Asexual Individuals Research Articles

Variations in Sexual Identity Milestones Among Asexual People.

There is increasing interest in the interpersonal factors that shape the development of asexual individual's sexual identity, including age, gender, and romantic orientation. In this study, we examined variability in timing and pacing of asexual identity development milestones, with a focus on the diversity present in the asexual population. Among a sample of 317 participants aged 18-59 from three distinct birth cohorts, we measured participants' ages of asexual identity development milestones, including: first awareness of a lack of sexual attraction, first searching for orientation, first discovery of the term asexuality, first self-identification, and first disclosure. Participants from more recent cohorts reported earlier and accelerated pacing of milestones relative to those from middle and older cohorts. Subgroups defined by gender also varied in milestone timing, with cisgender participants experiencing asexual identity development milestones at a later age than gender non-binary cohorts. No significant difference in milestones were found among romantic orientation sub-groups, apart from the timing of identity disclosure. Romantic-identified asexual individuals disclosed their asexual identities much sooner than aromantic-identified asexual individuals following identification as asexual. By comparing differences within subpopulations, the results of this study extend upon our understanding of the various sub-identities that exist within the asexual population and attend to different experiences within the asexual community. This in turn contributes towards our understanding of how asexual people experience interpersonal relationships, their interactions with others, and how they develop a positive sense of identity.

Subtle Biases Towards a New Colleague Depend on Sexual Orientation and Relationship Status

Abstract Background Allonormative beliefs entail the idea that all people desire sexual activity with other people. Single and/or asexual individuals may face social disapproval or discrimination for not being in line with allonormative beliefs. The present study investigated whether individuals offered help or were likely to befriend a new co-worker differently depending on the co-worker’s sexual orientation (i.e., heterosexual vs. asexual) and relationship status (i.e., in a relationship vs. single). Methods The online study included 1,028 participants (50.0% women and 50.0% men; Mage = 29.2, SD = 8.8) from German-speaking countries. Each participant read one of twelve short descriptions of a working situation in which they got to know a new co-worker. The description of the new colleague’s gender, sexual orientation, and relationship status varied. Participants had to indicate how likely they would share information with, befriend, gossip about, or have other-interests in the new colleague. A multivariate analysis of co-variance was calculated. Results Female participants had lower intentions to share knowledge with persons who were singles by circumstance than with persons in a relationship and male participants were more likely to befriend a single gay man by choice than a gay man in a relationship. Conclusions Bias against single persons or prejudice resulting from heteronormative beliefs might lead to subtle differences in behavior towards a co-worker. Such subtle “micro-practices” can be harmful because micro-practices accumulate over time and situations. Interventions at organizations need to help employees realize their own biases that might be based on prejudices against people with different sexual orientations and relationship statuses. Key messages • Overall women are more pressured by allonormative ideas and might therefore have lower intentions to share knowledge with persons who were singles by circumstance than with persons in a relationship. • The differing treatment of single gay men by choice and gay men in relationships may not be solely due to adherence to allonormativity, but rather could stem from heterosexist beliefs.

Laboratory Sex Research: Perceptions of the Ace Community

ABSTRACT Asexuality is a sexual orientation centered around low or absent sexual attraction. Despite the growth of empirical scholarship on asexuality, laboratory sex research with asexual individuals remains significantly underutilized. As such, we conducted a qualitative survey aimed at examining asexual individuals’ perceptions of laboratory sex research as well as their perspectives/experiences on participation. Reflexive thematic analysis of 412 responses revealed 4 themes and 10 sub-themes focused on mapping the domain of asexuality, participants’ trust, distrust and ambivalence toward laboratory sex research, and developing best practices for overcoming challenges with asexual individuals. A large proportion of asexual individuals emphasized concerns related to the potential medicalization and pathologization of asexuality, with 34.6% exhibiting their unwillingness to participate. Nonetheless, 41.7% of asexual individuals expressed a desire to take part in laboratory sexuality studies. These findings indicate a strong interest in laboratory sex research, driven by the lack of knowledge about ace sexual functioning. To further improve ace individuals´ engagement and experience in such studies, a set of participant-driven recommendations was presented. As such, this study highlights the importance of grounding future laboratory sex research with asexual individuals in ethical and reliable procedures.

Unveiling the stressful experiences faced by asexual individuals in South Korea: a consensual qualitative study

ABSTRACT This qualitative study explores the stressful experiences faced by asexual individuals in South Korea. We conducted in-depth interviews with 12 South Korean adults who identified as asexual and analysed their data using consensus qualitative research. The analyses revealed 20 categories across five domains, including difficulties in defining and articulating asexual identity due to a lack of language and representation, facing denial and invalidation, navigating ambivalent experiences of invisibility, combating misconceptions, and encountering difficulties in connecting with asexual individuals and other members of the queer community. The study identified several stressors reported by South Korean asexual individuals, such as the dearth of language and representation regarding asexuality, lack of access to asexual networks, misconception that experiencing little or no sexual attraction is caused by a lack of love, casual use of the term ‘asexual’, and fear of increasing invisibility by concealing one’s asexual identity. Although these stressors have not been widely documented in other contexts, further research is needed to determine whether they are unique to the South Korean context. These findings highlight the need for greater awareness and understanding of asexuality in South Korea to promote the well-being and inclusion of asexual individuals.

Coercive Control in 2SLGBTQQIA+ Relationships: A Scoping Review.

Existing measures and theories of intimate partner coercive control largely evaluate men's coercion of women. The extent of knowledge pertaining to intimate relationships among other genders and sexual identities is unclear. Guided by a theoretical framework of intersectionality, we examined and synthesized original studies on coercive control by (perpetration) or against (victimization) Two Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, questioning, intersex, and asexual individuals within intimate partner relationships. We searched eight academic databases for records from 2014 through 2022 and hand-searched review articles' reference lists, supplemented with gray literature and website searches. Using duplicate screening, we identified 1,774 unique documents; 526 met preliminary eligibility criteria and 277 were retained for data extraction in duplicate. Coercive control was more common among minority individuals and was related to mental health challenges. Few studies reported on gender- or sexual-identity specific forms of coercive control, and an intersectional focus was uncommon. This review revealed a lack of agreed definition of coercive control or accepted standard of measurement, and a gap in research with individuals who identify as gender diverse, gender fluid or intersex, or those identifying their sexuality as asexual, pansexual, or sexually diverse.

LGBTQIA health in medical education: a national survey of Australian medical students

PurposeLesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual (LGBTQIA) individuals experience poorer health outcomes than other individuals. Insufficient LGBTQIA health education of doctors in existing medical curricula contributes to these outcomes. We sought to explore medical students’ experiences of content coverage and mode of delivery, as well as their preparedness, attitudes and learning needs regarding LGBTQIA health education in Australia.MethodsUsing a conceptual framework specific to curricular development, we adapted a previous cross-sectional national survey. This included 28 questions (analysed statistically) and 5 free text responses (analysed deductively using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis framework). Data was compared between LGBTQIA and non-LGBTQIA respondents, and clinical and preclinical students.ResultsThere were 913 participants from 21 of 23 medical schools, with most preclinical (55%) and clinical (89%) students reporting no teaching specific to LGBTQIA health. Reported content coverage was highest for sexual history taking (30%), and especially low for transgender and intersex health (< 16%), and intersectional LGBTQIA health (< 7%). Participants had positive attitudes towards LGBTQIA health, with 89% agreeing LGBTQIA topics were important and need to be covered in detail. Students desired longitudinal integration of LGBTQIA content, and LGBTQIA community involvement and case-based teaching that allows for interaction and questions. Self-perceived competency was low in all LGBTQIA health topics, although LGBTQIA participants reported higher preparedness than non-LGBTQIA participants.ConclusionsMajority of survey participants reported limited teaching of LGBTQIA health-specific content, highlighting the limited coverage of LGBTQIA health in Australian medical schools. Participants expressed positive attitudes towards LGBTQIA content and broadly agreed with statements supporting increased integration of LGBTQIA health content within medical curricula.

A Mixed-Methods Study to Evaluate Family Planning Desires and Barriers to Building Families Among Gay, Bisexual, and Lesbian Cisgender Military Service Members.

Barriers to seeking infertility care for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer/questioning, and asexual (LGBTIQA+) individuals are well documented in the literature. However, little is known about military LGBTIQA+ service members seeking infertility care within the Military Health System. Approximately 6.1% of active duty U.S. service members across all branches identify as LGBTIQA+, which underscores the need for a deeper understanding of the needs of this community to support and retain service members. We therefore sought to describe the lived experiences of lesbian and gay cisgender service members in building their families in order to understand their family-building desires and potential barriers to seeking infertility care. We developed a survey to investigate the impact of military service on family planning. After Institutional Review Board approval, we distributed the survey throughout Walter Reed National Military Medical Center's obstetrics and gynecology clinic and posted the survey on multiple open and closed social media pages for LGBTIQA+ service members. We reported descriptive statistics of our survey and compared binary variables using the Fisher exact test. Following completion of this survey, participants could self-select to participate in semi-structured interviews. Sixty-eight respondents completed our survey and self-identified as either cis-male (n = 28) or cis-female (n = 40). Most respondents (67.9% cis-males, 92.5% cis-females) plan to build their families during their military commitment; however, approximately half (50.0% cis-male, 42.5% cis-female) reported a lack of support in this endeavor. Many respondents were unaware of resources that would assist in the pursuit of donor egg, donor sperm, or surrogacy (78.6% cis-males, 50.0% cis-females). Thirty-six participants elected to complete a follow-up interview. After coding the interviews, 5 themes emerged: (1) barriers to initiating care; (2) institutional barriers within the military; (3) political barriers; (4) knowledge sharing; and (5) implicit and explicit bias. Our results suggest significant barriers to LGBTIQA+ service members seeking infertility care. Overall, LGBTIQA+ service members did not feel supported by the military in building their families. Although the military has expanded access to infertility services, efforts to raise awareness and build support for LGBTIQA+ service members are warranted.

Temporal variation of soil microarthropods in different forest types and regions of central Europe

Biodiversity and biomass of aboveground arthropods in central European forests continuously declined during the last decade. However, whether belowground microarthropod communities follow similar patterns has not been investigated. In this study, we compared the abundance, diversity, community composition, stability and asynchrony of oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida) sampled in four forest types of increasing management intensity (unmanaged beech, old managed beech, young managed beech, and coniferous) at three‐year intervals from 2008 to 2020. Forest sites were replicated in three regions in southern, central and northern Germany, i.e. the Swabian Alb, Hainich‐Dün and the Schorfheide Chorin, which differ in soil characteristics and climate. We found 25 152 individuals and 121 species of oribatid mites and detected no linear decline in abundance and diversity over the last decade, suggesting that microarthropods in forest soils are buffered against land‐use effects. However, we observed that years with low winter precipitation in regions with soils that are prone to drought, resulted in significant decreases in oribatid mite densities. Community compositions remained similar across sampling years, but differed between regions and forest types, predominantly due to differences in the proportion of asexual individuals. The stability of oribatid mite communities did not decrease in managed forests and was highest in deep soils with high water‐holding capacity, which may reduce temporal variation, suggesting that soil properties are more important for the stability of oribatid mite communities than forest management. However, stability patterns were not explained by asynchrony in species fluctuations, as all communities either showed a high degree of synchrony or were not different from random. Our study highlights that the temporal dynamics of belowground communities may differ from those aboveground, and that regional differences in precipitation and soil properties are more important than forest types.

Sexual Violence Victimization and Substance Use among Individuals Identifying on the Asexual Spectrum: Differences between Asexuality, Graysexuality, and Demisexuality

ABSTRACT Despite the growing visibility of the asexual community across the globe, little is known about how individuals on the asexual spectrum navigate their (a)sexual experiences. Asexual individuals may be highly vulnerable to sexual violence victimization due to prejudice against their lack of sexual attraction. Perpetrators may seek to pressure asexual individuals into sexual activities by invalidating their asexuality or manipulating their need for emotional intimacy. Such non-consensual sexual acts or behaviors may have a profound impact on asexual individuals. The present study aimed to examine the prevalence of sexual violence victimization and its relationship with substance use among individuals identifying on the asexual spectrum. The data for this study were derived from a global sample of 8,752 individuals on the asexual spectrum from the Ace Community Survey. The results indicated that 67.4% of the participants had experienced at least one form of sexual violence victimization in their lifetime. Experiences of sexual violence were related to more frequent engagement in substance use over the past year. Additionally, the results showed that compared with asexual individuals, graysexual and demisexual individuals were more likely to experience sexual violence, which was linked to substance use. Given the widespread prevalence and detrimental effects of sexual violence victimization, it is important to integrate asexual perspectives into prevention and intervention efforts, while simultaneously raising public awareness about affirmative consent and boundaries. The study also offers significant implications for trauma-informed care, public education, and social policies that address the unique needs and experiences of this population.

A Preliminary Study on Disclosure Experience of Taiwanese Asexual

&lt;p&gt;本研究旨在探究臺灣無性戀現身經驗，邀請6位無性戀者進行訪談，不聚焦單一現身對象，以開放地態度蒐集與探究資料，以「敘事研究取向」視框進行資料分析，試圖理解無性戀之現身經驗為何？研究結果有三：（一）無性戀能見度低影響現身經驗，包含需要解釋「什麼是無性戀」、現身是多次反覆全面性的行動、難以被理解；（二）臺灣同性婚姻對於無性戀現身經驗獨具意義，包含評估欲現身對象的酷兒知能與開放度、實踐社會正義、大幅降低被病理化的思維；（三）向伴侶現身尤為挑戰，包含避免錯誤期待、考量現身風險。最後，依據研究結果與文獻對話給予未來研究與實務建議，包含（一）研究建議：聚焦於無性戀像伴侶現身議題；（二）實務建議：在教育或教學現場，提供教師與學生「無性戀」概念，以提升無性戀的能見度；在諮商實務的現場，實務工作者要積極反思自身的「性價值觀」，以及擴展「性相關議題」之視框，除了增加對各個性傾向關注度之外，必須胸懷性少數的多樣性，避免先入為主的刻板印象，才不致在助人工作的成效上陷入盲點與困境，對性少數與臺灣整體社會有所貢獻。&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The purpose of this study is to explore the disclosure experience of Taiwan asexual by interviewing six Taiwanese asexual individuals. Using a narrative research approach, we analyzed the data through the &amp;quot;category-content&amp;quot; method. There are three parts in the results. Firstly, considerations to disclosure their asexuality is influenced by the people they are interacting with. For instance, disclosure to their family is based on the quality of daily relationships, how accepting and open-minded to queer knowledge they are; disclosure to friends and communities is part of the process of identity recognition, increasing common sense of queer individuals, practicing social justice, and challenging old frameworks; disclosure to partners put them into the risks of not being understood and forming false expectations. Secondly, disclosure strategies include starting the discussion with the concept they already known, sharing views and feelings in daily life, and avoiding being put themselves into a difficult situation where everyone knows nothing about asexuality; Thirdly, the challenges include being misunderstood, easy to be pathological, further exploration of related knowledge, and closer to ideal relationships. The most challenging thing to asexual people is disclosure to their partner. Asexual people consider whether the disclosure is good for relationship or not, and the purpose of disclosure is hoping their partner hold no incorrect expectations.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;This study discusses as follows. (1) the low visibility of asexuality affects the experience of disclosure, and it is a repeated and comprehensive action. To a certain extent, &amp;quot;asexuality comes out&amp;quot; equals &amp;quot;needs to explain what asexuality is&amp;quot;. Some Asexual individuals choose not to come out temporarily because of &amp;quot;to avoid trouble&amp;quot;. This is not &amp;quot;in the closet&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;go invisible&amp;quot;, but a purely interpersonal consideration. (2) Disclosure is related to the contemporary script and telling to their partners is particularly challenging. Asexual men influenced by &amp;quot;masculinity&amp;quot; and asexual women feeling challenged to appear as contemporary women are all making attempt to break away from the traditional sexual scripts (3) Taiwan same-sex marriage plays an unique and meaningful role for asexuality and this facilitates consideration of disclosure and practices social justice. In terms of strategies of disclosure, discussing &amp;quot;same-sex marriage&amp;quot; as a starting point as nowadays people have had a more friendly attitude towards same-sex marriage. In the end of the study, some suggestions are made based on the results and discussions.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;

(087) Sexual Milestones among Asexual Women and Men in the Czech Population

Abstract Introduction Although the definition of asexuality varies across previous studies, asexuality is usually defined as a lack of sexual attraction to others. Recent surveys of general populations report that 0.4–1 % of the population identifies as asexual. Previous studies on asexuality mainly focused on differences between asexual and allosexual individuals. Not surprisingly asexual individuals report fewer sexual fantasies, desire, arousal, masturbation, sex, and fewer sexual partners compared to allosexuals. But information about asexuality is still scattered. Objective The main aim of this study was to map the prevalence of asexuality and diversity in the field of sexual milestones among asexual women and men. Methods Participants were recruited in 2020 via sociodemographic agency using computer-assisted web interviewing software. Stratified random sampling with quotas on Czech nationality, region, size of the place of residence, sex, age, and education was applied. A representative sample of 1,616 adult men (n = 806; 21–85 years; mage = 50.65; SD = 15.52) and women (n = 810; 20–91 years; mage = 50,62; SD = 16.15) answered questions about selected dimensions of sexual and romantic relationship milestones. Results Approximately 2.1 % (n = 17) of men and 1.6 % (n = 13) of women indicated they were asexual. Results also showed that 64.7 % of asexual men and 84.6 % of asexual women were in long-term romantic relationship and compared to sexual men and women had less sexual partners (7.1 vs. 15.2 and 3.5 vs. 9.6, respectively). Preliminary results showed that asexual women had a later onset of first desire to have a romantic relationship (17.2 vs. 16.2 years old), first masturbation (21.1 vs. 18.4), first falling in love (21.1 vs. 15.8), first interest in pornographic materials (22.4 vs. 18.4), an earlier onset of menarche (12.5 vs. 13.7), and first occurrences of sexual fantasies (17.5 vs. 18.3), compared to sexual women, respectively. Sexual women and asexual women were in same age of first passionate kissing (16.7 vs. 16.2), first sex (17.3 vs. 17.4), and first petting (16.1 vs. 16.6). Asexual men had an earlier onset of first masturbation (13.1 vs. 14.9 years old), first interest in pornographic materials (13.3 vs. 14.2), first occurrences of sexual fantasies (14.8 vs. 15.8), first falling in love (15.8 vs. 16.6), first sex (16.7 vs. 18.2 years old), compared to sexual men, respectively. Sexual and asexual men were in same age of first pollution (13.2 vs. 13.8), first passionate kissing (16.1 vs. 16.4 years old), first petting (16.1 vs. 16.6), and first desire to have a romantic relationship (16.9 vs. 17.2). Conclusions Consistent with previous research, we found some biological and psychosocial markers that have been associated with asexuality. Asexual women experienced most of their sexual milestones later compared to sexual women. Interestingly, the opposite was found for asexual men. They experienced most of their sexual milestones earlier. Thus, our results suggest that the development of sexuality differs between asexual men and women. Disclosure No.

Experiences of and recommendations for LGBTQ+-affirming substance use services: an exploratory qualitative descriptive study with LGBTQ+ people who use opioids and other drugs

BackgroundLesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other LGBTQ populations (LGBTQ+; e.g., asexual individuals) have higher rates of substance use (SU) and disorders (SUD) compared to heterosexual and cisgender populations. Such disparities can be attributed to minority stress, including stigma and discrimination in healthcare settings. LGBTQ+-affirming SU treatment and related services remain limited. The purpose of this exploratory qualitative descriptive study was to characterize LGBTQ+ people’s experiences in SU services and recommendations for LGBTQ+- affirming care.MethodsWe conducted demographic surveys (characterized using descriptive statistics) and individual qualitative interviews with N = 23 LGBTQ+ people. We employed flexible coding and a thematic analysis approach to describe participants’ experiences with stigma, discrimination, and support within SU services at the patient-, staff-, and organizational-level; and participant recommendations for how to make such services LGBTQ+-affirming. We highlighted components of minority stress and mitigators of adverse stress responses throughout our thematic analysis.ResultsPatient-level experiences included bullying, name-calling, sexual harassment, and physical distancing from peers; and support via community-building with LGBTQ+ peers. Staff-level experiences included name-calling, denial of services, misgendering, lack of intervention in peer bullying, and assumptions about participants’ sexuality; and support via staff advocacy for LGBTQ+ patients, holistic treatment models, and openly LGBTQ+ staff. Organizational-level experiences included stigma in binary gendered program structures; and support from programs with gender-affirming groups and housing, and in visual cues (e.g., rainbow flags) of affirming care. Stigma and discrimination led to minority stress processes like identity concealment and stress coping responses like SU relapse; support facilitated SU treatment engagement and retention. Recommendations for LGBTQ+-affirming care included non-discrimination policies, LGBTQ+-specific programming, hiring LGBTQ+ staff, routine staff sensitivity training, and gender-inclusive program structures.ConclusionsLGBTQ+ people experience stigma and discrimination within SU services; supportive and affirming care is vital to reducing treatment barriers and promoting positive health outcomes. The current study offers concrete recommendations for how to deliver LGBTQ+-affirming care, which could reduce SU disparities and drug overdose mortality overall.

Environmental concentrations of metals (Cu and Zn) differently affect the life history traits of a model freshwater ostracod

Zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) are common contaminants of inland water bodies under severe anthropogenic pressure. The main aim of this study was to test the influence of environmental aqueous concentrations of Zn and Cu on the fitness-related life history traits of the cosmopolitan freshwater ostracod Heterocypris incongruens. Overall, eight subchronic laboratory experiments were conducted to test the effects of exposure to two Cu (260 and 460 µg Cu L−1) and Zn (230 and 410 µg Zn L−1) concentrations compared to the control conditions using asexual individuals originating from a wild population and from a commercial toxicity test (Ostracodtoxkit f). The response of ostracods to exposure to Zn and Cu differed considerably. The Cu treatments significantly reduced the total hatching success and hatching dynamics of resting eggs, increased the mortality of juveniles and reduced the survival of adults, dramatically decreasing the fitness of ostracods. On the other hand, the Zn treatments were less harmful and did not affect adult survival or the timing of juvenile hatching from subitaneous eggs but extended the timing of laying eggs at lower concentrations and stimulated hatching dynamics and success at higher concentrations. It seems that the increased Zn body burden did not strongly impact the fitness of the studied specimens. Moreover, the different responses of the laboratory and wild populations in the Zn experiments may suggest a genetic variation in the tolerance of ostracods to metals. Therefore, experiments involving laboratory H. incongruens as analogues of wild ostracods should be cautiously interpreted. We concluded that the major toxicant in our study was Cu, while Zn could be considered a micronutrient even supporting ostracod fitness, although its higher levels are likely to exert strong toxic effects.

Embracing Asexual and Aromanticism in Elsa and Merida: A Critical Analysis of Disney’s Frozen and Brave

In a world where the spectrum of human identity is as vast as the colours of the rainbow, it becomes imperative to unravel and celebrate the myriad ways individuals experience attraction, love, and connection. Aromantic individuals may not experience the same pull toward romantic relationships as society often expects. Asexual individuals may not experience sexual attraction, and their identities are recognized as distinct from other sexual orientations. Queer studies provide a platform for understanding and validating diverse experiences, identities, and orientations that fall outside the heteronormative and cisnormative frameworks.This article delves into the exploration of aromanticism and asexuality within the characters of Elsa of Disney’s Frozen and Merida of Disney’s Brave.These beloved and iconic characters challenge the conventional narratives of romance and desire in the realm of animated storytelling. Elsa’s journey in Frozen and Merida’s adventure in Brave are dissected to uncover subtle hints and nuances that suggest potential representations of aromanticism and asexuality. By navigating the intricacies of these characters’ narratives, this article aims to contribute to the ongoing discourse on inclusive representation in mainstream media, shedding light on the importance of acknowledging diverse romantic and sexual identities.

“That was terrifying!”: when 2SLGBTQQ+ individuals and rural women experiencing intimate partner violence are stalked

&lt;sec&gt;&lt;title&gt;Background&lt;/title&gt;&lt;p&gt;Stalking reflects a lesser-studied form of intimate partner violence (IPV; e.g., physical abuse) that may occur pre- and postseparation between two or more partners, incurring lifelong pervasive health impacts on those involved. Intersectionality theory elucidates how Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, questioning, intersex, and asexual (2SLGBTQQIA+) individuals' and rural women's identities are oppressed by society, thus subjecting them to unique IPV experiences. Therefore, this study aims to explore how stalking manifests among 2SLGBTQQIA+ individuals and women living rurally with lived experiences, both of which are underrepresented groups in current stalking literature.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/sec&gt;&lt;sec&gt;&lt;title&gt;Methods&lt;/title&gt;&lt;p&gt;We used secondary data from two IPV studies conducted among 2SLGBTQQ+ (no intersex or asexual participants) individuals and rural women (n = 29). We interviewed 2SLGBTQQ+ (n = 18) and rural women (n = 11) who resided in Alberta, Canada and experienced IPV via semi-structured, qualitative approaches. A thematic analysis was guided by intersectionality theory to analyze the data, applying inductive and semantic approaches.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/sec&gt;&lt;sec&gt;&lt;title&gt;Findings&lt;/title&gt;&lt;p&gt;Of the 29 participants, 15 were stalked by their abusive partners and 9 reported on the negative impacts of being stalked. Rural women and 2SLGBTQQ+ individuals were mainly stalked via physical forms of stalking and cyberstalking, respectively. We describe other forms of stalking and the ineffectiveness of legal systems in those seeking support for stalking. The impacts of stalking (e.g., hypervigilance) were so profound that the feeling of being stalked persisted, which we termed phantom stalking.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/sec&gt;&lt;sec&gt;&lt;title&gt;Significance&lt;/title&gt;&lt;p&gt;2SLGBTQQ+ individuals predominantly experienced stalking through technology and rural women experienced stalking in more public or physical forms, which stemmed from intersections with community and geographical factors, respectively. We posit the notion of “phantom stalking” and discuss and differentiate it from other psychiatric diagnoses. Additionally, we provide important recommendations related to legislation, education, safety, and research.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/sec&gt;

A Scoping Review on the Exigent Needs to Build Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, and Asexual Inclusive Competencies in the Medical Education Curriculum

Introduction: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, and Asexual (LGBTQIA+) individuals are subjected to appreciable health inequalities, many of which are exacerbated by the absence of a standard framework for LGBTQIA+ proficient healthcare. The marginalised LGBTQIA+ population faces atrocious health outcomes and reveals deplorable medical care experiences. To provide relevant and sensitive care to LGBTQIA+ individuals and fulfill the healthcare needs of this marginalised population, healthcare service providers must acquire expertise in specific skills, guidelines, and recommendations. Aim: To provide a brief summary of the evidence in the scientific literature regarding the necessity of incorporating LGBTQIA+ inclusive competency into medical education curricula. Materials and Methods: An intricate literature search in scholarly databases like PubMed, Google Scholar, Embase, and CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature) yielded a wide range of publications focusing on training undergraduate medical students in LGBTQIA+ healthcare. The selected scientific articles were further screened in accordance with the inclusion and exclusion criteria devised for this scoping review, aligning with the study’s objectives. Result: The extensive search yielded a total of 578 articles for screening. Based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 14 manuscripts were analysed for this scoping review, advocating the importance of integrating competencies into the medical curriculum to provide improved, unbiased healthcare services to LGBTQIA+ communities. Conclusion: There was notable diversity in studies in terms of the research objective, the LGBTQIA+ population(s) under focus, and the study results. Stigma and bias present potential barriers to establishing quality healthcare services for the LGBTQIA+ population. The current literature shows consensus in supporting academic efforts to shift towards pedagogical interventions that are vertically integrated and focused on clinical skills to address LGBTQIA+ health disparities.

Asexual individuals report high preferences for femininity in male and female faces

ABSTRACT Preferences for sexual dimorphism in male and female faces can vary based on the viewers’ gender, sexual orientation, and intensity of sexual desire. Asexual individuals, who experience little to no sexual attraction, may display different preferences for sexual dimorphism than has been observed in allosexual samples. Researchers have hypothesised that gender conformity may likewise impact preferences for sexual dimorphism. Participants (N = 182) recruited from an online asexual community provided demographic information and responded to measures of romantic attraction, sexual attraction, and conformity with male and female gender norms before they indicated their preference for male and female faces that were digitally altered to be more or less sexually dimorphic. Regardless of gender, asexual participants displayed a high preference for femininity in male and female faces. Preferences for sexual dimorphism displayed complex, and inconsistent associations with reported romantic and sexual attraction, and with conformity to feminine gender norms. This is the first report of preferences for facial sexual dimorphism and assessment of the role of gender conformity in an asexual population. This research adds to our understanding of the role of sexual attraction in predicting preferences for sexual dimorphism in faces.

Construction and validation of a scale of sexual self-concept for the elderly Chilean population.

Sexual self-concept has a central role in the life of the elderly population. Indeed, their sexual self-concept has significant and positive relationships with their satisfaction with life, pleasure, and willingness to interact with others. However, social-cultural prejudice means that the elderly are considered asexual individuals, harming their sexual self-concept. This prejudice is prominent in Chile, where the elderly do not have access to clear information about their sexuality. However, research on the Chilean elderly population is still in its infancy and requires more attention. Hence, this research aims to construct and validate a scale of sexual self-concept for the elderly Chilean population to cover this identified gap in the literature. Sixty items were integrated into the first version of the scale. Ten external judges were asked to assess the content validity. Twenty-eight items were maintained. Subsequently, an instrumental and cross-sectional design was implemented with a non-probabilistic sampling (N = 188). Items were refined with corrected homogeneity indices and conditional estimates of Cronbach's alpha and Omega coefficient. A final scale of nine items equally distributed in three dimensions was obtained: Sexual self-efficacy (ω = 0.867), Sexual assertiveness (ω = 0.764), and Sexual self-esteem (ω = 0.803). The confirmatory factor analysis reflects that the theoretical model has an adequate fit (CFI = .989; TLI = .984; RMSEA = .086). The data analyses confirmed that the scale has adequate psychometric properties. This scale can be used for multidimensional measurements of sexual self-concept in the elderly in Chile. Further research can confirm its psychometric properties in different settings within the Spanish language population.

A Comparison of Mate Preferences in Asexual and Allosexual Adults.

Asexuality is a sexual orientation characterized by a lack of sexual attraction. Sexual attraction is likely associated with preferences for certain characteristics in romantic partners, such as physical attractiveness. Preferred partner characteristics can be influenced by an individual's sexual orientation, gender, and age. Allosexual (N = 239; male = 48, female = 181, other = 4; Age M = 20.48years) and asexual participants (N = 149; male = 36, female = 88, other = 23; Age M = 25.54years) recruited from a pool of psychology students and through online asexual communities were presented with a survey in which a total of 388 participants rated 13 characteristics according to how desirable they were in a potential long-term romantic partner. Characteristics that are related to physical attractiveness were predicted to be rated lower by asexual participants than by allosexual participants. Asexual participants rated the desire to have children as being less desirable in a romantic partner than allosexual participants did. However, preferences for other traits, such as exciting personality, creative and artistic, and religious, were dependent on interactions of gender and attraction to men or women. Because asexual individuals report generally lower levels of sexual attraction, it will be important for future research to consider romantic attraction as a more nuanced measure than sexual orientation alone when considering sex differences in asexual and allosexual populations.

Interaction with peers online: LGBTQIA+ individuals' information seeking and meaning‐making during the life transitions of identity construction

AbstractPeople search for information and experiences and seek meaning as a common reaction to new life challenges. There is little knowledge about the interactions through which experiential information is acquired, and how such interactions are meaningful to an information seeker. Through a qualitative content analysis of 992 posts in an online forum, this study investigated lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer/questioning, asexual (LGBTQIA+) individuals' online information interactions and meaning‐making with peers during their life transitions of identity construction. Our analysis reveals LGBTQIA+ people's life challenges across three transition stages (being aware of, exploring, and living with a new identity). Three main types of online peer interactions were identified within: cognitive, affective, and situational peer interactions. We found that online peer interactions are not only a type of information source that LGBTQIA+ individuals use to acquire understanding about themselves but a unique space for transformation learning and meaning‐making where they share self‐examination and reflection, conduct assessments and assumptions, and obtain strength and skills to initiate and adapt life transitions. The findings have theoretical contributions to the development of information behavior models of transitions and practical implications on providing information services that support LGBTQIA+ individuals' meaning‐making during the life transition.