What does it mean to be ace or aro? How should I approach the challenges that come with being ace or aro? How can I best support the ace and aro people in my life? Join the The Ace and Aro Advocacy Project (TAAAP) for a deep dive into the process of discovering and embracing your ace and aro identities. Empower yourself to explore the nuances of your identity, find and develop support networks, explore different kinds of partnership, come out to your communities and find real joy within. Combining a rigorous exploration of identity and sexuality models with hundreds of candid and poignant testimonials - this companion vouches for your personal truth, wherever you lie on the aspec spectrum. You are not invisible! You are among friends.
The Ace and Aro Advocacy Project is the largest volunteer-run organization focused on helping aromantic and asexual people in North America. The 10 writers involved in this project all identify as aromantic and/or asexual. They are based in the Washington metropolitan area.
0. Introduction 1. Basics 2. Community History and Culture 3. Introduction to Identity Development Model 4. Part One - Ignorance 5. Part Two - Discovery of Terminology 6. Part Three - Identity Confusion 7. Part Four - Exploration and Education 8. Part Five - Identity Acceptance and Salience Negotiation 9. Part Six - Coming Out 10. Part Seven - Identity Integration 11. Conclusion 12. Glossary
The first guide to embracing your ace and/or aro identity
This book is a much-needed resource! Ace/aro individuals have unique identity development processes and often struggle with integrating their identities. Many of my clients would have benefited from this resource, and I am confident that future individuals will benefit from the quotes and information provided in this book. Research indicates that common language and a sense of community are two of the most critical factors for ace/aro individuals' well-being; this book can help facilitate both! -- Jared Boot, MA, MBA, CST Inclusive and emotionally resonant, Ace and Aro Journeys offers an authentic look at asexual and aromantic identity from every imaginable angle. It's written by people who have lived these specific trials and triumphs, with relatable examples and quotes from diverse ace- and aro-spectrum people, dispensing wisdom regarding processing negativity as well as celebrating ace/aro joy. Aces and aros will see their identities thoroughly explored and validated beyond the usual token statement of "this exists," while those who want to learn about us will learn how to conceptualize us as we are, not as people with something missing. -- Julie Sondra Decker, author of The Invisible Orientation A valuable resource for anyone curious about asexuality and aromanticism, anyone wondering whether they might be ace or aro, or anyone wanting to support an ace or aro friend or family member. This book provides clear and helpful practical advice for coming out and connecting to a larger community, as well as recognition of the particular struggles ace and aro people face, with insights into the history, culture, and vocabulary of these orientations. This is also a book to get you started thinking about larger philosophical questions regarding the nature of orientation, desire, attraction, and sexual identity. I highly recommend for anyone questioning their orientation or wanting to be an ally. -- Elizabeth Brake, Professor of Philosophy, Rice University, author of Minimizing Marriage
