Aseksualnost v heteronormativni družbi

Mikec, Ajda (author), Zorn, Jelka (mentor)

Z magistrskim delom sem želela predstaviti vpogled v kompleksnost aseksualnosti in na ta način prispevati k ozaveščanju družbe, saj na to temo v Sloveniji še ni izvedenih veliko raziskav. Raziskovala sem, kaj pomeni biti aseksualen v družbi, ki postavlja tako velik poudarek na spolnost. Zanimalo me je, s kakšnimi vsakodnevnimi stiskami se srečujejo aseksualne osebe, kakšne so njihove potrebe in kaj so njihovi viri moči. Prav tako sem raziskovala vlogo socialnega dela pri pomoči in podpori aseksualni skupnosti. Predvsem pa sem pri raziskovanju izhajala iz želje, da čim bolj podrobno opišem pojem aseksualnosti. V teoretičnem delu sem najprej podala definicijo aseksualnosti. Nato sem opisala razliko med različnimi vrstami privlačnosti in se dotaknila vpliva, ki ga ima življenje v heteronormativnem kontekstu in v hiperseksualizirani družbi na aseksualne osebe. Posebno pozornost sem namenila procesu razkrivanja in obstoječim raziskavam o vplivu aseksualnosti na duševno zdravje. Ukvarjala sem se z izzivi, s katerimi se spopada aseksualna skupnost, in sicer s pritiski družbe k spolnosti, z diskriminacijo in nasiljem, nezadostno medijsko predstavitvijo, izzivi pri vzpostavljanju in vzdrževanju partnerskih stikov in položaju aseksualnosti znotraj LGBT+ skupnosti. Teoretični uvod sem zaključila s predstavitvijo dela socialnih delavcev z LGBT+ skupnostjo, del katere je tudi aseksualnost. V empiričnem delu sem predstavila ugotovitve kvalitativne raziskave. Izvedla sem devet intervjujev na priročnem neslučajnostnem vzorcu – dve demiseksualni osebi, pet aseksualnih oseb in dve aegoseksualni osebi. Z raziskavo sem prišla do zaključka, da je aseksualnost v družbi nevidna spolna usmerjenost. Aseksualna skupnost se sooča z izzivi, kot so nezadostna predstavitev v medijih, neobstoj teme aseksualnosti znotraj šolskega procesa, premajhno ozaveščanje družbe, pojavljanje stereotipov in nesprejemanje aseksualnosti kot spolne usmerjenosti znotraj določenih LGBT+ skupnosti. Na zasebni ravni se aseksualne osebe soočajo predvsem z izzivi pri razkrivanju in izzivi v partnerskih zvezah, kot so pritiski k spolnosti in prilagajanje potrebam partnerja. Moje ugotovitve glede socialnega dela so, da si aseksualne osebe predvsem želijo biti sprejete z razumevanjem, empatijo in validacijo njihovih osebnih izkušenj. Bistveno je, da jih socialni delavci sprejemajo in jim verjamejo.

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: aseksualnost, aseksualni spekter, socialno delo, vsakdanji izzivi, heteronormativna družba
• Work type: Master's thesis/paper
• Organization: FSD - Faculty of Social Work
• Year: 2024
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-164720
• Publication date in RUL: 08.11.2024

Secondary language

• Language: English
• Title: Asexuality in a heteronormative society

Abstract

My master's thesis aimed to provide an insight into the complexity of asexuality and thus contribute to raising awareness in society, as not much research has been conducted on this topic in Slovenia. I explored what it means to be asexual in a society that places so much emphasis on sexuality. I was interested in the everyday difficulties asexual people face, what their needs are and what are the sources of their strength. I also explored what the role of social work can be in helping and supporting the asexual community. Above all, my research was driven by my desire to present asexuality as a concept in as much detail as possible. In the theoretical part, I first gave a definition of asexuality. I then describe the difference between different types of attraction and address the impact that living in a heteronormative context and in a hypersexualised society has on asexual people. I gave special attention to the coming out process and to existing research on the impact of asexuality on mental health. In the second part of the theoretical introduction, I focused on the challenges faced by the asexual community, namely societal pressures towards sexuality, discrimination and violence, inadequate media representation, challenges in establishing and maintaining partner relationships, and the position of asexuality within the LGBT+ community. I concluded my theoretical introduction with a presentation of social workers' work with the LGBT+ community, of which asexuality is a part of. In the empirical part, I present the findings of the qualitative research. I conducted nine interviews with two demisexual people, five asexual people and two aegosexual people. The research led me to the conclusion that asexuality is an invisible sexual orientation in society. The asexual community faces challenges such as insufficient representation in the media, non-existence within the education process, lack of awareness raising in society, stereotyping and non-acceptance of asexuality as a sexual orientation within certain sections of the LGBT+ community. On a private level, asexuals face challenges with coming out process and challenges in intimate relationships, such as pressure to be sexual and to adapt to their partner's needs. My findings on social work are that asexual people want to be accepted with understanding, empathy and validation of their personal experiences. It is essential that social workers accept and believe them.

• Keywords: asexuality, asexual spectrum, social work, everyday challenges, heteronormative society