A review by mmccombs
Refusing Compulsory Sexuality: A Black Asexual Lens on Our Sex-Obsessed Culture by Sherronda J. Brown

informative reflective medium-paced

4.0

This was both a personal and scholarly exploration of not only asexuality, but human sexuality as a whole. This book covers compulsory heterosexuality, anti-Blackness and it’s intersections/similarities/differences with acephobia, how capitalism demands our sexuality to be “productive,” and how this harms us all. I felt that this book was very strong in the beginning, offering very compelling and thoughtful examinations on incredibly complex social structures. After about the halfway point, I began to feel like things started to slide out of focus. I thought the chapter on Octavia E. Butler and other possible ace ancestors was interesting but entirely out of place, it almost felt like it’s own thing. I guess I liked the more academic/ lit review aspect of this book, though I imagine others will be more drawn to the historical connections and stories! All in all I think this is essential reading that goes beyond “Ace 101” (which is largely white and geared towards allo folks). This book left me feeling a lot less lonely and much more valid in my asexuality in a way other works haven’t, and has challenged a lot of my own internalized white cisheteropatriarchal ideas about sexuality, so for that I will be forever grateful.
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