Relationship without Sex!?

Hi yorkshiregirl,

Welcome to the forums.

Thanks for your post and you never need to worry about length, make your posts as long as you like! I hear what you're saying about your feelings re sexual desire and emotional intimacy, and I guess I'd like to start my response with this: no, you're 100% not the only person who feels this way, and yes, it's totally fine

I'm not here to tell you how you feel, but I can assure you that it's perfectly normal for some people to not desire sexual contact. Have you considered that you may be asexual? This doesn't mean that you don't experience romantic feelings, or even feelings of attraction, but for lots of asexual (ace) people they don't experience the desire to have sexual contact, and some, but not all, have an aversion to it. There isn't one way to be ace, and for you, that might include romantic and sexual feelings to men and women, without the desire for sexual intimacy.

The Trevor Project has a great page on asexuality here:
www.thetrevorproject.org/trvr_support_center/asexual/

What I'd suggest is taking some time to process your feelings, and maybe talking to another LGBTQ+ person, or a mental health professional like a therapist. If you've experienced previous trauma, a counsellor or therapist can be an effective way to process your feelings. Don't put any pressure on yourself to come to any answers right away, these things take time, and please do keep in mind that your feelings are valid, and that "normal" looks very different for everyone!

Below I'm going to link to some resources that might be of use to you:

Switchboard - The UK's LGBTQ+ helpline, staffed by trained queer volunteers. They'd be happy to talk to you about your sexuality, and may be able to refer you to local support. Call 10am-10pm on 0300 330 0630, or email chris@switchboard.lgbt, or webchat here: switchboard.lgbt/

ELOP - A London-based charity that runs the largest online LGBTQ+ counselling service in the UK. elop.org/

I hope that you find some of the above information and links helpful. If you have any more questions please do come back to us, and do let us know how you're getting along.

Justin
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