Yeah, maybe I should’ve just left the back cover blank… I don’t know, is that text horrible?
Pardon my ignorance, but can you direct me to where it’s called the fourth orientation? I’ve never seen it called that, (I’ve checked the main asexual sites but I may have missed it) and I don’t think that even makes sense, either, truthfully. Heterosexuality, homosexuality, bisexuality, and pansexuality would already be four and pansexuality, while not always accepted, is actually far more well known than asexuality; I don’t think the potential erasure of pansexuality would be very welcomed or advisable.
I also might be nitpicking, but I see a fairly significant problem with the use of the word “the“in “the asexual point of view”. That “the” is definitive, even if unintentionally. No asexual is the same, and that “the” implies a universal opinion and that’s just not so. While I know it’s just a bit of vocabulary, I think word choices and the implications thereof are incredibly important when speaking in an authoritative manner on something so obscure as asexuality. So that is just something I’d urge you to consider.
I don’t mean to step on toes, I do believe the more asexual material the merrier, just I think these could be potential issues that could be a bit harmful, to be honest. Sorry if this criticism is unwelcome, I just am a bit concerned about it.
-Griff
I got it from these places:http://www.brocku.ca/research/research-profiles/tony-bogaert
http://surfaceearth.com/2012/04/05/asexuality-the-fourth-orientation/
http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/bering-in-mind/2009/10/29/are-there-asexuals-among-us-on-the-possibility-of-a-fourth-sexual-orientation/
http://www.bettyconfidential.com/ar/ld/a/asexuality-the-4th-sexual-orientation.html
I could change it to “A Fourth Orientation” instead of “The Fourth Orientation”, if that would help.
I think there’s also room for more than one “Fourth Orientation”, just like there’s room for more than one “Fifth Beatle”. It’s a convenient way to say “This is where it fits” and have people understand what you mean, even if there are other things that might also fit there.
As far as “the asexual point of view”, once inside the book, it should be clear that there is no single asexual “point of view”. I tried to cover a wide swath of feelings and opinions and viewpoints. The first chapter even clearly states: “There is no single “Asexual Experience”. We are just as varied as everyone else. It’s impossible for a single book to capture the entire world of asexuality.” But it does talk about those things from the point of view of being asexual. It’s not an outsider looking in and writing about it. It’s an insider looking around.
All right, thank you very much! I also agree with there being more than one ‘fourth’ one, but I just went with the one I thought (incorrectly, it seems) was the most well known of them all. Thank you very much for the clarification and apologies for the misunderstandings; I really didn’t mean to offend or imply you were mistaken with anything if I did, I was just wondering.
Good luck with this project!
-Griff
