The fourth sexual orientation: One percent of the population now considers themselves asexual

Around one percent of the world's population are 'asexuals' who feel no sexual attraction at all, experts have claimed.

A leading academic has suggested that the sexualisation of our culture has turned people off sexual feelings, to the extent that millions do not have physical attraction to others at all.

Claims that one percent of the world's population are asexual would mean that 70 million people on Earth feel no sexual attraction.

A book to be published next month even suggests that the growing number of asexuals should be classed as a 'fourth sexual orientation'.

Professor Anthony Bogaert believes that asexuals are 'under-studied' and that they can feel excluded from our 'very sexualised culture'.

Experts say a certain number of asexuals may have always existed but are only now starting to 'come out' as society becomes more liberal.

Professor Bogaert said society can place expectations on both sexual and asexual people.

He defines asexuality as a complete lack of sexual attraction.

Prof Bogaert, an associate professor at Brock University in Canada, said: 'There are two forms: people who have some level of sex drive, but don't direct this drive toward others (so they may masturbate); and other people who have no sex drive whatsoever.'

In 2004, Prof Bogaert analysed the responses of 18,000 people in the UK to a 1994 survey on sexual attraction.

He found that one percent agreed with the statement: 'I have never felt sexually attracted to anyone at all.'

His book to be published next month, Understanding Asexuality, analyses asexuality further, arguing that greater numbers of people now consider themselves 'asexual'.

Some asexuals may have extremely low sex drives but others have normal sex drives and are simply not attracted to others, according to a previous New Scientist report.

Some still want to form close and lasting emotional bonds with other people and may even want to have children by using IVF to avoid having sex, the magazine reported.

专家称，世界上约有百分之一的人口是“无性恋者”，这些人从任何人身上都感觉不到性吸引力。

一位知名学者指出，我们文化的“性化”让人们逐渐远离性爱之情，甚至有数百万人感觉不到他人的性吸引力。

专家称百分之一的世界人口是无性恋者，这意味着地球上有7000万人感觉不到性吸引力。

下个月将出版的一本书甚至提出，数量日益增长的无性恋者应被归为“第四种性取向”。

安东尼•博格尔特教授认为，无性恋者就像替补演员一样无人在意，在我们当前被极度性化的文化中，他们可能会有被孤立的感觉。

专家说，也许一直以来都存在一定数量的无性恋者，只不过是因为现在社会变得更开放，所以才开始“出柜”。

博格尔特教授说，不管是有性欲者还是无性恋者，社会对他们都有期望。

他将“无性恋”定义为完全感受不到性吸引力。

博格尔特教授是加拿大布鲁克大学的一名副教授，他说道：“无性恋有两种：一种是有一些性欲，但是不会对他人产生性欲（所以他们可能会手淫）；另一种是无论怎样都没有任何性欲。”

2004年，博格尔特教授分析了1994年一项关于性吸引力的调查收到的1.8万英国人的反馈结果。

他发现，百分之一的人同意这一陈述：“我从未对任何人产生过性欲。”

他的书《了解无性恋》将于下个月出版，该书进一步对无性恋进行了分析，书中称现在更多的人认为自己是“无性恋者”。

《新科学家》杂志先前的一篇报道称，或许一些无性恋者性欲极低，但其他无性恋者有正常的性欲，只是不对他人产生性欲。

该杂志报道说，一些无性恋者仍然想和他人建立亲密持久的感情关系，甚至可能为了避免性交，通过体外受精的方法来生小孩。

Vocabulary:

under-studied: 候补演员，替角

masturbate: 手淫，自慰

IVF: in-vitro fertilization，试管受精，体外受精