At maaple we are gathering support for our movement to support our three aims. Before we act upon achieving our aims, we will gather support from individuals and institutions to show that we are a voice for everyone that wants equality, education and awareness to prevail.

We have already spoken to the BBC and the Independent, among others, to raise our profile and our cause in the mainstream media; however, we rely on the support of asexual spectrum people and their allies to keep the movement going.
As a movement, we are gathering a lot of support. The Exhibit A campaign raises awareness of the existence of asexuality with defiance. It is a refusal to say silent and invisible: we will be seen and heard.

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Aim 1 # Equality

The Equality Act 2010 is, mostly, a brilliant piece of protective legislation, designed to protect people in Britain from discrimination, harassment and victimisation based upon “protected characteristics”. However, it is flawed.

The protected characteristics include sexual orientation. Section 12 of the Equality Act 2010 defines sexual orientation as:

  1. Sexual orientation means a person’s sexual orientation towards—
    1. persons of the same sex,
    2. persons of the opposite sex, or
    3. persons of either sex.
Clearly, there are a lot of people are not protected by this legislation. If you’re asexual, then you are not protected unless someone discriminates against you on the basis they believe you are heterosexual, homosexual or bisexual. If you are sexually attracted to someone or some people that do not belong to the two prevailing sexes, you are not protected either.
We believe this is inherently wrong and creates inequality. We believe that this section of the Equality Act must change to reflect the reality of sexual orientation: we should be offered protection regardless of whether we experience attraction and who we are attracted to.

Discrimination against asexual spectrum people

There are concerns that discrimination, prejudice and hate against asexual spectrum people will increase as awareness of asexuality increases. Currently, there is little legislation to discourage any prejudice against asexuals and, consequently, there is no legal framework to support asexual spectrum people in litigation proceedings.


Psychology Today

Gordon Hodson has identified hostility towards asexual people and the potential impact it might have on asexual people (for example, being unable to rent certain property). He points out that hate for asexual people is not due to the harm they might cause, but because they do not conform to expectations.

The Huffington Post

There are examples of discrimination and violence against asexual people in the media. The Huffington Post, in their series on asexuality, reported on instances of threats of sexual violence and occurrences of ‘corrective’ rape.


Aim 2 # Education

Thousands of children are feeling lost, confused, disconnected and disillusioned.

It’s not so hard to think of occasions when we have felt out-of-place. It’s a bewildering and disheartening experience, when we feel like we are so very different from other people. It does not have to be that way.

We believe that every child has the right to be given the knowledge and awareness they need to understand themselves and their peers. We have a duty to support young people in our society so that they can make informed and safe choices.

We believe in a comprehensive sex and relationship education that says that it’s ok to feel the way that you do, to like the people that you like, and that sex and love are not necessarily the same thing. We want to help you to reach an understanding about yourself and to feel safe in your community.

BBC News

It is necessary for every school in the United Kingdom to be compelled to deliver a comprehensive programme of personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education to all students. This includes sex and relationship education (SRE). However, Nicky Morgan MP — Secretary of State for Education and Minister for Women and Equalities — blocked the most recent efforts for statutory SRE in primary and secondary schools.


Aim 3 # Awareness

Sometimes it is challenging to be openly asexual.

In the workplace, asexuality is seldom monitored. Asexual individuals do not always get the opportunity to express their sexuality, so it is impossible to gauge whether equal opportunities are given to them.

Media portrayals of asexuality are also negative. While some have good intentions, those articles tend to present asexuality as a freak-show and very different. Others are hostile and present asexuality as alien an abnormal. This article from The Telegraph is one such example.

This can make for a difficult environment for asexuals to talk about their sexuality. maaple demands a safer, embracing and progressive culture where it is acceptable to talk about sexuality and to feel included and valued for the organisation they work for or learn at. Therefore, we seek to make partnerships and engage in dialogue with companies, charities, education establishments and other institutions that wish to ensure that they are doing all they can to look after its workforce.