do asexuals have any representation in medical school ?

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

jumble

Membership Revoked
Removed
7+ Year Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2014
Messages
3
Reaction score
1
does anyone know ?

Members don't see this ad.
 
Those are called 4.0/45 MCATers.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 47 users
Members don't see this ad :)
I don't recall any dropdown boxes on the AMCAS or secondary asking me about my sexual preferences.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 7 users
Use it in those optional secondary essay sections.
 
well there is the gay/lesbian/bisexual groups represented in most medical schools. it has nothing to do with amcas
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
well there is the gay/lesbian/bisexual groups represented in most medical schools. it has nothing to do with amcas

I don't think any medical schools are interested in students' sexuality. They never asked about mine.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3 users
Maybe contact the LBGT groups and ask them?
What type of asexual are you talking about'
 
"Willing to engage in sexual relations with any student, faculty member, or research animal on campus."

Come on, that is immature. I would expect a medical student to be a little more enlightened than that... Sexual orientation does not equal your sexual activity.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 9 users
Members don't see this ad :)
Come on, that is immature. I would expect a medical student to be a little more enlightened than that... Sexual orientation does not equal your sexual activity.

I guess he can be immature for a little bit longer then...
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
does anyone know ?

If it has any significance in your identity, you can discuss it in your personal statements in addition to the diversity essay. I'd imagine that representation in medical school, similar to the general population, is low.


Jokes like these are a result of the culture that we live in. By continuing to tell jokes and brushing them off with a "Lighten up", you continue this culture. The first step in tearing down a discriminatory culture is to willingly choose not to participate in it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 10 users
I don't think this is something you should bring up in your application. I would stress your other strengths, attributes, and experiences that will bring diversity of opinion to the class. Once you are in, you can be an advocate.
 
First he was dismissive of the need for colleges to address LGBT issues, and then implied that identifying as anything other than straight was comparable to bestiality.

:eyebrow: He didn't do either of those things. He made a joke about bringing the diversity of having sex with anyone or anything. Not really offensive or particualarly funny. You are reading way more in to it than I believe was intended.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
:eyebrow: He didn't do either of those things. He made a joke about bringing the diversity of having sex with anyone or anything. Not really offensive or particualarly funny. You are reading way more in to it than I believe was intended.

Right, he boiled orientation down to sex, something that is irrelevant to the application process. The experience of being LGBTQ is certainly not irrelevant when talking about diversity and character. It is comments like that that keep people in the closet because they are afraid that society sees them only in the context of sex, and not love. You can choose to have sex with whoever you want, but you can't choose your sexual orientation.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
I thought this thread was a joke, and PreciousHamburgers' insinuation that talking about your asexuality on a medical school application as a way that you bring diversity to the campus was also a joke.

If OP was serious, and "representation" of asexuals in medical school is actually an issue or concern of some kind, I apologize.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
I do know asexuals, but none of them are going into medicine.

Harvard does have an optional prompt that specifically asks about sexual orientation when they list factors in diversity.
 
Right, he boiled orientation down to sex, something that is irrelevant to the application process. The experience of being LGBTQ is certainly not irrelevant when talking about diversity and character. It is comments like that that keep people in the closet because they are afraid that society sees them only in the context of sex, and not love. You can choose to have sex with whoever you want, but you can't choose your sexual orientation.

Did you just walk into this thread looking to take offense to something?

I don't know, maybe I just am not looking for the slightest thing to take a swing at. :shrug:

In case you were wondering though, I don't disagree with what you are saying in this post, just the necessity to bring it up in response a relatively harmless joke which I don't think was intended as any kind of slight to LGBTQ folks.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Since when does asexual equate to LGBTQ?

Inigo-Montoya-WORD-MEANS.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: 4 users
Since when does asexual equate to LGBTQ?

Technically the complete group is LGBTQIA. The A stands for asexual. Asexual means the lack of a sexual attraction. We're not talking about the organism term for "unable to sexually reproduce".

EDIT: whoops. gyngyn got it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3 users
I don't think any medical schools are interested in students' sexuality. They never asked about mine.

They are, actually! It's an important facet of diversity because LGBTQ individuals are less likely to pursue medical care due to perceived or actual discrimination and are at higher risks for suicide and homelessness, among other things. As with other communities with health disparities, LGBTQ individuals can add a useful perspective to the conversation and are thus valued, if not actively recruited, at many institutions.

The reason you weren't asked is likely that interviewers tend to try not to be invasive.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3 users
It's LGBTQIA. "A" being the object of OP's query.

That A was originally demarked for "Ally" or those who support the cause of the other achronyms. Not sure how it got changed to asexual, nor do I understand how not having any sexual orientation or desire equates to being thrown into that group.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
That A was originally demarked for "Ally" or those who support the cause of the other achronyms. Not sure how it got changed to asexual, nor do I understand how not having any sexual orientation or desire equates to being thrown into that group.

Sexual minorities. It doesn't matter what the letters are.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
That A was originally demarked for "Ally" or those who support the cause of the other achronyms. Not sure how it got changed to asexual, nor do I understand how not having any sexual orientation or desire equates to being thrown into that group.

It still is, but LGBTQIAA is a bit redundant. The Q is sometimes identified as "questioning" to some members of this community. The whole point of having a community like this is for inclusiveness of those who either identify with anything outside the binary/cisgender/hetereo norm or those who support the rights and progression of them.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
Sexual minorities. It doesn't matter what the letters are.

I am arguing that asexual is not a sexual minority. It is someone who has no dog in the race. They couldn't give a **** about either side of the argument. If I didn't have any sexual desire, the last thing I would waste my time on is wondering about sexual identity. I would take all those lost hours trying to catch someone's eye and do something more productive.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
I am arguing that asexual is not a sexual minority. It is someone who has no dog in the race. They couldn't give a **** about either side of the argument. If I didn't have any sexual desire, the last thing I would waste my time on is wondering about sexual identity. I would take all those lost hours trying to catch someone's eye and do something more productive.

I'm still not sure if asexuality is a thing that requires representation, awareness, and acceptance (maybe the fact that I don't know that means that it does)..... but I do know that saying what you WOULD care about IF you were something or other is a huge red flag. Any time I find myself about to say something like that, I stop and realize that I'm stupid. And then I don't say it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
I thought this thread was a joke, and PreciousHamburgers' insinuation that talking about your asexuality on a medical school application as a way that you bring diversity to the campus was also a joke.

If OP was serious, and "representation" of asexuals in medical school is actually an issue or concern of some kind, I apologize.

I apologize if I didn't recognize your misinterpretation. I should not have assumed you intended any kind of offense, and I should have approached your comment from an informative standpoint and not from a defensive one. I am sure you are a compassionate and mature person who will become an empathetic physician.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
I'm still not sure if asexuality is a thing that requires representation, awareness, and acceptance (maybe the fact that I don't know that means that it does)..... but I do know that saying what you WOULD care about IF you were something or other is a huge red flag. Any time I find myself about to say something like that, I stop and realize that I'm stupid. And then I don't say it.

I'm not sure it makes me look stupid, maybe it does. All I did was try a creative exercise where I imagined a world where I have no sexual desire at all. The idea is quite refreshing and sounds liberating. The pull of the baser instincts can be quite tedious at times, so the idea sounds romantic. I wouldn't mind being schooled by a real asexual. They have the best perspective of all.
 
I am arguing that asexual is not a sexual minority. It is someone who has no dog in the race. They couldn't give a **** about either side of the argument. If I didn't have any sexual desire, the last thing I would waste my time on is wondering about sexual identity. I would take all those lost hours trying to catch someone's eye and do something more productive.

Look around you at how sexualized society is. Sexualized imagery is everywhere: billboards, commercials, television, even cereal boxes. You are fed it from the moment you wake up until you go to sleep. Assuming you would be the same person you are now, living on such an alien planet, means you are not imagining hard enough.
 
Look around you at how sexualized society is. Sexualized imagery is everywhere: billboards, commercials, television, even cereal boxes. Assuming you would be the same person you are now, living on such an alien planet, means you are not imagining hard enough.

I can't even begin to tell you how often my single friends (I'm in my 30s) get asked when they're going to "settle down" or are forced to explain why they're not dating/getting married/having kids. I could see how that would be difficult.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
I'm not sure it makes me look stupid, maybe it does. All I did was try a creative exercise where I imagined a world where I have no sexual desire at all. The idea is quite refreshing and sounds liberating. The pull of the baser instincts can be quite tedious at times, so the idea sounds romantic. I wouldn't mind being schooled by a real asexual. They have the best perspective of all.

Imagine being in a world that expects you to be attracted to SOMETHING when you really aren't, whether it's the opposite sex or not. They are still marginalized and alienated in this case.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
This got heated quite quickly over what appeared to be a fairly benign joke that would actually refer to a sexuality even more open than pansexual. I did a little Googling to find out what kind of discrimination asexuals face since that has yet to actually appear in this thread.

Apparently asexuals face pressure from people looking to "fix" them via "corrective rape" as well as those who claim that being asexual is just a cop out for people who could not find a partner. That sounds pretty scary or at least upsetting for those people, but I don't see how that joke in any way connects to the kind of discrimination asexuals face. I guess you could say it is a general insult to anyone who has different sexuality from heterosexual, but that is a stretch.

I read the joke as implying that someone's sexual orientation is a silly thing to write on an application in order to get an acceptance. I don't agree with that, but there is a world of difference between joking about using sexuality to get an acceptance and denigrating someone for their sexuality.

I don't see such jokes as oppressive, and when you respond to them by insinuating that the person is no different from the "corrective rapists", you create hostility that blocks rational discussion.

I am sure someone will see this as me defending "corrective rapists", but I think it is pretty clear that I don't and am in support of people being treated with respect regardless of their sexuality or sense of humor.

edit: a lot of posts happened between me starting this and posting it, but I will leave it as is
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
I'm still not sure it's on the same level as LBGT where there are actual legal barriers and widespread discrimination. But that's not really within the scope of this thread. I thought it was a joke, and I apologize if it wasn't. If this is a real concern of the OP's it deserves to be addressed.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Look around you at how sexualized society is. Sexualized imagery is everywhere: billboards, commercials, television, even cereal boxes. You are fed it from the moment you wake up until you go to sleep. Assuming you would be the same person you are now, living on such an alien planet, means you are not imagining hard enough.

It isn't hard to imagine, because I am apolitical. Every time an election approaches the world erupts into vapid arguments, the media goes crazy arguing about the candidates, people on facebook begin their campaigns, and people in the office have heated debates. It doesn't phase me and it doesn't engage me because I am just not interested, nor do I care. You are assuming that even an asexual person would be bound up by the same sexual desires that bind you with the argument that it is "always around". I think that when you have no interest or even concept of something you don't even pay attention to it. What you describe as a sexualized commercial, is just some girl in clothing, or some guy with big muscles not wearing his shirt.

I can't even begin to tell you how often my single friends (I'm in my 30s) get asked when they're going to "settle down" or are forced to explain why they're not dating/getting married/having kids. I could see how that would be difficult.

This is a good point. The one point where I think an asexual person would have problems is where other people keep telling them how they should live their life. Find someone, settle down, have babies, etc. etc.
 
I would actually be interested in hearing what some ADCOMs have to say. Asexuals are much less visible than gays and lesbians. They don't have to fight for the legal right NOT to get married, for example. Is this a trait that is TOO invisible to bring up in essays and interviews?
 
I would actually be interested in hearing what some ADCOMs have to say. Asexuals are much less visible than gays and lesbians. They don't have to fight for the legal right NOT to get married, for example. Is this a trait that is TOO invisible to bring up in essays and interviews?
Diversity of experience improves the learning environment.
Just as you see in this thread.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 8 users
Equal opportunity does not equals to equal outcomes. That being said, I am not sure there is an official representation for asexual people, any social obstacles you overcome or unique perspective should be welcomed by ADCOMs.
 
This Adcom member could care less about OP's sexual orientation or lack of it. I don't think it brings anything to the table, unlike, say, SDNer Aero, who, as a transgendered person, can be legally discriminated against. I can't see OP being denied employment or marriage rights, such as exists now for gays have to face (and I'm using that term inclusively), because of a lack of sexual orientation.

I want to know if OP will be a good doctor.

I would actually be interested in hearing what some ADCOMs have to say. Asexuals are much less visible than gays and lesbians. They don't have to fight for the legal right NOT to get married, for example. Is this a trait that is TOO invisible to bring up in essays and interviews?
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 6 users
Top