In 2011, LGBT activist Dan Savage stated that asexuality was a choice, describing it as "choosing not to have sex" and deeming it unworthy of attention.
[23] A study on 169 asexual people published in April 2016 by Yale University found that many encountered dismissal and scepticism on coming out.
[26] A 2017 LGBT survey conducted by the Government of the United Kingdom found that 2% of more than 108,000 respondents identified as asexual.
The results of the survey also showed asexual people to be the least comfortable cisgender LGBT group within the United Kingdom, and 89% of cisgender asexual respondents – the highest percentage of any group surveyed – were reluctant to be open with their identity for fear of negative reactions.
[15][28] Some have argued that asexuality has also been used as a tool in anti-Blackness to "de-sexualise" some Black people through racist stereotypes, such as in the mammy archetype in the United States.
[29] A study of 11 women of colour found that the majority of participants were rejected in social groups due to both their race and asexuality.
[30] Two studies found that asexual people are more dehumanised than heterosexuals, homosexuals, and bisexuals, often being compared to animals or robots due to their sexuality.
[41] A study of 148 undergraduates at a Canadian university found evidence to suggest that negative attitudes towards asexuals were higher than that of homosexuals and bisexuals.
In addition, the study found a positive correlation between right-wing authoritarian identification and negative attitudes towards asexuality.
[32] In another study, 101 participants (none of whom belonged to a sexual minority) were asked to complete an online survey on SurveyMonkey.
However, attitudes towards asexuals were less positive than that of sapiosexuals which suggests that unfamiliarity may not play a significant role in aphobia.
[45][46] In early 2015, Russia passed a law banning, amongst others, people with "disorders of sexual preference" from obtaining driving licences.
Some online dating services, including Bumble and Match.com lack the option for users to identify as asexual, which obstructs their ability to find romantic partners.
[55][56] In New York, the Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination Act categorises asexuals as a protected class.