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Asexuality and the Doctor
-a possibly queer theory look at the labels in Doctor Who, my own experience with that identity, and a post that may be kept updated with new thoughts-
In the epic wars of Doctor Who fandom, one particular battle has stood out, often dividing the fans of Classic Doctor Who from those of Russell T. Davies' new series. While the fans of the newer series often proclaim that the Doctor is in love with Rose/Martha/Donna/Jack/Reinette/Other in a manner that suggests the canon we don't see involves many pairs of knickers flung over the TARDIS console, some who grew up snuggling Tom Baker's scarf insist that the Doctor is, in fact, asexual. Either of these labels is problematic, however, because often with all this tossing about of labels, the actual experience and existence of those people with an asexual orientation is obscured.
The first thing it is important to realize is that, like with any sexuality, like with any person, experiences of attraction, relationship, and other facets of life vary widely from person to person. Even those that fit into the heteronormative group are all unique from one relationship to the next. I'll discuss some of the situations I've experienced and the responses I've received as I've identified as an asexual (and even before) but those are my experiences, (as a sex-positive asexual feminist, among other things) and other asexuals may have different ones.
Let's start out with a basic definition of asexual, when it comes to orientation:
"An asexual is someone who does not experience sexual attraction. Unlike celibacy, which people choose, asexuality is an intrinsic part of who we are." (AVEN)
( more. )
( Some resources for further understanding of asexuality: )
-a possibly queer theory look at the labels in Doctor Who, my own experience with that identity, and a post that may be kept updated with new thoughts-
In the epic wars of Doctor Who fandom, one particular battle has stood out, often dividing the fans of Classic Doctor Who from those of Russell T. Davies' new series. While the fans of the newer series often proclaim that the Doctor is in love with Rose/Martha/Donna/Jack/Reinette/Other in a manner that suggests the canon we don't see involves many pairs of knickers flung over the TARDIS console, some who grew up snuggling Tom Baker's scarf insist that the Doctor is, in fact, asexual. Either of these labels is problematic, however, because often with all this tossing about of labels, the actual experience and existence of those people with an asexual orientation is obscured.
The first thing it is important to realize is that, like with any sexuality, like with any person, experiences of attraction, relationship, and other facets of life vary widely from person to person. Even those that fit into the heteronormative group are all unique from one relationship to the next. I'll discuss some of the situations I've experienced and the responses I've received as I've identified as an asexual (and even before) but those are my experiences, (as a sex-positive asexual feminist, among other things) and other asexuals may have different ones.
Let's start out with a basic definition of asexual, when it comes to orientation:
"An asexual is someone who does not experience sexual attraction. Unlike celibacy, which people choose, asexuality is an intrinsic part of who we are." (AVEN)
( more. )
( Some resources for further understanding of asexuality: )
