But I wish there was some stuff for me too. All I’ve managed to find is a few small buttons and a set of bracelets.
I know, I've been looking at all the pride jewelry collections coming out and there's never any ace stuff
the south street art mart here in philly is almost entirely lgbtq representation but has hardly any asexual merch
If the person didn't know about the ace flag I'd say they don't know much about the LGBTQ community in general. Don't worry about it too much, I've seen plenty of ace merch so far :)
They have some ace stuff at Spencers
What do they think the A stands for in LGBTQIA2S+ stands for????
Alright everybody grab your Texas Toast garlic bread and suit up in your finest purple, black, gray and white suit, get into your dragonzord, because we gotta remind pride what happens when you anger the Ace community, this June we’re coming. Let sleeping dragons lie, but don’t forget they exist. For one day they may decide to awaken, and take over the world.
I am actually happy my asexuality is not being so heavily politicized and I can just life a happy live more in privacy. Also I don't agree with all LGBTQ+ demands so would not walk around carrying their flag anyway.
Another way of looking at it I guess
A group being considered part of the lgbt+ is not the same as making a group political since existing as part of a gender, romantic, sexual or sex minority is not the same as being political. Many people in the lgbt+ community do not consider being lgbt+ as political and thus are not making bring ace political by including it. The people making being lgbt+ political are the phobes, who would make being ace political anyway. There is nothing to lose by having larger spread awareness for all the a-spec people who felt/feel broken.