Our panels will be on the YouTube streams linked below. Our discussions will take place on Discord. You can find the link to join Discord in your emails. If you have not received it, please email us at UKAceCon2022@gmail.com and ask for the link.
During the panels, you may submit and vote on questions for the panellists on Slido: https://app.sli.do/event/kkeYD1kTgVVGevTjPv4sbk
Please find descriptions of the panels and discord discussions below.
Welcome to the 2022 edition of AVEN’s annual Asexuality Conference, organised by the AVEN project team. We will be talking about the sessions this year and how everything will be set up.
Being black in a predominantly white society is a unique challenge, especially when that intersects with coming to terms with your asexuality. Join us in this panel to hear what it's like to be black and ace in the UK.
In this panel, we cover the basics of asexuality, the ace spectrum, split attraction model and more. Whether you are new here, or just need a refresher, join in for a quick lesson before the rest of the conference.
A panel discussion about the intersection of being on both the Asexual and Autistic spectrums. Bring your questions and advice!
Join Madeline Dyer for a writing workshop on Creating Ace Characters. Madeline is the editor of BEING ACE (Page Street, Fall 2023), an anthology of ace-spec stories, and she is also the author of the Aces in Love series (written as Elin Annalise) and the Roseheart Ballet Academy series (written as Elin Dyer). So, put on your author hat and let’s break down what makes an ace character feel authentic.
Academic research into asexuality has recently seen a meteoric rise in production. However, one area where the research does not get too much attention is in the Humanities. This panel presents four scholars’ research into asexuality in the fileds of literature, history, and media.
Asexuality is definitely not a singular experience, and a person’s race often imapcts how they experience their asexuality. This works hop explores how we can all play an active role in dealing with racism within the ace community.
In the ace community, men are often in the minority. Men are generally expected to be sexual, and when they are not it is often harder for them to come to terms with their asexuality. In this panel we will reflect on this intersection of masculinity and asexuality.
Navigating the nuances within our ace identity and religion/spirituality may have its challenges. Join us for a conversation on how our spiritual path may influence our asexuality. We will talk about how our “coming in” experiences of asexuality impacted our spirituality, how our spirituality impacted our “coming in” experiences. We will talk about how the communities which share the spiritual identities and paths we are on have responded to disclosure on asexuality, and ways we hope that the world could change their response to better support those in our community.
Hear the perspective of the older generation of aces in this discussion.
In this workshop, Keith Derrick will discuss strategies and techniques to help attendees deal with aphobia when they encounter it online. A discussion will take place where the audience may participate in sharing their personal approach to dealing with aphobia. The goal of this session is to empower asexuals to live their best lives.
Because our society is still getting used to ace and aro life, sometimes assumptions are made regarding people who are asexual and their medical needs. In addition, there are many assumptions which may connect asexuality and disability, which is why one of our other panels are on ace and autism. However, this discussion will look at a broader overview on how our community gets treated regarding disability and medical discrimination. The discrimination is not only systemic or institutional but often results in our own personal lived experiences. Talking about these situations helps us regain our identities, empowerment, and dismantle biases for a better life.
Asexuality is not a singular identity or set of experiences. From demisexuality to aegosexuality to any of the many micro labels we use, let us make space for the identities that don’t get talked about enough. Join us in this discord discussion to explore the wide and varied identities on this spectrum.
Hear perspectives from aces of asian heritage in this YouTube panel!
Hear perspectives from Jewish aces in this YouTube panel!
Learn about some projects focused on ace activism in the UK with Yasmin and Sarah
Alongside sexual and romantic relationships, parenting is also seen as a major milestone in a person’s life. So how do you deal with the personal and social pressures associated with making the choice to be child-free as a person on the ace-spectrum? Explore this with us in our discord discussion.
We would like to take this time to celebrate the memes created, friendships formed, and conversations had, and to thank all the people that made this event possible.
Please find bios of our wonderful panellists and volunteers below!
Rob (he/him) known as NybbleLynx online, is an pan-oriented aroace (demisexual/demiromantic) software engineer. He posts and shares ace content on Twitter and writes occasional essays from his own experiences which are posted on Medium.com.
David J Bradley is an ace, aro, non-binary YouTube video essayist. They make educational asexual content along with media analysis.
Tyger Songbird (he/him) is an ace activist and writer, who has written for multiple LGBTQ+ publications. Tyger identifies as aro-ace, and he writes about asexuality, LGBTQ+ rights, trivia, and Christian nationalism. Tyger is currently writing a book about his life as a black asexual.
Christa Ventresca (she/they) is a PhD student in Michigan, USA studying the genomics of type 2 diabetes and running the university's ace/aro group as well! This is their 3rd ace con that they're volunteering with.
Matthew (He/Him) is a trans and ace activist from the UK. He writes for his university’s blog about being an ace and trans student and shares the history of the communities as part of his degree in history.
Marshall John Blount is an Asexual activist based out of Erie, Pennsylvania. Marshall also serves as a board member of Asexual Outreach, a non-profit organization who’s mission is to empower and strengthen Ace communities across the United States and Canada.
Ed (they/them) is a PhD student in Political Studies and aspire to conduct research related to asexuality.
Megan Carroll (she/her) is an ace sociologist, specializing in gender, sexualities, and families.
Adam (he/him) is an autistic male heteroromantic ace who wears many hats including twitch streamer, student, singer, storyteller, actor, ambassador at the DC Creators Network and more. He wants to help make the world a kinder, better place, with his special interest being the entertainment industry and the power of stories.
Hash (they/them), also known as the artist behind functional art accessory brand Sofftpunk, is a young multiply marginalised creative and organiser. They utilise their lived experience as a trans, queer and disabled person of colour to explore community and envision a better future through their art, and also focus a large amount of their energy organising direct aid. They find their ace-ness to one facet of an ever complex experience of reality, and advocate for radical inclusion as the path towards queer liberation for all.
Rebecca Humphreys-Lamford is a MA by Research student at the University of Birmingham. Her interests surround queer studies, with a focus on asexuality. Her current research explores how asexuality has been represented on British television, questioning how asexuality emerged on screen, and what (mis)understandings can be learnt from these representations.
Keith (he/him) is a PhD candidate at Georgia State University. His dissertation explores representations of asexuality in Long Nineteenth Century British Literature. He has also published several books including his novella "One Hand Clapping" and a scholarly edition of Oscar Wilde's "Lord Arthur Savile's rimes and Other Stories."
Nemo 杉本 Martin (they/them) is an award-winning London-based writer. They are a PhD candidate researching positive representations of non-white racial and non-cis gender in 19th Century French literature. As a scriptwriter, their work includes Trice Forgotten (Rusty Quill), [The Cobbled Streets of Geneva] (Ellandar), and ASIAN PIRATE MUSICAL (Papergang Theatre). They are also the co-host of Bread & Barricades: A Les Mis Podcast.
Jessica Hansen (she/they) will be speaking on the UK activism and Ace research in the humanities panel.
Martina (she/her) is a recent graduate of the University of Aberdeen in English with Creative Writing. She has an interest in sexuality and gender studies when it comes to academic research, and has explored these topics in pre-modern texts as well as more recent literature.
Katie (she/her) is a biromantic ace from the UK who likes to quietly moderate conferences in the background.
JV (they/them) is helping to moderating at the UK Asexuality Conference 2022.
Sarah Cosgriff (she/they) works in science communication and education. Through their work, they raise the visibility of LGBTQ+ people and identities in education and support educators to do this. She co-founded Aces in STEM, an international Discord community space for people on the asexual-spectrum who work in or study STEM subjects. They also have run social media campaigns showcasing numerous aces working or studying STEM subjects for International Asexuality Day 2021 and 2022. As a mixed Filipino/white person, highlighting PoC voices is of great importance to Sarah. She produces and presents on the podcast Queer Cuz with three of her cousins where they share queer Filipino experiences within the diaspora and in the Philippines. For the UK Asexuality Conference 2022, Sarah will be hosting the British Aces of Asian Heritage panel and a panellist for the UK Activism panel.
Rebecca Ashley (she/her) is a mental health and 2SLGBTQIA+ activist, writer and public speaker. She is a volunteer with AUREA and has spoken about her experiences as a lesbian oriented aromantic asexual and queer advocate on podcasts, panel discussions and in interviews for written articles. You can find her past work at http://linktr.ee/iambeccaashley or follow her on Instagram at @iambeccaashley. For writing and public speaking inquiries, please contact her directly at iambeccaashley@gmail.com.
Aliza R (she/they) will be speaking on the Jewish Aces panel
Yael (she/her) is a Jewish ace who is just happy to see some representation. She enjoys books, her cat, art, and is studying to be a zookeeper.
Sade (She/Her) is a hot mess! (Joking) I guess you could say that I am an aspiring activist, I want to dedicate as much of my time and energy to making life easier and more enjoyable for people with a primary focus on black and queer people. I am also currently a Law student at Anglia Ruskin University, and after I graduate I plan to either become a youth worker or get a job working with ex-offenders. I also really music and fashion.
Cobra will be participating in the Autistic Aces panel.
Shira Gottfried (she/they) is a first year graduate student at the University of Washington, pursuing a Masters in Library and Information Science. She is passionate about making literature more diverse and accessible across all genres and age groups, with a special interest in children’s and young adult literature. You can learn more about how to contact Shira, and read her musings on literary diversity, at her website: www.thecrookedcanon.com
Born and raised in Bermuda, Melissa has been living in the UK for almost 10 years. She discovered she was asexual in her 30s, and came out as aromantic a few years ago. She is an early years educator and a proud history geek.
KamiAnya (they/them) is a aroace, nonbinary, neurodivergent, chronically ill, Jewish streamer, academic, and advocate. They maintain a supportive discussion space while streaming a variety of indie games.
Nathan is an aspec activist who cofounded The Ace and Aro Advocacy Project (TAAAP), and is currently managing a bookstore and getting a master’s degree in sex education.
BB (Nel) is a lifestyle & travel podcaster and blogger. They are British, Gen-X, non-binary, and are 63% irn-bru by volume.
Destiny DiMattei they/them or she/her is a partially blind asexual activist and fat activist. She’s also passionate about mental health and peer recovery. She lives in the United States in Maryland. You can find her on any other social media‘s at Destiny DiMattei
Priya(She/Her) is a volunteer for the UK Asexuality conference 2022 and a member of the asexual community. She has been involved in LGBT+ clubs, events and discussions in the past. A few interests outside of Ace education and activism that Priya has is Art, Science, Adventure, and nature.
Changeling has been involved with the Ace community for over twelve years. Working with creators on Twitter and other platforms, Changeling advocates for the accessibility of GLBTQIA! content. Changeling lives with Alex the Ace cat, and together they parent several dragons and a Frankenstein's Monster. Contact Info: Website: www.starshipchangeling.net email: changeling@starshipchangeling.net Twitter: @ChangelingMx Discord: Changeling#00001
Maria (she/her) is a journalist, marketing profesional and overall curious person. She started being an ace advocate recently, when she realised there weren't that many middle aged activist.
Caroline (CaroDee) has been a member of the AVEN community for the past six years and has been active in organising meetups across London and Kent. She is also one of the founders of The London Ace Book Club who meet monthly to discuss books relating to the ace/arospec experience.
Hi! I’m Kira (she/her) and I will be volunteering at the Help Desk and moderating the child-free aces discussion. This is my first time both attending and volunteering at the UK asexuality conference!
Mark/TheSMMG (he/him) is 58, single, lives and works in Reading, UK and has been a member of AVEN since 2004. He identifies as a homoromantic asexual and has been involved in visibility activities across a range of media.