The latest sexual orientation to be recognized by the Canadian Medical Association Journal is ‘greysexuality,’ a relatively new subset of asexuality.
Originally published on Dec. 4, the paper featured in Canada’s top medical journal discussed greysexuality as defined as someone who is “experiencing sexual attraction rarely or under specific circumstances.”
Demisexual and greysexual people can still “engage in sex and experience romantic attraction,” according to the article, which was co-authored by Stella A. Schneckenburger, Michelle W.Y. Tam and Lori E. Ross
The term was part of an article on asexuality, which is an umbrella term for those who only form a sexual attraction to someone after their emotional needs are met or for those who are greysexual.
It was referenced from another article in the Journal of Gay & Lesbian Mental Health, according to the National Post.
Furthermore, the article outlines the struggles of asexual people, with researchers writing that they can experience mental stress and a sense of stigma from discrimination.
“Asexual people also have unique physical and sexual health needs, such as navigating arousal without attraction and learning to set boundaries in relationships,” writes the article.
It goes on to say that many asexual people may avoid medical care because they have previously reported being treated as if they had a disorder in certain healthcare settings.
The article urges healthcare providers to exercise more inclusive language when dealing with asexual patients to avoid further stigmatizing them.
“Using ‘if’ rather than ‘when’ for questions about sex … allow patients to self-identify (and) avoid assuming lack of sex is problematic,” wrote the authors of the paper, suggesting alternative ways to provide better healthcare for asexual people.
The article also advised doctors to do more than simply providing asexual patients with basic healthcare, asking them to take a more proactive role in offering them support.
“Connect patients to asexual communities; ensure approaches are asexual-specific rather than generalized to the entire LGBTQIA2S+ community,” writes the article.
Earlier this year, an Ipsos poll found that 1% of the population identifies as asexual, after surveying 30 countries.
