I’M ASEXUAL & KNOW DAD WON’T GET IT

Dear Coleen

I’m 24 and I have literally never been interested in anyone sexually, male or female, and I’ve come to terms with the fact that I probably won’t ever.

It took me a while to realise it. At first, I thought maybe I was interested in both sexes, then only women, before realising that, nope, it’s neither.

I’m good. I’m just not sure how to tell my dad. He’s in a really good relationship now, and has been for the past five years, and I know he wants me to find one too.

He keeps saying, “When you get a boyfriend” and I don’t know how to tell him that just the thought of being in a romantic relationship makes my skin itchy.

He’s old-fashioned, bless him, but I prefer friendship – always have, always will. How can I tell him that it’s just not going to happen?

Coleen says I wouldn’t worry about it so much. Tell him that right now you have no interest in having a romantic relationship – you want good times with good friends and that’s it. And leave it at that.

You’re only 24 and I doubt he’ll start piling on the pressure for at least another 10 years.

If you’re asexual, that’s totally fine. Yes, there will be people who can’t get their heads round that – you have to be gay, straight or bi in their eyes. But there are also tons of people who feel the same way as you, and there are actually asexual networks online and dating sites for platonic partners.

If you don’t have any desire to be physical with another person, it doesn’t mean you can’t have fulfilling relationships.