Contextualizing the Well-being of Asexual Youth: Evidence of Differences in Family, Health, and School Outcomes

Abstract

Despite increasing efforts to better understand sexual and gender minority youth (SGMY), asexual youth remain understudied. This study examines differences in health, family support, and school safety among asexual youth (n = 938) from a national study of SGMY (N = 17,112) ages 13-17. Compared to non-asexual youth, asexual youth were more likely to identify as transgender and report a disability, and less likely to identify as Black or Hispanic/Latino. Transgender (versus cisgender) asexual youth fared worse on most study outcomes. Cisgender asexual (versus cisgender non-asexual) youth fared worse on all study outcomes. Transgender asexual (versus transgender non-asexual) youth reported lower sexuality-related family support. These findings underscore the role of gender identity in understanding the experiences of asexual youth.

Keywords: Asexuality; LGBTQ; Mental health; Sexual and gender minority youth; Social support.