[Coda]

I never claimed asexuality was a choice. I'm well aware that it is not, and I would never dream of claiming otherwise -- it would be quite hypocritical of me to do so, given my own fluid identity (which I know we've talked about). It is, however, a lifestyle, inasmuch as it by its nature creates a difference in the way you live your life as compared to the way other people live theirs. That's not meant to be dismissive or denigrating whatsoever. (This is a noteworthy difference from most other identities under the queer umbrella, where there really aren't any meaningful inherent lifestyle differences -- differences in the identity of one's partner has a negligible impact, while not having a partner at all does impose a rather significant difference.)

To be honest, Suze's experience is more or less what my own experience (both personal and observed) says is (or at least was) the typical case. The antinatalist part isn't necessarily widespread, but the sense of not fitting in with a society designed around the idea of romantic partnership is very much a common theme. And your sense that it's not really bullying or harmful ignorance lines up with what I expected to hear. There's (historically) not widespread prejudice against asexual people, just an overall lack of understanding.

I'm NOT aware of any identity politics fronted by the asexual community in particular. Most ace people I've met really just don't try to make a big deal of it. However, the queer community has drawn in the asexual identity under its umbrella, so ace gets included in anything queer-related by association, for better or for worse. And so I've seen "anti-SJW" zealots unleash their ugliness on people who they would have otherwise left alone -- or possibly even supported, absent that association.