I aim to examine the lived experiences of asexual identifying individuals living in the UK within this project. My research interest focuses on their experiences of mental health and of using the label asexual in the UK - specifically in the Cambridgeshire area. The label of asexual lacks recognition as a “valid” sexual orientation under the equality act and continues to be underrepresented and medicalised in the UK. Asexual individuals are a part of a minority group - and are therefore at an increased risk of stressors and show one of the lowest life satisfaction scores compared to other sexual minorities and members of the LGBTQ+ community (Gov LGBT survey 2018).

I will investigate this via the use of semi structured interviews and object elicitation techniques where participants are invited to bring up to 3 objects relating to their experiences of asexuality/mental health to guide the conversation. These responses will then be analysed thematically to explore commonalities between these individual experiences and gain a more holistic understanding of asexual experiences as a result.

Useful readings

-Government Equalities Office. (2018). LGBT SURVEY SUMMARY REPORT (p. 3). https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/722314/GEO-LGBT-Survey-Report.pdf

-S. Franklin, E. Sandler.   (2019). : “Out” at Cambridge: Investigating students and staff's LGBTQ+ identity disclosure and concealment at the University of Cambridge. University of Cambridge, LGBTQ+ @cam. https://www.lgbtq.sociology.cam.ac.uk/system/files/documents/copy_of_out-at-cambridge.pdf 

-Kelleher, Sinéad, and Mike Murphy. “Asexual Identity Development and Internalisation: A Thematic Analysis.” Sexual and Relationship Therapy 0, no. 0 (June 22, 2022): 1–29. https://doi.org/10.1080/14681994.2022.2091127.