More than 25% of young individuals who identify as asexual indicated they felt excluded from the LGBTQ+ community.
Over 27% of people, according to the organization Just Like Us, stated they either rarely or never feel included.
Today, on World Asexuality Day, a study that involved interviewing 3,695 people between the ages of 18 and 25 was released.
According to the research, asexual people are the group most likely to feel excluded, aside from those who are still unsure of their sexual or gender identity.
Almost one in five (18%) said they rarely feel a part of the LGBTQ+ community, while almost one in 10 (9%) said that they never feel this way.
Just Like Us ambassador Sarah Sharp wrote in The Gay Times that they are often asked whether they only identify with the term ‘queer to feel like they are allowed access to LGBTQ+ spaces and circles’.
They went on: ‘I still find myself questioning whether being asexual on its own is enough.
‘It can feel as if we are tolerated rather than welcomed, and sometimes even like we’re outright rejected.
‘Having our validity disputed by LGBTQ+ peers is the most hurtful form of exclusion I have experienced.
‘I’ve had a bisexual friend tell me I can’t be asexual because “everyone experiences some sexual attraction”.’
Asexual young adults of colour were even more likely to feel overlooked with 39% of them answering that they rarely or never feel involved – compared with 24% of white people.
Just Like Us’ interim CEO Amy Ashenden said: ‘Sadly, we can see that asexual young adults are feeling excluded from the wider LGBT+ community.
‘I hope that this research makes clear the need for greater awareness of the lived experiences and realities of asexual people, especially as we can see a wider pattern here of LGBT+ people of colour feeling excluded from our community.’
Conversely, non-binary young adults were most likely of all identities to say that they felt included in the community (56%).
The new data forms part of a report by Just Like Us called Positive Futures – set to be published on Jun 1.
The report will look at the experiences of young LGBT+ adults in the UK, covering a range of topics from their wellbeing, home life and time in school to their experiences in the world of work, as well as taking into account intersections like faith, race and disability.