Why is Sex the Default? Challenging Sex-Normativity by Conceptualizing Asexuality in Young Adult Fiction

Abstract

Asexuality as a label for a sexual orientation is relatively new. It refers to people who identify as having a lack of sexual attraction. Therefore, asexuality challenges the current paradigm of sex-normativity. The concept of asexuality has only recently emerged as a subject of academic interest, and therefore is subject of limited research, particularly within literary studies. This thesis undertakes an analysis of the way asexual identities are represented in the novels Let’s Talk about Love (2018) by Claire Kann and Loveless (2020) by Alice Oseman and looks at how these representations challenge the current paradigm of sex-normativity. This research reveals the extent to which sex-normative views dominate contemporary thought regarding relationships and shows that while the representations in these books could never encompass the full experience of asexuality, they do conceptualize a new understanding of the spectrum of identities under the asexual umbrella. This demonstrates that the ways we currently think about love and relationships is no longer applicable across the wider spectrum of sexuality.