caa a22 4500 606231706 CHVBK 20210128101221.0 cr unu---uuuuu 210128e20150401xx s 000 0 eng 10.1007/s10508-014-0458-0 doi (NATIONALLICENCE)springer-10.1007/s10508-014-0458-0 Freedom, Invisibility, and Community: A Qualitative Study of Self-Identification with Asexuality [Elektronische Daten] [Pádraig MacNeela, Aisling Murphy] A significant body of research is now emerging on the subjective meaning of asexuality. This study explored how self-identification as asexual is managed, both as a threat to the self-concept and a source of personal meaning. A total of 66 self-identified asexuals were recruited from an asexuality internet community and responded to open-ended questions on an online survey. Of these, 31 participants identified as female, 15 as male, 18 gave a different label such as genderqueer or androgynous, and two did not provide information on gender. A thematic analysis of the transcripts resulted in three themes. Socially, asexuality attracted denial and resistance due to incompatibility with heteronormative societal expectations. Despite the threat to self-integrity arising from asexuality being socially rejected, it was typically assimilated as a valued and meaningful orientation on an intra-personal level, aided by information and support from the online community. A second level of threat to self arose whereby other self-identifications, especially gender, had to be reconciled with a non-sexual persona. The accommodation made to other elements of the self was reflected in complex sub-identities. The findings were interpreted using identity process theory to understand how threats arising from self-identifying as asexual are managed. Although asexuality emerges as an orientation to sexuality that can be reconciled with the self, its invisibility or outright rejection in society constitute an on-going challenge. Springer Science+Business Media New York, 2014 Asexuality nationallicence Sexual identity nationallicence Sexual orientation nationallicence Internet communities nationallicence Identity process theory nationallicence MacNeela Pádraig School of Psychology, National University of Ireland, University Road, Galway, Ireland aut Murphy Aisling School of Psychology, National University of Ireland, University Road, Galway, Ireland aut Archives of Sexual Behavior Springer US; http://www.springer-ny.com 44/3(2015-04-01), 799-812 0004-0002 44:3<799 2015 44 10508 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-014-0458-0 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI BK010053 XK010053 XK010000 Metadata rights reserved Springer special CC-BY-NC licence nationallicence 1 research-article jats NATIONALLICENCE NATIONALLICENCE NL-springer NATIONALLICENCE 856 40 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-014-0458-0 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- MacNeela Pádraig School of Psychology, National University of Ireland, University Road, Galway, Ireland aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Murphy Aisling School of Psychology, National University of Ireland, University Road, Galway, Ireland aut NATIONALLICENCE 773 0- Archives of Sexual Behavior Springer US; http://www.springer-ny.com 44/3(2015-04-01), 799-812 0004-0002 44:3<799 2015 44 10508