A recent survey showed that asexual people feel less acceptance in society in the last year, and less than other LGBTQ+ people, highlighting a sharp decline. The Human Rights Campaign findings come from the 2025 Annual LGBTQ+ Community Survey (ALCS).

The survey measured three areas of perception: people’s feelings of acceptance, outness, and visibility. The ACLS brief found a correlation between a perception of lower acceptance and lower outness and visibility.

More than half of asexual respondents reported declines in all areas, with 50.9% saying there has been less acceptance, 57.3% stating they themselves were less out and open about their identity now than this time last year, and 63.7% reporting that they were less visible in public, displaying fewer LGBTQ+ items such as Pride symbols.

Yasmin Benoit, an asexual activist and a partner on the analysis of the survey, said, “The asexual community has long been regarded as one of the least visible groups within the wider LGBTQIA+ community.”

“In an increasingly hostile environment, and with lower levels of community support, asexual people who were gradually approaching the point of feeling safe enough to be open are retreating backward again or deeming it necessary to stay in the background.”

It was noted that asexual people who also identify as homoromantic may have more access to communities for support, but also that asexual people with other LGBTQ+ identities may be more vulnerable to the effects of rising bigotry. The intersectionality of their multiple queer identities compounds in effect, with 71.4% of transgender and gender expansive asexual respondents reporting less visibility in the last 12 months.

The wider ACLS survey analysis found that discrimination was a “key driver of perceived declines in LGBTQ+ acceptance among both LGBTQ+ and non-LGBTQ+ people”, and that the decrease in outness and visibility was a response to this.

The survey analysis found that LGBTQ+ people were more likely to think that acceptance for the community was worse now than one year ago, with 29.7% of LGBTQ+ respondents saying so, compared to 20.9% of non-LGBTQ+ respondents.

A UK study published in February 2025 showed that 26% of respondents thought that asexual people simply haven’t met the right person, and 11% thought asexual people don’t exist. 42% believed that people cannot be asexual if they have sex.

The decline in perceived acceptance for asexual people in the last year is part of a changing climate for wider LGBTQ+ acceptance.