No Sex, With Strings Attached

A growing number of adults openly avow no interest in sexual contact. What happens when one of them falls for someone who wants to get laid?

Illustrations by Charlotte Peys

When I first started dating Kevin, I didn't tell him about my sexuality, but I soon realized that keeping it from him would make things much more difficult in the long run. I’m asexual, which means I have neutral feelings about sex at best, total repulsion highlighted by nausea at worst. Exactly how much I don’t want sex changes drastically with my mood. If I have a nice, relaxing day, that opens up some possibilities. If I experience a particularly stressful time at work though, I might as well have a stainless steel chastity belt on whose key was once hidden in some forgotten nook long ago. However, I am not a-romantic. I do enjoy relationships and nonsexual physical intimacy, like cuddling, but that’s usually where I draw a line in the sand.