a different experience with sexuality. Some experience physical arousal and may masturbate but do not connect it with sexual attraction to other people. Some may have sexual desire, but it is so little they can ignore it.

While most people can use sexual feelings to distinguish between intimate relationships and friendships, asexuals have to navigate an entirely different arena in which sexual intimacy has lesser value.

Dr. Christopher Carrington, who teaches a class called Variations of Human Sexuality at San Francisco State University, has never heard anyone using asexuality as a sexual orientation.

Maggi Rubenstein, a sexologist and a dean at the Institute of Advanced Study of Human Sexuality in San Francisco, thinks a larger study on asexuality is needed. Earlier this month, she invited Jay to give a lecture on asexuality to her students at the institute.

Jay and the institute have discussed the possibility for new research. Jay hopes having more exposure to the asexual community will give sexual people a different perspective on sex. He thinks most people exert tremendous energy into their sexual life even if it results in pain. Jay said people should rethink this emphasis on sex.

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