2011 in Ace Tumblr History

Or, what I’ve seen semi-affectionately called “AceGate.”

First, here’s an overall thread reminiscing about 2011 on Asexual Agenda.

Also, many of the following links are on my blog, because I can search my own tags most effectively and keep records of things.  Whoo.

Next, please note that much of this was a clusterfuck happening pretty much all at once. The subsections are mostly topical.

“Are aces queer??” was probably the start.

• Mostly, it was cis lesbian/queer women very, very aggressively badgering and bashing heteroromantic and aromantic aces. It was largely on those aces’ personal blogs, too.
• Sciatrix responded eloquently 5/25/11
• Recently Laura reiterated the trouble with this question 5/23/14

“Asexual Privilege”

• P much segued directly into from “heteroromantic (and aromantic) aces aren’t queer–they’re privileged!”
• Privilege Denying Asexuals (an actual tumblr, started 6/1/11; you’ve been warned. This wasn’t the start, and it was probably a response to the Sexual Privilege Checklist tumblr below, but it was pretty symptomatic of the attitudes at the time in general)

#Damn My Asexual Privilege

• This became our rally tag to vent and bond and flippantly respond. It’s still in the archives (check the tag out; warning for flashy gifs).
• Some posts refuted common ace stereotypes
• Some reveled in them (6/3/11)
• Most posts were hilarious.
• We even made at least one intense gif (6/11/11).

“Sexual Privilege Checklist”

• I wanted to start a conversation about, well, what do anti-ace experiences look like and have in common, and in what ways are we hurt by queer non-aces?  Especially given all the anti-ace queer policing that was happening.
• Having been immersed in SJ activist privilege rhetoric, and excited about a new Binary Privilege Checklist which started conversation about anti-non-binary bias, I took this in the direction of a Sexual Privilege Checklist.
• (So, who started the privilege checklist fight? I seriously do not know anymore. Heh it kinda looks like me but, that’s not how I remember it, but I’ve lost much of the context, you know how it goes.)
• The call (by me) on 5/23/11
• The Sexual Privilege Checklist tumblr (which I started, and ended)
• My last two posts on the subject: -isms as better language on 6/29/12, and the failure of the tumblr, on 11/20/12 (plus its intention, and reflections, and why I was leaving it up).
• ETA: …aaaand my reaction and thoughts after making this post.
• This wasn’t a new idea though: 2/21/04 on AVEN
• …and it still shows up in new independent places: 1/24/14 on EverydayFeminism.com from a quick google search

Further Reading on the Above: There were many, many more posts; here are the collections I’ve found (bless you Sciatrix):

• Sciatrix’s linkspam 5/25/11 (are aces queer, sexual privilege)
• Sciatrix’s linkspam 6/1/11 (are aces queer, sexual privilege)
• Sciatrix’s linkspam 6/8/11 (asexual privilege, are aces queer, and sexual privilege)
• Sciatrix’s linkspam 6/15/11 (sexual privilege)

• Sciatrix’s linkspam 8/24/11 (sexual privilege)

Coining Allosexual

• This happened rather after all of the above.  The flames had died down.  Maybe because summer was over, and school started again?  Seemed like it.
• Needing a word other than “sexual” for non-ace-spectrum folks goes way back and I am way too tired to dig it up right now. Search AVEN if you dare. Here’s what’s was tagged on my blog:
• Splitting the spectrum, and where do greys go? 9/18/11
• “Sexual” as nouning, and as bad for PoC, for survivors, for people with disabilities, for trans women, etc 9/22/11
• On verisexual 9/22/11
• Words on DemiGrace forum (clarisexual, etc)
• On allosexual (and consexual) instead of “sexual” 6/20/12 by metapianycist
• The first “oh allosexuel is a word too” and debunking 8/6/12 by meta
• Further defining allosexual 3/5/13 by meta
• And the recent consolidation post on allosexual 1/18/15 by Emerald
• (there’s plenty more floating around right now and stuff)

And that was 2011 in Ace Tumblr.  Far as I can recall and rebuild.  All this was before the #actuallyasexual and #actuallyacespectrum tags, too.

No wonder we call it things like “the debacle” and “the Great Ace-Hate” and “AceGate.”

EDIT: Please also see aceadmiral’s extension and notes about the anti-repulsed aces sentiment, the “but science!!” arguments, the nazi conspiracy theory of asexuality, and no-libido-no-trauma “true” asexual rhetoric…plus, the influx of folks from ontd_feminism, and the creation of tumblogs specifically just to argue against aces–no other content.