The co-creator of International Asexuality Day, Yasmin Benoit, is speaking out after author J.K. Rowling sparked controversy over the weekend by mocking asexuality on social media. On April 6, Rowling took to Twitter, to ridicule those marking International Asexuality Day, saying they’re just people “who want complete strangers to know they don’t fancy a shag.” The Harry Potter author followed up with several posts, further questioning whether asexual people can really know if they’re gay or straight—confusing asexuality with aromantic identities and generally dismissing the validity of ace experiences.
Benoit, a leading UK asexual activist, told PinkNews, “A lot of people’s introduction [to International Asexuality Day] has now been through JK Rowling hating on it…It’s becoming a conversation in so many spaces I haven’t seen before but for a negative reason. She kind of hijacked the occasion.” Benoit described a wave of online abuse since Rowling’s comments went viral. She says the backlash proves why asexual activism is essential.
Queer News Tonight shared a news report yesterday on the study Benoit co-authored with King’s College London that showed alarming statistics of 11% of Brits not believing asexual people exist. Despite the hate, Benoit says she’s also seen solidarity online. She continues to advocate for legal protections for asexual people in the UK—protections that are currently nonexistent.
