June is Pride Month, a great time to celebrate the LGBTQIA community. Sadly some people stop after T, whether to shorten the acronym or out of ignorance for the rest of the community. Do you know what the A is for? If you say ally, you’re mistaken. The A is for asexuality, which is “the lack of sexual attraction to others, or low or absent interest in or desire for sexual activity.” This can puzzle others, making asexual people nervous about coming out. They might meet the claims that “it’s just a phase,” but we need to accept they understand themselves more than we could. This brings us to my friend’s film Always Be You… Except You.
Angel Hernandez is tired of being misunderstood for their asexuality. They decide to reach out to KittenPawx, their favorite YouTuber whose slogan is “Always Be You.” Surely someone so accepting would understand. Luckily KittenPawx invites them to her stream. But upon coming out as asexual, she believes they’re lonely and needs more time to “find that special someone.” KittenPawx is gay herself and insists she’s not diminishing Angel’s sexuality, yet still insists they try dating apps and they’ll discover their true self soon enough. Angel’s greatly disappointed, as KittenPawx had been a source of comfort for them. Thankfully their friend Caleb, who frequently tried playing games like “F*** or Duck” with them, had looked into asexuality and changed his behavior for Angel.
Inspired by true events, it can be hard meeting your heroes. Not everyone is accepting as they claim, whether out of ignorance or bigotry. Remember that true friends will accept you for who you are, regardless of who you like or how you like it. This Pride Month, let’s celebrate everyone in the LGBTQIA community. Everyone deserves to be heard and understood.
The Ninja Writer Blog 