10 March 2001
Asexual Visibility and Education Network (AVEN) Founded
Activism Cultural
David Jay launched the Asexual Visibility and Education Network from his Wesleyan University student account, with two objectives: to get asexuality recognised as a legitimate sexual orientation, and to build a supportive community. AVEN grew to become the world's largest online asexual community, with over 135,000 members by 2021, and played a pivotal role in asexual visibility and inclusion in the broader LGBTQ+ movement.
Impact & Significance
Created the foundation of the modern asexual community, providing language, community, and advocacy that would lead to growing recognition of asexuality.
Reference Record
- Date
- 10 March 2001
- Era
- 2000-2009
- Sources
- 1
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Questions This Event Helps Answer
Q What do Pride flags mean? Pride flags turn identity, solidarity and protest into visible symbols, helping LGBTQ+ communities claim space and recognise one another. Q What do gender-diverse historical lives show? They show that people have crossed, rejected or reworked gender categories across many centuries, cultures and institutions. Q How did asexual and Two-Spirit visibility grow? It grew through community language, Indigenous gatherings, online networks, research and public campaigns.
Related Events
2004 First Major Academic Study on Asexuality Published 2010 First Asexual Awareness Week Held 2010 Asexual Pride Flag Created Through Community Vote 2019 Yasmin Benoit Launches #ThisIsWhatAsexualLooksLike 2019 Adam Castillejo Confirmed as Second Person Cured of HIV 2021 First International Asexuality Day Observed 2022 UK's First Asexual Rights Initiative Launched with Stonewall
