Asexuality has often been misunderstood as a “flaw” or a negative experience, but in reality, it’s just like any other sexuality. The Trevor Project states, “Asexual people — also known as ‘Ace’ or ‘Aces’ — may have little interest in having sex, even though they desire emotionally intimate relationships.” As the Ace community continues to grow, there are many asexual celebrities you should know! Whether they are activists, artists, or creatives, they continue to inspire others who are like them just by being themselves.
Not only are there several asexual celebrities in today’s society, but historians believe there are figures like Issac Newton and Marilyn Monroe who would identify as asexual if they were still alive. Because some people don’t have a complete understanding of what asexuality is, they don’t realize there are many ways for an asexual person to identify. The Trevor Project also explains that many Aces “desire emotionally affectionate relationships” while others do not experience romantic attraction.
Here are five asexual celebrities you should know!
1. Yasmin Benoit (she/her)
Yasmin Benoit is a UK model who often appears in lingerie designs. She has also pioneered POC representation in alternative fashion. Most importantly, Benoit is an asexuality activist as she began the #ThisIsWhatAsexualityLooksLike Movement. According to Them, the model co-founded International Asexuality Day in 2021. She continues her activism through writing, often speaking about being a Black Ace and the intersections of race, gender, and sexuality.
2. Janeane Garofalo (she/her)
You may recognize her from “Wet Hot American Summer” as Beth or as a funny lady on “Saturday Night Live.” Still, aside from being an acclaimed comedian, Garofalo also identifies as asexual. The actress often mentions her sexuality in her live stand-up comedy acts and describes herself as not ever having a high libido. In an episode of the podcast “Dyking Out,” she revealed that she’s never experienced a high drive for sex and can go without sex.
3. Michaela Coel (she/her)
Known for creating and starring in “Chewing Gum” and “I May Destroy You,” Michaela Coel has solidified her name in Hollywood as a writer and actress. Many of her fans may not know she is on the asexual spectrum. In 2018, she confirmed she identifies as aromantic in an interview with Culture Trip.
“I googled aromanticism, and I very much felt like, ‘Oh, that’s me.” She continued, “I am OK being by myself. I like having intimate relationships, but I don’t want to change people or want to be changed by anyone.”
4. Tim Gunn (he/him)
Though he first rose to fame as a fashion mentor on “Project Runway,” Tim Gunn has long been a prominent figure in the fashion industry. In addition to his expertise in fashion, Gunn revealed he is asexual in 2010. According to LGBTQ Nation, the television personality was candid in a People Magazine interview about his sexuality, stating he never truly knew what his sexuality was.
“For a long time, I didn’t know what I was. I knew what I wasn’t: I wasn’t interested in boys, and I really wasn’t interested in girls,” he stated.
He has been in relationships in the past but recalled that he has always been “kind of asexual.” Gunn has also been open about his celibacy, as he has not been in a relationship since 1982. He has attributed this to the AIDS epidemic of the 80s. He continued his celibacy into the 2000s and revealed he is “a perfectly happy, fulfilled individual.” Though he does not have a “no-sex policy,” he is not driven by desire.
5. David Archuleta (he/him)
We all know him from American Idol as Season 7’s runner-up, but in 2021, David Archuleta became known for an important cause. He not only came out as queer but openly battled with identifying as asexual. In an Instagram post, the singer stated, “I’ve been open to myself and my close family for some years now that I am not sure about my own sexuality,” Archuleta continued. “I came out in 2014 as gay to my family. But then I had similar feelings for both genders, so maybe a spectrum of bisexual. Then I also have learned I don’t have too much sexual desires and urges as most people, which works I guess because I have a commitment to save myself until marriage. Which people call asexual when they don’t experience sexual urges.”
These asexual celebrities are not only pioneers for the Ace community, but they are role models for those who may experience the same feelings or conflicts with their sexuality.
