Anytime someone’s sexual orientation is not heterosexual, there is almost always a host of questions directed at them.

One of the most misunderstood sexualities is asexuality, which is defined on Merriam-Webster online as “devoid of sexuality.” Put simply, people who identify as asexual are not sexually attracted to either sex, or to anyone, really.

In 2004, a British study of 18,000 people found that one percent of the respondents reported feeling no sexual attraction to neither men nor women. While that number may seem small, think about it like this: one percent of the entire U.S. population equals 3.16 million people.

As someone who is borderline asexual (I’m certainly aromantic, meaning I am not romantically attracted to anyone), I empathize with people who are asexual ( defined as Aces) and the stereotypes they face.

So, I’m here to clear up some of the rumors and myths surrounding people who call themselves Aces.

Aces can’t be in relationships

How horribly wrong.

Just because an Ace is not interested in sex does not mean they don’t want to have a relationship with somebody.

It’s unfortunate that society thinks relationships with significant others must include sex, but that is certainly not the case.

People can have totally healthy relationships without sex.

Aces don’t like people

Not at all. Aces may not be interested in having a sexual relationship with anyone, but that does not mean they do not like people.

Even aromantic Aces like people — they just prefer not to be in any relationship with anyone.

Not having a sex life does not equate to not liking others. It’s just a dislike of sex. Simple as that.

‘You haven’t found the right person’

That could be the case. But again, just because an Ace happens to find “the one,” that doesn’t mean they would suddenly want to have a sexual relationship with their partner.

In fact, many Aces who do have a relationship have it with someone who is not asexual. While that could create some awkward moments when it comes to intimacy, that does not mean that their relationship isn’t a healthy one.

Again, this is not whether or not Aces are capable of having healthy relationships — there is no question that they are. It’s just that they have absolutely no interest in having sex with anyone.

It’s a choice

No sexuality in existence is a choice.

As far as I know, nobody has ever asked (at least seriously) any heterosexual person when they decided to become heterosexual. So, why is this the case with people of any other sexuality?

Probably because any other sexuality is not part of the status quo.

All in all, no sexuality is a choice.

Aces are no different than the rest of us, in terms of who they are as people. The only difference between Aces and people with other sexual orientations is that Aces are simply not interested in sex.

There’s nothing wrong or abnormal about that. It just is.

And remember, just because somebody appears to be interested in you, even if they are an Ace, that does not give them any obligation to do anything intimate with you.

Some people are just born with other sexualities.

It’s time we learn to accept all of them and learn to understand how it makes each of us our own person.