Session Overviews

11:30 - 12:00

Meet & Greet: A casual social session where anyone wanting to connect with other attendees and say hi can do so on Gather before the full conference begins.

12:00 - 12:50

Queer Aces: A free-flowing discussion where anyone interested in discussing Queer Aces can attend turn up to the room on Gather and get chatting :)

Neurodiversity: The same as Queer Aces, but for discussing neurodiversity in the ace community.

13:00 - 13:30

Introduction: The official start of the main portion of the conference, streaming to YouTube here. Come along and learn about today's conference, what to expect, and how to work with the software.

13:30 - 14:20

Aces & Disability / Chronic Illness: A panel discussion around the intersection of asexuality and disability/chronic illness. This will be streamed to YouTube here and has a Q&A that can be found on SliDo. Refer to the stream description on YouTube for the SliDo link.

Aces & Mental Health: In a similar vein to the disability panel above, this is a panel discussion around the intersection of asexuality and mental health. It will stream here and has a Q&A on SliDo that can be found in the stream description.

Gender Identity & Trans Aces: The third panel of this session covers a discussion around gender identities and being trans. This session will be streamed here and has a SliDo Q&A that can be found in the stream description.

14:30 - 15:20

Aces in Fiction: A panel discussion of asexual characters in fiction. This will be streamed here. A SliDo Q&A can be found in the stream description.

Romantic Relationships: Navigating romantic relationships as an asexual. Streaming here with a SliDo Q&A in the stream description.

Aces & Ethnicity: A panel discussion around ethnic minorities and how asexuality intersects with other cultures outside of the white Western culture. This will stream here and has a SliDo Q&A in the stream description.

15:20 - 16:00

Break: A full break. This time can be used to get food or to chat to others on Gather. We will also be running two more listen-style rather than discussion-style Gather events from 15:30 to 15:50:

Meet Yasmin Benoit: A chance to hang out with Yasmin Benoit herself on Gather.

Ace Comedy: A full twenty minutes of ace puns and jokes with ace comedian Eliott Simpson.

16:00 - 16:50

Trauma & Abuse: A free-flowing discussion around Trauma and Abuse. Please note that session comes with a trigger warning. Although we will aim to keep all discussions reasonably mild, this session is likely to be triggering to those affected by trauma or abuse. This will take place on Gather.

Older Aces: A second free-flowing discussion on Gather. This time it covers what it is like to be an older asexual in a world where many who identify as ace are relatively young. Come along if you're interested to listen or join in.

17:00 - 17:50

Research: Several researchers into asexuality share what they have learned at this panel. This will be streamed here and has a SliDo Q&A in the stream description.

Grey-Asexuality & Demisexuality: This panel covers orientations under the wider asexual umbrella/spectrum. These include grey-asexuality and demisexuality. This will be streamed here and has a SliDo Q&A in the stream description.

Aro Aces: A discussion of the aromantic spectrum and how it intersects with asexuality. This will be streamed here and has a SliDo Q&A in the stream description.

18:00 - 18:30

Closing: Our official end to the main part of the conference. Special guests Yasmin Benoit and David Jay will share a few words and we will wrap things up. You can watch live here.

18:30 - 19:20

Religion & Spirituality: A Gather discussion on the intersection of asexuality and religion and spirituality.

Ace Creators: A diverse Gather event with several famous ace creators, including YouTubers, writers, podcast presenters, and artists. Names you might recognise include the presenters of the Sounds Fake But Okay podcast and literature researcher Keith Derrick.

Please note that the Gather room will close at 19:30. This is when our lease of the room expires.

Speakers & Gather Hosts

Please find below our list of speakers sorted alphabetically by first name. Sessions panelled in or hosted, and Gather events hosted are listed in italics after one's name.

Aurora Lee Thornton (USA) (Aces in Fiction) - Aurora Lee Thornton is a self-published asexual author. Xe currently lives with xyr two cats and is attending the University of Glasgow's Creative Writing MLitt programme this year.

Barefoot backpacker (UK) (Aces & Mental Health) - The Barefoot Backpacker aka Ian (he/him). Podcaster. Gen-X quirkyalone traveller to places you've never heard of. British. Introvert. Amateur procrastinator. Cynical hippie.

Beth (host of Aces & Mental Health; Religion & Spirituality on Gather) - Beth (she/her) is an I’man annishanabe woman form Canada who identifies as Asexual BiRomantic. She is in the process of getting education for becoming a Trauma Counsellor. She would like to specialize in sexual and spiritual trauma. She believes that our life is a lll about relations- relationships with ourselves, our friends, our family, the world we are in, creation, life, and the Creator God (or a higher power). She hopes to lead in discussions within the Humanitarian Advocacy world on trauma, resiliency, cultural restoration, Indigenization, healthy community, mental health, recovery, and equity throughout her life. She has a passion for beading, creative expression, people, and understanding peoples hearts. She is currently finishing a BA Sociology and Gender Studies, moving further in a Bachelor of Social Work, and going to pursue a MA in Counseling Psychology and Trauma and Resiliency in the future. Understanding about Asexuality has helped her grow deeper in her passion for relation and personal health and healing journey.

Black Witch (USA) (Religion & Spirituality on Gather) - Black Witch is a blogger based in Baltimore, Maryland. She regularly writes about the Black Pagan experience on her blog "Black Witch". She also likes to build tech from scratch for her cat and do 3d printing in her free time.

Brittney Miles (USA) (Aces in Fiction) - Brittney Miles (she/her) is completing a PhD in Sociology and a graduate certificate in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at the University of Cincinnati (Ohio, USA). Her scholarship centers Black girlhood, specifically in the areas of (a)sexuality, disability, and embodiment. She recently published an article titled, “Theorizing Conscious Black Asexuality through Claire Kann’s Let’s Talk about Love” in MDPI’s journal, Humanities. You can follow her on Twitter at @BlkSchlr_BMiles.

CharCharChar (USA) (Aces in Fiction; host of Aro Aces; host of Gender Identity & Trans Aces; Ace Creators on Gather) - CharCharChar (they/them) is an aroace writer with a master’s degree in library and information science. They hope to continue their studies with research into diverse representation and exclusionism. Char makes youtube videos about asexuality in fiction and is working on an aspec fiction database.

Chris (UK) (Older Aces on Gather) - Chris (she/her; Tystie on AVEN) is old enough to have grey hair and aro ace enough not to care about how that affects her attractiveness to others. Chris’s interests include fibre arts and creative writing; she is the proud author of one-and-a-half unpublished novels.

Christa (USA) (Romantic Relationships; Gender Identity & Trans Aces) - Christa (she/they) is a graduate student getting a PhD in genetics from the University of Michigan. She currently is one of the people running the Aspec Centerspace there! In her spare time she also plays saxophone, dances, and spins glowsticks around with UMich’s club Photonix. Hit her up on twitter @ChrisprCas9.

Daniel (UK) (Romantic Relationships; host of Research) - Daniel (he/him) identifies as homoromantic aseuxal and runs the Slice of Ace YouTube channel.

David Jay (USA) (Closing) - David Jay (he/him) is the founder of AVEN and has been working for ace visibility since 2001. He played an important role in early efforts around ace visibility, including work on the task force which lobbied for hypoactive sexual desire disorder to be de-listed from the DSM V, building AVEN's initial media team, and working to make LGBTQ+ institutions more welcoming to aces. He is featured in the documentary (A)sexual. David identifies as aromantic and asexual and currently lives with his child and two co-parents in Oakland, CA.

Deb (USA) (Grey-Asexuality & Demisexuality; Aces in Fiction) - Debra Renée Byrd (she/her) is an indie fantasy author from Dover, Delaware (USA) and has a tumblr called debthedemi, dedicated to being a 30-something discovering demisexuality and the ace spectrum.

Eliott Simpson (UK) (Neurodiversity on Gather; Ace Comedy on Gather) - Eliott Simpson (he/him/they/them) is an autistic asexual comedian and performer, who has been performing stand-up comedy shows across the UK and the US for over 4 years to spread awareness of the asexual spectrum through humour and absurdity. As seen and featured at numerous Arts festivals with his show “(A)sexy and I Know It”.

Elle Rose (USA) (Grey-Asexuality & Demisexuality) - Elle Rose (she/her), also known online as secretladyspider, is a 27 year old freelance writer and demisexuality advocate specialising in furthering aspec awareness and education. Elle is demisexual/gray ace herself as well as panromantic. She also creates YouTube videos about the intersection between pop culture and mental health. Her hobbies include watching horror movies and telling her cats to stop eating plastic.

Helen (UK) (Aro Aces) - Helen (any pronouns) is a 27 year old aromantic asexual. Helen has identified as ace for more than 10 years now, and has been in a QPR (queer-platonic relationship) for about 6 years. They currently live in Scotland with their partner, their partner's fiance, and their two cats Oliver and Ori.

Jasper (UK) (Aces & Disability/Chronic Illness) - Jasper, 25 (he/him) lives in the North East of the UK with his fiancé. He recently graduated with an MSc in Clinical Neuropsychology – at Bangor University, where he was the NUS Wales LGBT+ Officer and focused heavily on asexuality awareness. Jasper has created several campaigns and workshops around asexuality, including a 101, myth busting, and around consent, delivering these workshops up and down the UK to different colleges and universities. In terms of disability activism, Jasper is profoundly deaf and also a full-time wheelchair user as he has EDS & fumorbities. Jasper runs a blog around deaf and disability awareness and is prominent on Twitter @QueerCantHear, and in disability spaces. Jasper is especially passionate about ensuring that LGBT+ prides and events are made accessible.

Jo Russell (UK) (Aces & Mental Health) - Jo Russell (she/her), is an accredited psychotherapist in private practice in Glasgow, working principally with clients of diverse gender, sexuality and relationship styles and identifies as asexual. She has founded a Scotland-wide network of counsellors and psychotherapists who work in an affirmative way with GSRD client groups. A therapist since 2004, Jo had previously worked as a music teacher and a missionary, and has extensive experience in training and working with groups. She has an MSc in Counselling Studies (Advanced Practice) from Edinburgh University, teaches and trains for Pink Therapy and is an Advanced Accredited Sexual Diversity Therapist with Pink Therapy.jo@temenos.org.uk www.temenos.org.uk

Joseph De Lappe (UK) (Research) - Dr Joseph De Lappe (he/him, they/them) is a research associate in the Department of Wellbeing, Education and Language Studies at the Open University. Joseph recently completed his doctorate titled ‘“Asexy and we know it!:” Asexual activism as a sexual and gender social movement’. Current research projects include: demi-sexuality in a clinical setting; trans identity in Mozambique; and, the impact of school proms on young people’s mental health and well-being.

Kate Wood (Australia) (Aces & Disability/Chronic Illness; Trauma & Abuse on Gather) - Kate (she/her) is a committee member and a spokeshuman for ACT Aces, a group based in the Australian capital city, Canberra. Growing up around government and bureaucracy gave her a passion for activism and advocacy. Kate is the proud owner of a long list of comorbid illnesses and often works from her bed. Her activism focuses on protecting the safety and human rights of aspec people, and in her spare time she runs a popular affirmation and self care blog. On Twitter as @sugaranddice_ and often found tweeting for @ActAces

Katie (UK) (host of Romantic Relationships; host of Grey-Asexuality & Demisexuality; Queer Aces on Gather) - Katie (she/her) is a biromantic ace from the UK, and is apparently older than she looks.

Kayla Kaszyca (USA) (Grey-Asexuality & Demisexuality; Romantic Relationships) - Kayla (she/her) is demisexual, heteroromantic, and the co-host of Sounds Fake But Okay. SFBO is an aromantic and asexual podcast that discusses love, relationships, and anything the hosts don’t understand. She enjoys finding a new hobby every week, cuddling her cat, and discussing those feminism classes she took in college. Follow the podcast @soundsfakepod

Keith (USA) (Research; host of Aces in Fiction; Ace Creators on Gather) - Keith Huntington Derrick (he/him) is a PhD candidate at Georgia State University conducting research into A-spectrum representation in Long Nineteenth Century British Literature. He has published several books, including One Hand Clapping. His current focus is on the Kantian notion of the "purposeless purposiveness" and amoral aesthetic appreciation as a means of liberating authors' previous heteronormative narratives and character designs to, whether intentionally or inadvertently, create A-spectrum characters and stories in their works. You can find more information about Keith's research and his books at http://kderrick.ddns.net/.

Lauren (UK) (Grey-Asexuality & Demisexuality) - Aspie Angel/Lauren (She/her) is a romantic grey-ace with Aspergers, who prefers women but is technically pan-romantic. She discovered the ace community a few years ago when she was adopted at Edinburgh Pride. Before that, she had cycled through labels never able to find the one that fit, turns out it was waiting for her on the ace spectrum! She is part of the central Scotland “Secret Triangle” group

Leah (UK) (Aces & Ethnicity) - Leah (she/her) is an Activities Coordinator in a Care Home. She has a BA in Fashion Business and has a love for vintage style. She identifies as Biromantic Asexual.

Liam (UK) (host of Aces & Disability) - Liam (he/him) is from the UK, and came out in July 2019, and so still considers himself a rookie ace whilst he educates himself about the community. Disability-wise, Liam has both mild deafness and dyspraxia. Liam does a lot of stuff at the moment around deaf awareness (writing for the deaf news blog The Limping Chicken), and is interested in seeing how the two labels intersect.

Mark (Queer Aces on Gather; Older Aces on Gather) - Mark McClemont (TheSMMG on AVEN) is a 56 year old scientific glassblower at the University of Reading, homoromantic asexual, AVEN member and activist since 2004 (visibility work on TV, national and local radio, newspapers and magazines, numerous Pride parades with AVEN groups and on panels in two previous Ace Conventions). He's into assorted cool stuff like motorbikes with big engines, hi-fi, live music, sci-fi/fantasy, single malt whiskies etc.

Marshall (USA) (Aces & Ethnicity) - Marshall Blount aka the Gentle Giant Ace (he/him) is 27 and is an Ace activist out of Erie, Pennsylvania. He is on the board of Asexual Outreach which is a non-profit organization that is about empowering and strengthening Ace communities across Canada and the United States. Marshall’s activism is also about making sure that Rust belt Aces are heard. He was once on his mayor's lgbtqia+ advisory board but left in response to the local government's treatment of local protesters and the racism he has experienced from a person on the board.

Megan Carroll (USA) (Research) - Dr. Megan Carroll (she/her) is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at California State University - San Bernardino and a member of Ace Los Angeles.

Mel O’Connor (Australia) (Aces in Fiction) - Mel O'Connor (she/her) is a PhD candidate of Deakin University, researching representations of asexuality in Young Adult literature. Mel's writing has been published in Mascara literary review, Voiceworks, Verandah Journal and WORDLY Magazine. When she isn’t writing or studying, she runs Dungeons & Dragons games for people she’s never met.

Michelle (USA) (Aces & Ethnicity) - 林靖 Michelle Lin (all pronouns/她) is an intersectional asexuality activist & a student at UC Berkeley. In 2019, Michelle organized the first Ace Week at UC Berkeley. 林靖 engages in social media activism as @michellinman on Instagram & @hobis_pouch on Twitter & TikTok.

Milly Raven (Belgium) (Aro Aces) - Milly (she/they) is originally from the Netherlands but grew up in BC, Canada. She is 21 and aromantic asexual. While living in England as an au pair, she developed an online aromantic and asexual spectrum community on the instagram account @justaroacethings and has been spreading awareness and acceptance for the aro/ace community ever since. She is currently studying in Belgium for a bachelor of Social Sciences, is involved in choir and musical theatre, and aims to be an English as a Foreign Language teacher.

Pragati (India) (Grey-Asexuality & Demisexuality; Aces & Ethnicity) - Pragati Singh is a doctor, a public health professional, and a sexuality, asexuality and non-sexuality thought leader from India. She is the founder of Indian Aces: and has been leading the Indian Asexual community movement since 2014. Her work around redefining diversity, SRHR, sex-positivity, and feminist thought has won her numerous awards and accolades. In 2018 she travelled across 10 cities in India, conducting workshops and meetups to raise awareness on these subjects. In 2019, she was recognized by BBC World as one of the world’s 100 most inspiring, influential, and innovative women. She also does advocacy work through research, awareness campaigns, and consultations. Find her at drpragatisingh.com, twitter @Dr_PragatiSingh and Insta @Dr.PragatiSingh

Rebecca Ashley (Canada) (Aces & Mental Health) - Rebecca (she/her) is a health advocate from Toronto, Canada who identifies as aro-spec and asexual. In 2013, she founded a Canadian registered charity, called Arts Healing Hearts, to bring music and arts programs to patients in healthcare facilities. The organization serves a wide range of patient populations in both physical and mental health-related programs, and she learned a lot from engaging with these different patient groups throughout six years with the organization. Over the last two years, Rebecca switched gears and started to focus specifically on mental health advocacy, after her own personal experiences with C-PTSD, clinical depression and anxiety, and navigating the mental health system. You can follow her on Instagram @iambeccaashley

Ria (Ace Media) (Aces & Mental Health) - Ria (she/her) is on the (repl)ace the media team, and has mostly been supporting other activists so far, so this would be a first time being really involved and active within the community. Ria was diagnosed with major depression roughly 4 years ago, and has been steadily taking meds and having psychotherapy since then, so would really like the opportunity to share her experiences with the community.

Richard Ng (UK) (Aces & Ethnicity) - Richard (he/him) is a software engineer, teacher and startup lover. He works, mentors and volunteers with different organisations that support underrepresented groups into tech and entrepreneurship, focusing on refugees and the Black community.

Rowan (UK) (Neurodiversity on Gather; Trauma & Abuse on Gather) - Rowan (they/them) is a Scottish writer, poet, visual artist and actor in training. They are a queer, nonbinary asexual, and in 2019 they performed a spoken word piece for UK AceCon. Rowan has a staunch fear of social media but some of their writing and art can be found on https://clarthropod.tumblr.com.

Sarah Costello (USA) (Aro Aces) - Sarah (she/her) is aromantic, asexual, and a co-host of the podcast Sounds Fake But Okay, an aspec podcast that discusses love, relationships, sexuality, and pretty much anything else the hosts just don’t understand. Sarah is a Michigan native who currently (unfortunately) lives in Los Angeles, and as an aspiring TV writer she has grand plans to sneak aspec representation into literally everything she ever makes in Hollywood. Follow the podcast @soundsfakepod

Sasha (UK) (Research; Gender Identity & Trans Aces) - Sasha (they/them, she/her) is an early-career researcher currently based in London, England. Originally from Vancouver, Canada, Sasha participated in the local asexual community and contributed to outreach and education initiatives through research and public engagement. While Sasha’s area of research has since shifted to the science and psychology of musical performance, Sasha plans to return to asexuality-based research in the future, and also hopes to qualify as an ace/aro-friendly therapist.

Snao (Canada) (Aro Aces; Aces & Disability/Chronic Illness) - Nege (they/them or she/her), better known as Snao, has been involved in the ace community for over five years now, and was especially active when serving as the Resource and Education Director on the AVEN Project Team. Snao is also involved in networking and advocacy initiatives for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in the workplace, and is experienced in self-advocacy as a person with a disability in workplace and neighbourhood development.

Tara (UK) (Gender Identity & Trans Aces) - Tara (She/Her) identifies as asexual, biromantic, genderfluid and polyamorous. She lives in Scotland and is known online as Kyttaen. Also is an introvert, likes cats, unicorns and cakes. She came out as bisexual in 2000, but discovered her asexual and genderfluid identities within the last 3 years. She is working hard to help others become more aware of these identities. Currently she's working within her employer's trade union to promote more information for these identities on their LGBTQ+ portals. She's also working with Equality Network on a information pamphlet for Services on asexuality. In her spare time she plays games and streams on Twitch, using this to create a safe and informative LGBTQ+ space that's inclusive.

Yasmin Benoit (UK) (Introduction; Closing; host of Aces & Ethnicity; Meet Yasmin Benoit on Gather) - Yasmin (She/Her) is a model, writer, speaker, aromantic-asexuality activist and board member of the Asexual Visibility and Education Network (AVEN). She started the #ThisIsWhatAsexualLooksLike movement and has been working with institutions, media outlets and organisations to raise awareness for aspec communities and empower those within them.

Zaine (Pakistan) (Ace the Media) (Gender Identity & Trans Aces) - Zaine (they/them) is a nonbinary, demisexual-panromantic author and creator who’s working on creating a space space for queer people of colour, and is currently focusing on ace and trans safe spaces. They run occasional A-Spec Socials, hold workshops for support, coming out, understanding sexual and gender identity, and has run campaign events for Aromantic & Asexual Awareness and Visibiliy Days/Weeks. They’re also the founder of the budding (repl)Ace the Media Campaign which aims to create a safe haven of content for the A-Spec Community. They’ve also been very active with Mental Health & Disability Activism, and has recently been focusing on Trans Activism and Expression.

(last updated 5th September 2020)