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The Ace in the UK Report uncovers for the first time the shocking experiences of healthcare, workplace and societal discrimination that ace people face in the UK, and the need for better legal and policy protections. This report is the result of the…

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Understanding asexuality - Trevor Project

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Understanding asexuality - Trevor Project

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It's important to remember that asexuality is an umbrella term, and exists on a spectrum. Asexual people - also known as "Ace" or "Aces" - may have little interest in having sex, even though most desire emotionally intimate relationships. Within the ace community there are many ways for people to identify.

Here are just a few common terms to explore:

Demisexual: People who only experience sexual attraction once they form a strong emotional connection with another person.

Grey-A: People who identify somewhere between sexual and asexual.

Queerplatonic: People who experience a type of non-romantic relationship where there is an intense emotional connection that goes beyond a traditional friendship.

Aces commonly use hetero-, homo-, bi-, and pan- in front of the word romantic to describe who they experience romantic attraction to. For example, a person who is hetero-romantic might be attracted to people of a different sex or gender, but not in a sexual way.

FAQ

1. My friends talk about sex all the time, but I don't feel any desire to be with someone in that way. Is it normal to not feel any sexual attraction towards other people?

2. I am romantically attracted to boys and girls, but I don't want to be with them physically. Can I be bisexual and asexual?

3. I kissed my boyfriend for the first time and it was gross! Does this mean I am asexual?

4. How do I tell my partner/the person I like that I am asexual?

5. People are telling me that something is wrong with me now that I've come out as asexual. Even worse, some are saying that asexuality doesn't exist. How can I help them understand me?

Answer:
Yes, it is completely normal to not feel sexual attraction towards other people. Love doesn't have to equal sex! You can have strong, meaningful relationships with friends or partners that don't necessarily involve a sexual connection. In fact, there is a huge spectrum of identities and sexualities out there that can help describe different kinds of attraction. We encourage you to learn more about identities like asexuality, which may help you feel more at ease about not feeling sexually attracted to others. Remember, nothing is set in stone, and you don't have to label yourself with a term unless you're ready. Your feelings may or may not change over time, and that is completely okay!
Question 2: I am romantically attracted to boys and girls, but I don't want to be with them physically. Can I be bisexual and asexual?
Answer:
Absolutely! Because you feel romantically attracted to others, you may feel comfortable using the term "romantic" instead of "sexual," then adding "bi-" to show that you're attracted to both boys and girls. This creates a term that's commonly used in the asexual and ace community: "biromantic." Another term for you to explore could be panromantic, which describes a person who is romantically attracted to others, but their attraction is not limited by the other person's sex or gender.
Question 3: I kissed my boyfriend for the first time and it was gross! Does this mean I am asexual?
Answer:
Not necessarily. There are a lot of things that make up our identity, and who we are physically and romantically attracted to can be discovered over time in many different ways. It sounds like you are listening to yourself and are in touch with your feelings - that's an awesome first step! What you experienced is perfectly normal, even though being grossed out by your first kiss might have been confusing.

People who identify as asexual experience little or no sexual attraction to others. Asexual people, or "aces," often identify somewhere on a spectrum that includes their emotional, spiritual and romantic attraction to other people.

It might be helpful to think about how you feel about your boyfriend, too. How do you feel about him romantically, spiritually, and emotionally? Remember, love does not automatically equal sex or being physical. In fact, there are many happy, healthy relationships that don't involve those things.

So, are you asexual? That's up to you to decide, because you know yourself best! You might do some more research and find out that "asexual" is a good way to describe yourself - or, you may find another term that fits your feelings better. Give yourself time and space to explore what you are feeling. You are not alone!
Question 4: How do I tell my partner/the person I like that I am asexual?
Answer:
This is a tough question, and there isn't any easy answer. Coming out to ANYONE can be scary, and many people in the ace community face specific risks when coming out, like being rejected by a partner or love interest. Some aces even voice fears of never finding a partner who will accept them for who they are. However, there is a whole community out there that is able to offer support. We recommend checking out AVEN. The Trevor Project also has a great resource for coming out called "Coming Out As YOU!" available at: thetrevorproject.org/resources/guide/the-coming-out-handbook/.

You deserve love and happiness, and we hope that you will find someone who will love you for the amazing, whole person that you are! You should NEVER feel pressured to have sex with someone if you don't want to, no matter how much you like them. If someone doesn't accept you for being asexual, then they might not be the right person for you.
Question 5: People are telling me that something is wrong with me now that I've come out as asexual - even worse, some are saying that asexuality doesn't exist. How can I help them understand me?
Answer:
It sounds like you are honestly and bravely sharing your feelings with the people you love and depend on, but that they aren't hearing, understanding or validating you. That's really tough, especially because having the support of family and friends can make such a huge difference as we're discovering who we are. We want you to know that being asexual is completely valid and normal, and that you have our full support!

It might help to explain to the people in your life that asexuality is a sexual orientation just like being bi, gay, lesbian, pan, or straight - it all comes down to how you are attracted to other people, in what ways. Remind them that you can have strong, meaningful relationships with friends or partners, even if you aren't being physical with them. You can also try and connect them with some resources, like the ones at the bottom of this page, so they can do some research on their own.

Ultimately, we can't change how other people respond to us, or force them to understand who we are. What we can do is share our stories and make meaningful connections with others who are ready to accept us for who we are. You are an amazing gift to the world, and we are so happy that you are being authentically YOU!

Resources

Through The Trevor Support Center, you are able to link to other websites which are not under the control of The Trevor Project. The Trevor Project does not review or ensure the accuracy of the content on other sites.

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Understanding Asexuality - The Trevor Project

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It's important to remember that asexuality is an umbrella term, and exists on a spectrum. Asexual people - also known as "Ace" or "Aces" - may have little interest in having sex, even though most desire emotionally intimate relationships. Within the ace community there are many ways for people to identify.

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I think I might be asexual - Advocates for Youth

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I think I might be asexual - Advocates for Youth

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10 Ways Educators and GSA Advisors Can Support Asexual Students - GLSEN

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10 Ways Educators and GSA Advisors Can Support Asexual Students - GLSEN

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For many GSAs and school communities, the topic of asexuality is either unseen, unheard, or not present. Whether or not you currently have any out asexual people in your GSA or school, celebrating asexual visibility is an important supportive act and may help asexual people discover, or come out about, their identities.

To begin in your support of asexual students, start by knowing these definitions:

Asexual: Someone who does not experience sexual attraction. (Defined by AVEN)

Aphobic/Acephobic: The discrimination against asexual or aromantic people.

Demisexual: Someone who only experiences sexual attraction after an emotional bond has been formed. This bond does not have to be romantic in nature. (Defined by AVEN)

Heteronormativity: The assumption that heterosexual identity is the norm, which plays out in interpersonal interactions and institutional privileges that further the marginalization of people who are not heterosexual, such as asexual, lesbian, gay, and bisexual people.

Here are some ways to deepen your practice in supporting asexual youth:

1. Remember that identity is multifaceted. A student's identity as asexual will be impacted by other identities they hold such as their race, sexual orientation, gender, ability, and/or class. All these various identities may affect the way that this person interacts with their asexual identity and how others may perceive their identity operating outside of heteronormativity. That being said, students may hold multiple identities such as being asexual and also lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, and/or trans.

2. Learn about the asexual identity spectrum. This will provide a foundation for learning about the nuances between asexual identities and establish a common language to speak about them. In doing your own research, you shift the burden of education away from the marginalized community and provide them the space of sharing their lived experiences instead of generalities or feeling like they are representing an entire identity.

3. Respect all types of relationships. There are nuances between asexual identities and relationships. Your students, including your asexual students, may be interested in romantic or non-romantic relationships, and that's okay. Know that wherever they fall on the asexual spectrum, their relationships are valid, too.

4. Approach asexuality with an open mind and avoid misappropriation. Use resources such Information for Educators, provided by AVEN, and Ace Inclusivity by the Safe Zone Project to learn more about asexuality. Put in the effort to learn the correct terms and to use them in appropriate ways. It's fine to have questions, but be open-minded and receptive while listening to those who decide to share, and again, be sure to start by doing your own research.

5. Promote asexual visibility. Celebrate Asexual Visibility Week every October! Also continue throughout the year by including asexual identities, experiences, icons, and history in topics talked about with your students.

6. Protect asexual students who've received aphobic harassment. Validate student experiences of harassment that are shared with you. Check the anti-bullying policies for your school and see how they can help you to intervene on behalf of your asexual students.

7. Affirm their experiences as asexual people. Listen to how people identify and affirm experiences that are shared with you, rather than questioning them. Use terms that students use to describe themselves, their feelings, and their relationships.

8. Include asexual-inclusive sex-ed curricula and consent information. Consent should be at the foundation of any topic regarding relationships, and asexual relationships should be included in these discussions. Sexual health educators should teach that not everyone is sexually active and also discuss the asexual spectrum with their students .

9. Don't affirm asexuality for the wrong reasons (e.g., "Well, now no one has to worry about you getting pregnant or getting STIs anymore!") Affirming should look like listening and validating what students share with you about their identity and experiences.

10. Understand what allyship looks like. If you yourself are not asexual, you hold a perspective that may prevent you from fully grasping the unique and abstract concepts that impact the daily experiences of members of the asexual community. This is a practice and not a destination. Continue to defer to people in the asexual community; learn from them sharing, and advocate for their visibility and integration whether they're present or not.

When implementing these asexual-inclusive practices, understand that as educators and GSA advisors, you should provide education and conversations around asexual identity. If you have out asexual GSA members, be sure to create space for them to share and lead the conversation should they choose to. You can invite them to educate others with their own experiences and challenge misconceptions and stereotypes about asexual people.

As the adults in school, you can support your students by continuing to learn about all of the identities and experiences that they have. To keep learning about asexual people and identities, follow these links:

AVEN (Asexual Visibility and Education Network)
Asexuality: The 'X' In A Sexual World The Invisible Orientation
Asexuality Top Ten

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10 Ways Educators and GSA Advisors Can Support Asexual Students

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For many GSAs and school communities, the topic of asexuality is either unseen, unheard, or not present. Whether or not you currently have any out asexual people in your GSA or school, celebrating asexual visibility is an important supportive act and may help asexual people discover, or come out about, their identities.

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Asexual & Ace Spectrum Statistics Among Young People - Trevor Project

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Asexual & Ace Spectrum Statistics Among Young People - Trevor Project

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Asexual spectrum: micro labels

Aceflux

One of the sexual orientations on the asexual spectrum is called aceflux. When your sexual orientation changes but generally stays on the asexual spectrum, you could be aceflux. If you feel like you're on different sides of the spectrum at different times, this might be the one for you. Some people who consider themselves to be aceflux, have said to even feel allosexual at times.

Acespike

Acespike is an asexual orientation on the asexual spectrum. This identity is for those who usually don't feel sexual attraction. However, on occasion have rare, sudden, and intense spikes of sexual attraction that last for a very short amount of time. After this they return, just as quickly, to asexuality.

Apothisexual

Someone who is on the asexual spectrum and is also sex-aversed (or sex-repulsed) is called an apothisexual. They are averse to the idea of engaging in sexual activities themselves but are okay with sexual activities that do not involve them directly. Others may be repulsed by the idea of sex all together.

Sex-repulsion does not mean someone is against people having sex. It simply indicates that someone finds sex and sexual activities disgusting. This is a singular feeling of oneself with sex. This means that - usually - apothisexuals do not mind what others are doing, as long as it does not involve/impacts them.

Asexual

Asexuals do not experience sexual attraction and or sexual desire. Some people might confuse this with celibacy, however it is not the same. As celibacy is a choice, where as being asexual is not. You might also see the word 'ace' a lot when you search for asexuality. Ace is a (phonetic) shorter term for asexual.

For those who would like to know more about this asexual identity, we recommend reading our article ' Am I asexual?'.

Bellussexual

Bellussexual is on the asexual spectrum as a microlabel. It describes people who have interest in certain (aspects of) sexual actions, and/or the aesthetic of a sexual relationship. However, they do not feel sexual attraction and do not want a sexual relationship.

Caedsexual

Caedsexual is also known as caedosexual and is a microlabel under the asexual spectrum. A caedsexual is someone who feels they were allosexual at some point in their life but are now asexual due to past trauma. Needless to say, the label caedsexual should only be used by trauma survivors and those with PTSD.

Cupiosexual is also (previously) known as kalossexual. This is a microlabel on the asexual spectrum for those who do not experience sexual attraction, yet desire a sexual relationship. Cupiosexuals are commonly sex-favorable.

An example of this microlabel could be a demisexual who may date someone on the assumption of experiencing sexual attraction later on when they establish a strong emotional bond. Another example could be a fraysexual who continues to date someone after losing the initial sexual attraction.

Demisexual

A demisexual is someone who experiences sexual attraction only after establishing a close emotional and/or romantic bond with another. This should not be mixed up with 'deciding not to have sex until knowing someone better'. Demisexuality is not a choice. They cannot feel any sexual attraction before a close connection is formed.

For those who would like to know more about this identity, we recommend reading our article ' Am I demisexual?'.

Fictosexual

A fictosexual falls under the asexual umbrella as they do not experience sexual attraction to (real life) people. Fictosexual is a term used for people who experience sexual attraction exclusively towards fictional characters. Or, alternatively, whose sexuality is influenced by fictional characters.

Fictosexuals are also known as fictisexuals, fictiosexuals, fictonsexuals, fictionsexuals or fictionalsexuals.

Fraysexual

Another identity on the asexual spectrum is a fraysexual, and is also known as ignotasexual. They feel sexual attraction at first, but lose this attraction once they get to know the other person and form a deep bond.

Fraysexuals can be seen as the opposite of demisexuals, as they do not feel sexual attraction until after an emotional bond is formed.

Graysexual

Graysexuals (or greysexuals) experience sexual attraction infrequently. Some graysexuals will only experience sexual attraction only once or twice in their life. Others might experience this more often, but in general still not nearly as frequent as an allosexual.

Lithosexual/ Akoisexual

Akoisexual, also known as lithosexual, is a sexual orientation on the asexual spectrum. Some consider this label to be leaning more towards the greysexual identity than asexual. This is because akoisexual may experience sexual attraction. However they do not want this reciprocated. An akoisexual person may be uncomfortable at the thought of someone being sexually attracted to them, or they may loose their sexual feelings if they learn it's reciprocated. As such, lithosexuals do not feel compelled to seek out a sexual relationship and are considered to fall on the asexual spectrum.

Quoisexual

Quoisexual is also an asexual identity on the asexual spectrum, and describes people who don't relate and/or understand experiences or concepts of sexual attraction and orientation. Differently put, a quoisexual is someone who is unsure of what sexual attraction is and/or is unsure if they experience sexual attraction.

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Whether you never feel attraction, very rarely, or only once you emotionally bond with a person. The asexual spectrum has many different microlabels to help you find your specific place within the community. Here's our list from Ace to Z!

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Books with asexual characters/themes published in 2024

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Books with asexual characters/themes published in 2024

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This is a list for books that feature a main character on the asexual spectrum (ace, demisexual, graysexual, or any other microlabel under that umbrella) published in 2024.
All genres. All age categories.
Nonfiction is allowed if it's about aceness or a memoir by an ace author.

(If possible, note the specific rep in the notes so people can know.)

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83 books based on 45 votes: So Let Them Burn by Kamilah Cole, Superficial by Diane Billas, Dear Wendy by Ann Zhao, Earthflown by Frances Wren, The Loudes...

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Asexual and Ace Spectrum Youth data - Trevor Project

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Asexual and Ace Spectrum Youth data - Trevor Project

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We analysed the responses to the National LGBT Survey and published the headline findings in 2 publications, a detailed research report and a summary report, as well as a Survey Data Viewer.

Details

In July 2017, the Government launched a survey to gather more information about the experiences of LGBT people in the UK. The survey response was unprecedented - over 108,000 people participated, making it the largest national survey of LGBT people in the world to date. We have published a detailed research report on the headline findings and a summary report. These focus on the experiences of LGBT people in the areas of safety, health, education and the workplace.

The Survey Data Viewer allows users to create their own tables using the survey data.

Though there were positive findings from the survey, and respondents were generally positive about the UK's record on LGBT rights, there were some findings that are concerning. This is why we are publishing a comprehensive LGBT Action Plan that sets out what steps the government will take in response to the survey findings.

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We analysed the responses to the National LGBT Survey and published the headline findings in 2 publications, a detailed research report and a summary report, as well as a Survey Data Viewer.

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Gender Inclusive Biology - language guide

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Gender Inclusive Biology - language guide

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language guide — Gender-Inclusive Biology

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See also Communicating - terminology, strategies, and printables to help students & teachers talk with, write to, or inform teachers, guardians, parents, and families (including español/Spanish, 中文/Chinese, and more languages to come)

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Enriching the Story: Asexuality and Aromanticism in Literature

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Enriching the Story: Asexuality and Aromanticism in Literature

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Enriching the Story: Asexuality and Aromanticism in Literature

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This paper examines the role of asexual and aromantic coding within Emily Brontë’s novel Wuthering Heights and Virginia Woolf’s novel To the Lighthouse. Both books utilize relationships and sexuality in order to portray arguments within the book. Brontë portrays Catherine and Heathcliff’s relationship as transcending physicality, both as a way to portray them as soulmates but also to foreshadow events. Woolf utilizes Lily’s disinterest in sex and marriage as a way to contrast her to other women in the novel. Both characterizations can be read as asexual, or in Lily’s case also aromantic. This queer reading allows insight into the characters but it also creates a characterization rarely seen in popular media or literature. It challenges social assumptions about sexuality and romance as well as heteronormative readings of literature. It gives the asexual and aromantic community a literary presence but also shows that the lack of representation can be damaging to the understanding and acceptance of asexual and aromantic individuals.

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The Tumblr bloggers building a canon of asexual history

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Academics have long ignored the history of asexuality, so online communities are stepping in.

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The Asexual History of Social Purity Activists and Spinsters

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The Asexual History of Social Purity Activists and Spinsters

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Early Asexual Feminists: The Asexual History of Social Purity Activists and Spinsters — Making Queer History

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″[...]spinsters were seen as queer, not because they were not mothers or wives, but because they wanted to go into the public sphere and to break the gender boundaries between the private and the public.” — Hellesund Tone

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Rainbow Britain Report - Stonewall (2022)

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Rainbow Britain Report - Stonewall (2022)

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For decades now, we have seen a steady increase in social acceptance of lesbian, gay and bi relationships, and steady increase in the percentage of the population who identify as lesbian, gay or bi. Measuring the trans population and attitudes to trans people through social surveys is a newer…

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Acephobia and anti-asexual hate crime - Galop

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Acephobia and anti-asexual hate crime - Galop

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Asexual and aromantic people can face prejudice and hate crime, which service providers and criminal justice agencies have a duty to tackle. The information below aims to assist services to better understand and serve the needs of ace people who experience hate crime.

Prevalence of acephobia

Whilst social awareness is growing, asexuality and aromanticism are still not widely recognised, and prejudice against asexual and aromantic people remains largely unexamined.

The little (but growing!) research that there is in this area has uncovered strong bias against ace people. Relative to cisgender and heterosexual people, and even to cisgender lesbian, gay and bisexual people, asexual people were found to be the target of more prejudice, avoidance and discrimination.

Of all the sexual minorities studied, ace people were the most dehumanised, viewed as "machine-like"- cold and emotionless. This demonstrates the need to address anti-asexual bias and that ace people are at risk of experiencing violence, abuse and discrimination.

Recognising anti-asexual prejudice

Acephobia is a prejudicial attitude toward asexual and aromantic people based on negative stereotypes. It can include believing that ace people:

are less than human or against human nature

are deficient or broken; that it is a result of mental illness or sexual abuse

have just not met the "right" person

are confused or 'going through a phase'

cannot experience love and have relationships

are just "prudes"; that asexuality is a choice rather than an orientation

don't face oppression and are damaging the LGBT+ cause.

What is anti-asexual hate crime?

Any offence should be treated as an anti-asexual hate crime if the person who experienced it or anyone else feels it was an expression of acephobia.

Anti-asexual hate crime can include verbal abuse and violence from neighbours or strangers, in person or online. Because people's ace identity is not always visible to strangers, anti-asexual abuse can often be concentrated in settings where the targeted person and perpetrator know each other. That can include verbal abuse or unwanted sexual touching from acquaintances and anti-asexual domestic abuse from family or partners. This also includes actual and threats of so-called "corrective" rape, to "fix" the person's orientation.

These crimes can be less often recognized in mainstream services, but it is equally important to record and address them in a manner that addresses their motivation of hostility.

To qualify to be recorded as a hate incident, a report needn't include anti-asexual language. It is enough for a reporting person to perceive that it was motivated by acephobia. Police guidance states that any crime or non-criminal incident should be recorded as motivated by sexual orientation hatred if the person reporting it feels it was motivated that way. Courts will need evidence to record a hate crime.

Tackle anti-asexual prejudice within LGBT+ communities

Asexuality is a part of sexual diversity, and aromanticism is a valid romantic orientation. Therefore they belong within the LGBT+ community.

However, ace people can face prejudice from within our community, such as being refused entry to LGBT+ spaces or inappropriate treatment by LGBT+ services. Some LGBT+ people argue that asexuality shouldn't be included under the LGBT+ umbrella. Similar reasoning was employed to object to bisexual and trans inclusion in lesbian and gay movements historically - and still results in failings in full inclusion and support of these groups today.

LGBT+ people working as service providers can also sometimes oppose asexual inclusion. It is important for LGBT+ services to raise awareness of ace identities and acephobia, and work towards welcoming all sexual and romantic minorities to their service.

Demonstrate that you take acephobia seriously by speaking out against it.

Ace people also face homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, ableism, racism, etc.

Sexual orientation is distinct from romantic orientation; asexual people may have heteroromantic, homoromantic, biromantic, panromantic or aromantic attractions and so may face homophobia or biphobia

Asexual and aromantic people may also be trans, non-binary or have a non-conforming gender presentation, so may face transphobia.

Therefore acepeople may face anti-LGBT hate in addition to acephobia, and often these prejudices are linked. Determining how it should be recorded should be done together with the service user.

Additionally, many people face hostility rooted in multiple types of hatred, for instance both acephobic and racist. They are entitled to ask police and other safety services to record it under several hate incident categories. Ask open questions about motivation, support service users in determining their own account of events, and bear in mind that a crime or incident may have more than one hate motivation.

The CATCH Partnership can help you ensure you get appropriate support after an incident that targeted several of your identities.

Make a positive impact and recognise the gap

Service are increasingly familiar with hate crime against lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people, but ace people have their own distinct needs, which can be overlooked or underplayed. Build your knowledge, policies and systems to address this important issue.

Many ace people feel pressured to pass as allosexual or alloromantic when talking to services, which can prevent people from disclosing important information about incidents. Make efforts to enable service users to be themselves in your service, and feel safe disclosing issues related to their identity.

For every acephobic incident or crime someone tells you about there will be many more unreported. Help people feel that telling you was worthwhile. An important way of doing that is by referral to ace and LGBT+ support, advice, advocacy and social groups, such as the Asexual Visibility and Education Network.

Enable people to consider a range of options including help from police, discrimination law, restorative justice, emotional support, or assistance complaining about acephobic attitudes from a provider of goods or services.

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Asexual and aromantic people can face prejudice and hate crime, which service providers and criminal justice agencies have a duty to tackle. The information below aims to assist services to better...

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International Asexuality Day (IAD) will take place on April 6th. IAD is a coordinated worldwide campaign promoting the ace umbrella, including demisexual, grey-asexual and other ace identities.

The four themes of IAD are:

These themes highlight the aims of recognising and enabling the work that the international ace community and organisations do, particularly in non-Western and/or non-English speaking countries.

We encourage anyone who identifies under the ace umbrella to participate in IAD, particularly but not exclusively in non-anglophone and/or non-Western countries. Participation could be as simple as sharing a post on social media, but there are also organisations all over the world who are holding events, running campaigns and supporting causes. To get involved or find out about your local organisations, please see our Find Local Advocates page.

For more information about asexuality, the ace umbrella and how to know if you're ace, visit: Wikipedia

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International Asexuality Day (IAD) will take place on April 6th. IAD is a coordinated worldwide campaign promoting the ace umbrella, including demisexual, grey-asexual ...

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Ace Week is an annual campaign to raise awareness, build community, and create change around the world.

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This page is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg) (PDF, 346KB).

The census question on sexual orientation was a voluntary question asked of those aged 16 years and over.

In total, 44.9 million people (92.5% of the population aged 16 years and over) answered the question.

Around 43.4 million people (89.4%) identified as straight or heterosexual.

Around 1.5 million people (3.2%) identified with an LGB+ orientation ("Gay or Lesbian", "Bisexual" or "Other sexual orientation").

The remaining 3.6 million people (7.5%) did not answer the question.

Tell us what you think about this publication by answering a few questions.
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Sexual orientation is an umbrella term covering sexual identity, attraction, and behaviour. For an individual respondent, these may not be the same. For example, someone in an opposite-sex relationship may also experience same-sex attraction, and vice versa. This means the statistics should be interpreted purely as showing how people responded to the question, rather than being about whom they are attracted to or their actual relationships.

The question on sexual orientation was new for Census 2021. We have previously collected data on sexual orientation through the Annual Population Survey (APS), but including the question on the census questionnaire enables a much more detailed understanding of sexual orientation in England and Wales. The data will meet the needs for better quality information on the LGB+ population ("gay or lesbian", "bisexual" or "other sexual orientation") for monitoring and supporting anti-discrimination duties under the Equality Act 2010.

The question was voluntary and was only asked of people aged 16 years and over. People were asked "Which of the following best describes your sexual orientation?". The different sexual orientations that people could choose from included:

straight or heterosexual

gay or lesbian

bisexual

other sexual orientation

If they selected "Other sexual orientation", they were asked to write in the sexual orientation with which they identified.

In total, 44.9 million people answered the question (92.5% of the population aged 16 years and over).

Figure 1: Sexual orientation, 2021, England and Wales

Download the data

In total:

43.4 million people (89.4% of the population aged 16 years and over) identified as straight or heterosexual

748,000 (1.5%), described themselves as gay or lesbian

624,000 (1.3%) described themselves as bisexual

165,000 (0.3%) selected "Other sexual orientation"

The overall number of people in England and Wales who identified with an LGB+ orientation was therefore 1.5 million (3.2% of the population aged 16 years and over).

Of those who selected "Other sexual orientation", the most common write-in responses included:

Another 75,000 (0.15%) wrote in a different sexual orientation, or ticked the "Other sexual orientation" box but did not write anything in.

The remaining 3.6 million people aged 16 years and over (7.5%) did not answer the question on sexual orientation.

Data and analysis showing sexual orientation by age and by sex will be published on 25 January, enabling a more detailed understanding of different identities.
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3. How sexual orientation varied across England and Wales

Census 2021 data reveal how sexual orientation varied across England and Wales. As the question was voluntary, please be aware of differences in response rates when comparing between different areas.

The data showed few differences between the two nations with respect to sexual orientation. England and Wales had very similar proportions of people who identified as:

straight or heterosexual (89.4% of the population aged 16 years and above in both England and Wales)

gay or lesbian (1.5% in both England and Wales)

bisexual (1.3% in England, 1.2% in Wales)

any other sexual orientation (0.3% in both England and Wales)

The percentage who did not provide an answer was also very similar (7.5% in England, 7.6% in Wales).

The English region with the highest proportion of people who identified with a LGB+ orientation ("gay or lesbian", "bisexual", or "other sexual orientation") was London (4.3%). In London, 2.2% described their sexual orientation as gay or lesbian, 1.5% described their sexual orientation as bisexual, and 0.5% wrote in a different orientation.

The local authority with the largest LGB+ population among those aged 16 years and over was Brighton and Hove (10.7%). Seven of the other local authorities in the top 10 were in London, with the largest LGB+ populations in the City of London (10.3%), Lambeth (8.3%), and Southwark (8.1%). In Wales, the local authorities with the largest LGB+ populations were Cardiff (5.3%), Ceredigion (4.9%), and Swansea (3.4%).

Figure 2: Sexual orientation, 2021, local authorities in England and Wales

Source: Office for National Statistics - Census 2021

Download the data
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More detailed data and analysis on sexual orientation will be published in the coming months alongside the release of multivariate data. Our first analysis article, which will explore sexual orientation by age and sex, is due to be published on 25 January.

Read more about our sexual orientation and gender identity analysis plans and our release plans for Census 2021 more generally.
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5. Sexual orientation, England and Wales: data Back to table of contents

LGB+

An abbreviation used to refer to people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and other minority sexual orientations (for example, asexual).

Sexual orientation

Sexual orientation is an umbrella term covering sexual identity, attraction, and behaviour. For an individual respondent, these may not be the same. For example, someone in an opposite-sex relationship may also experience same-sex attraction, and vice versa. This means the statistics should be interpreted purely as showing how people responded to the question, rather than being about whom they are attracted to or their actual relationships.

We have not provided glossary entries for individual sexual orientation categories. This is because individual respondents may have differing perspectives on the exact meaning.

Usual resident

A usual resident is anyone who on Census Day, 21 March 2021 was in the UK and had stayed or intended to stay in the UK for a period of 12 months or more, or had a permanent UK address
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Reference date

The census provides estimates of the characteristics of all people and households in England and Wales on Census Day, 21 March 2021. It is carried out every 10 years and gives us the most accurate estimate of all the people and households in England and Wales.

We are responsible for carrying out the census in England and Wales, but will also release outputs for the UK in partnership with the Welsh Government, the National Records of Scotland (NRS) and the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA). The census in Northern Ireland was also conducted on 21 March 2021, whereas Scotland's census was moved to 20 March 2022. All UK census offices are working closely together to understand how this difference in reference dates will affect UK-wide population and housing statistics, in terms of both timing and scope.

Response rate

The overall person response rate for the census is the number of usual residents for whom individual details were provided on a returned questionnaire, divided by the estimated usual resident population.

The person response rate for Census 2021 was 97% of the usual resident population of England and Wales, and over 88% in all local authorities. Most returns (89%) were received online. The response rate exceeded our target of 94% overall and 80% in all local authorities.

Read more about question-specific response rates at local authority level in Section 4 of our Measures showing the quality of Census 2021 estimates methodology.
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8. Strengths and limitations

Quality considerations along with the strengths and limitations of Census 2021 more generally can be found in our Quality and Methodology Information report (QMI) for Census 2021. Read more about the Sexual orientation and gender identity quality information for Census 2021.

Further information on our quality assurance processes is provided in our Maximising the quality of Census 2021 population estimates report.
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10. Cite this statistical bulletin Back to table of contents

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Sexual orientation, England and Wales - Office for National Statistics

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The sexual orientation of usual residents aged 16 years and over in England and Wales, Census 2021 data.

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A Celebration of Aromantic Spectrum Experiences and Identities | February 19th - 25th, 2023

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Aromantic Spectrum Visibility Day (ASVD) is an international action day. Tag des aromantischen Spektrums (TAS)