Huffington Magazine Issue 63 | Page 58

WAITING TO BE RECOGNIZED overturn attitudes like this one, while still being careful to not invalidate individuals who really do suffer from sexual disorders. In May, when the fifth edition of the DSM was published (almost 20 years after the previous edition), the asexual community celebrated what they say is a symbolic, albeit small, victory. The DSM-5 reclassified HSDD under the umbrella of Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorders. This new definition makes a distinction between a lifelong, generalized lack of sexual desire and other forms of the disorder, such as a temporary or a specific lack of desire. Bogaert believes that most people who fall under the “lifelong” category will be asexuals, and though this means that asexuality could continue to be considered a treatable medical condition, ace activists say the distinction made in the new definition is an important step in the right direction. “Eventually the goal is for asexuality to not be considered a disorder at all,” Jay said. “But this is still a victory. It’ll provide us with the ammunition that we need to engage with mental health professionals and to change the experience that [asexuals] have in a HUFFINGTON 08.25.13 clinical setting.” In another small win, Jay also says that the medical community at large is becoming more accepting of asexuality. Bogaert is now no longer one of the few people in the scientific world interested in asexuality. His research has opened doors to many other studies throughout the last decade. Even Derogatis — though still skeptical and of the opinion that asexuality may in some cases be ex- “There was this really strong ethos that sex is a vital part of the human experience and without it, there’s something wrong.” plained away by disorders like hypogonadism and depression — now expresses more openness to the idea that asexuality may exist in the “normal” spectrum of sexuality. “I suppose they can,” Derogatis said over the phone in May when asked if aces could be asexual without suffering from any underlying conditions. “The bottom line is, how do we know? If folks say, ‘I’ve always been that way, and I’m happy with it,’ then that’s great.”