LGBTQ+A? Asexuals’ Attitudes Toward LGBTQ Individuals: A Test of Norm-Centered Stigma Theory

While occasionally included in the broad acronym of LGBTQA, asexual individuals (those who have no interest in being involved in sexual activity) often go unmentioned in social movements and discussions regarding LGBTQ+ identities. Likely in part because of the stigmatizing belief that sexual interest in others is a compulsory part of human existence, asexuals may feel disregarded in LGBTQ spaces, yet little is known about asexuals’ attitudes toward LGBTQ individuals. The current study utilizes Worthen’s Norm-Centered Stigma Theory and a sample of U.S. adults aged 18–64 stratified by U.S. census categories of age, gender, race/ethnicity and census region collected from online panelists (N = 3104; n = 45 asexual respondents) to investigate how norms (hetero-cis-normativity) and intersecting experiences with social power (sexual and gender identities) relate to the stigmatization of LGBTQ people. Findings suggest that asexual people may harbor some level of negativity toward LGBTQ people (but they are less stigmatizing toward LGBTQ people than heterosexuals are) and that intersections between hetero-cis-normativity and asexual identity are critical to continue to explore. Overall results support the use of Norm-Centered Stigma Theory to understand asexual people’s perspectives and work toward developing a deeper understanding of asexuality.