Perceptions of A-Spec Individuals: Evidence of Emotional Devaluation Across Romantic and Sexual Dimensions

As sexual minorities, individuals on the asexual spectrum (a-spec) may be at risk of being stigmatized and dehumanized. We examined whether participants  endorsed lack of sexual attraction, romantic attraction, and experiences of affection as defining features of a-spec identities (Study 1a, N = 486), and tested whether departures from allonormativity (i.e., experience of sexual attraction; Study 1b, n = 292) and amatonormativity (i.e., desire to establish a romantic relationship, Study 2, N = 232) drove stigmatization. Participants primarily endorsed lack of sexual attraction as defining a-spec identities (Study 1a), but heterosexual (vs. sexually diverse) participants also endorsed lack of romantic attraction and experiences of affection. Heterosexual (vs. LGBTQ+) participants also attributed fewer positive and more negative emotions to a-spec targets (vs. allosexual), regardless of their sexual activity (Study 1b). Lastly, heterosexual (vs. LGBTQ+) participants attributed fewer positive emotions to both a-spec targets, perceived them as less sociable, and perceived aromantic a-spec targets as more immature (vs. allosexual amatonormative targets; Study 2). Overall, a-spec identities are perceived as less legitimate and emotionally rich, under norms privileging sexual and romantic conformity. This stigmatization appears to be nuanced, emerging primarily when a-spec individuals are described as departing from normative models of romantic relationships.