Comfortable in their Asexuality

An asexual activist and co-founder of a community for Indian aces opens up about his experience of coming out

- Geetika Sachdev

A few months ago, Kartik Aaryan and Kiara Advani-starrer Satyaprem Ki Katha – a romantic drama – surprised cine-goers with its brush with asexuality. In a society that glorifies hypersexuality, it is nothing short of a win for a mainstream Bollywood film to address the proverbial elephant in the room, albeit briefly.

In the film, Sattu (Aaryan), a 30plus unemployed virgin falls head over heels in love with Katha (Advani). But after their wedding, Katha refuses to sleep with him on the pretext of his loud snoring, only to claim later that she is ‘asexual’.

While the film doesn’t deep dive into the myriad layers of asexuality, it makes a bold attempt to introduce a concept like this to the masses, something which has never been witnessed in Hindi cinema. Most asexuals are misunderstood and find themselves at the centre of several myths and misconceptions, and are often branded as ‘attention-seeking’ or prudish. 

BREAKING DOWN ASEXUALITY 

According to a 2022 report by Stonewall, barely 2 per cent of the population identifies as asexual. For the unversed, asexuality is a sexual orientation. It is neither a disorder nor a choice. Instead, individuals who identify as asexual have low or no sexual desire. However, this doesn’t mean that asexuals do not have romantic feelings for anyone.