AVENues: Summer 2022

FEATURED IN THIS ISSUE

3 LETTER FROM THE EDITORS

4-17 QUESTIONS OF THE MONTH

18-19 AVEN’S DATING LIST

20-27 DATING EXPERIENCE

BY SPIRALLINGSNOWY, 39, AUSTRALIA

28-31 PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES

PHYSICAL HEALTH RESOURCES

.... MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES: INTERNATIONAL

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.... MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES: AUSTRALIA

LETTER THE the explore how Asexuals why and who Aces date in a sexual world how they their the use of we will what dating sites people have any asexuals We also a list of known asexual SpirallingSnowy on her I know are in good

This issue explores Asexual dating. How do Asexuals date? What are the difficulties in doing so?

WHAT ARE YOUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCES WITH DATING?

Not good so far Anuj

Not really clear, I do have a person who I really like and we stayed together for a while but I think I’m not enough so I pushed her away :) and ever since I’ve never seen her again although my feelings are still here. Yeah, I need to work on that Rhaieny

Asexual dating has evolved enormously over the past 5-10 years, especially online. In the old days you would use traditional dating sites, search for aces, and maybe get like 3 hits in a 100 km radius with none of them being your type. These days you look for people and you can often find several other aces in your city alone looking for partnership. There are also several sites and apps these days specialized for finding other aces.

Anonymous

Most of the time people I meet that are attracted to me, get dating confused with having sex. So I don’t believe I’ve ever actually dated someone. At least not yet.

Meg

Little, but gave each a good chance. I officially dated two people for 10 months apiece at ages 18-20, before realizing I am ace and haven’t really managed to date since- did not know how to navigate it or what I truly want from a relationship so kind of gave up for a long while.

Kristie

I started dating seriously post-college. I’ve dated periodically, off and on, and I have had a few relationships of 3-18 months. Currently single.

Anonymous

I’ve never dated anyone Laura

I have been in love with people but I can’t feel sexual desire towards them. I dated once in high school. I was young and trying to figure out how to get my feelings across to my partner without sex. They were offended by the fact that I didn’t find them personally attractive. I was forced to do things that deeply traumatized me later.

Phoga

I have never been sure if it’s dating or just friends. For the longest time I felt uncomfortable dating, which surprisingly changed after I accepted myself as asexual (even though I’m still not out).

C.

Limited long term relationships, no casual dating. Cass

Not good Rachel

Mostly good, but I haven’t found what I’m looking for. The people I felt a strong connection with weren’t ace (which complicates the idea of a relationship) and the aces I did meet I didn’t feel or develop romantic feelings for.

Mar

Online dating, long distance. I vibed with the person I was talking with, but I realized dating was not for me. It was too much effort.

Abigail May

I’m 70. I’ve dated a lot in my long life. I’ve been married three times. I’m still married to my last wife on paper...... Haven’t seen or talked to her for over three years now. I love going out with my friends but I have no desire to go on an actual date ever again.

TerriLee Bell

Before I realized I was demisexual I had very little experience and afterwards I’ve had even less experience.

Lian Acklin-Richardson

Had a boyfriend, we broke up because what we wanted in a relationship was very different Marianne

Being also aromantic, I tend to not date. The few times I have done so have been closer to attempted hookups (from other people).

I am trying to find a platonic relationship, but am having a very difficult time.

A

I’m never much fun because I don’t realize when people are flirting with me.

Jessica P

Being undiagnosed Bipolar resulted in my hamster wheel of seeking validation from the next person who will put up with me ‘love’ me. I was abused but also didn’t know I was to be treated well. It was not until I saw the + on the stick, and the validation I was seeking was eliminated. Whether I carried or failed, kept or gave up, the next 10 months I did not exist, my bipolar ‘self’ became angry and indignant that I was where I was. Did I get this way while he was non consensually using me oddly no I thought that’s how it is supposed to be. He can hurt me. I was raised to take it. But to hurt someone who was unable to defend themselves that was The Straw-When he attempted to push me out of the car going 65 on the highway I said NO MORE!

I Am Done= no more other person needed to ‘complete’ me. Taryn

HAVE YOU FOUND ASEXUALITY IS EASY OR DIFFICULT TO BRING UP TO PARTNERS OR POTENTIAL PARTNERS?

It’s been virtually impossible Anuj

I never tried Rhaieny

Not very well. Anonymous

For me I need to raise it early on to know who is or isn’t suitable before proceeding any further. It works out well doing it this way. No one wastes anyone’s time.

Anonymous

I recently found thia site while googling sexual orientation. I’ve recently experienced a hate incident. Only to discover I’m grey sexual and could have explained myself or felt confident bringing it up to a potential partner had I read this sooner.

Meg

Course it is tricky to explain if they have not come across it before but I wouldn’t say I avoid mentioning it now, in fact I often use it as a reason why they might want to look elsewhere... being the sex averse type.

Kirstie

I only figured out that I was ace partway into my most recent relationship. That didn’t seem like a good time to raise it with that person, and we later ended the relationship. I haven’t decided how to bring it up if a future relationship gets that far.

Anonymous

No idea, never had a partner or potential partner Laura

Pretty easy. I even use it as a gatekeeper. If they don’t accept me for what I am, and are willing to compromise, then I see no future in such a relationship.

Phoga

For me it’s very difficult, as I fear rejection. But I have also had this experience when I told the other person (a man) that I am not interested in sex - we ended up not pursuing the relationship, but it was all friendly and nice and it didn’t feel bad at all.

C. Difficult. Cass

Difficult Rachel

It’s written on my online dating profile, so people know beforehand I’m ace. It’s more difficult when meeting new people in real life but I bring it up as soon as I sense they might be interested in me. Most understand, some don’t, but I’m learning not to take that personally and move on when someone can’t wrap their head around the concept.

Mar

I am very comfortable with my sexuality, so it wasn’t an issue for me.

Abigail May No Anna

It’s easy for me. TerriLee Bell

Mostly no, if they don’t already know then I can find it intimidating but overall it’s not to difficult Lian Acklin-Richardson

Difficult, that’s a deal breaker to most potential dating partners I have found Marianne

Mixed. I am a politely honest person, so they will know before or during the first date. I do feel many people who would probably qualify as Ace are still trying to choose by society’s messages. They expect instant-love, high interaction, ultraconnections.

A

Very hard to bring up. Jessica P

I Now am Repulsed to contemplate being near another person sexually. I live a Very Content Solitude life and vicariously through the extension of a few trusted friends. Taryn

HAVE YOU USED DATING SITES BEFORE? Yes Anuj No Rhaieny

Yes plenty of fish.com Meg

No- the vast majority I suspect may garner the wrong kind of attention and I am un-willing to risk the amount of unsolicited images I may get in my inbox. You could say dating sites intimidate me. I have heard there are ace dating sites but I have also heard there are very few people on them and that it might not be worth bothering. This is more of a potential than the standard sites however.

Kirstie

Yes. Anonymous

No Laura

Yes, Bumble. C.

1 week...it was horrible Cass Yes Rachel

Yes, both for aces specifically but also a general dating app (okc) Mar

I used an asexual dating site to find someone. Abigail May

No Anna

I have! I don’t anymore since there are just too many fruit loops I had to deal with.

TerriLee Bell

Yeah Lian Acklin-Richardson No Marianne

Yes, though not many.

A Yes Jessica P Yes Taryn

DO YOU FIND DATING AS AN ACE PERSON EASY OR DIFFICULT?

Difficult Anuj

Difficult, you need to sort it out with yourself first

So far (20y) I was interested in just one girl. She had a boyfriend but she liked me and broke up with him buuuut she’s a very sexual person (even tho she didn’t tried anything with me, actually - she introduced me into the asexual world and told me about that possibility-). Anyway what I’m trying to say is: since I saw her relationship with him happen, I’m very insecure abt it and feel that I’m not enough, I am also stubborn as fuck, I could try to resolve it with talk but I just ran away and I’ve never been in another relationship since then Rhaieny

It is definitely difficult, but a billion times easier than it used to be. Anonymous

Unsure. But now I’m going to give it a try. Meg

Difficult. I don’t really know how to even begin, as I don’t offer the full package, or that is my interpretation of what allo folk will be thinking. I considered a potential partner may need an open relationship so they can fill those Needs elsewhere but I think I am uncomfy with the idea so I’ve tried to be content on my own. Since releasing my identity I have stopped trying to flirt in case it gives the wrong idea and am a lot more anxious about getting close to someone.

Friends have said there are plenty of fellow aces in the sea, but it has been somewhat difficult to ignore the 1% of the population stat- out of that, how many are also aro... and let’s not forget how long and hard the search is for a true match for many allo’s out there, who have many times the amount of fish in their oceans. I’m not intentionally trying to be pessimistic, some of this does feel a bit like fact. But you know, I’m sure it’ll happen when I’m least expecting it and not searching for it.

Kirstie

The early dates are easy, but I have no idea at what point my dates would expect to start considering greater physical intimacy.

Anonymous

Difficult Laura

Haha, as if I can date another ace. I have met other aces in real life. But I think we are all tired of falling in love and making compromises. We think we’d rather spend our lives alone.

Phoga

It’s hard to say. First dates are generally easy. After, I don’t really know, but also I haven’t been trying to date all that long. C.

Very difficult, difficult to detect sexual flirting, feel left out. Cass

Difficult Rachel

Difficult! Mar

As a person who knew there sexual/romantic orientation I found it easy to talk, but difficult to maintain. I am ace/ aro and the main person I communicated with was demi/ biromantic. I learned that my needs were very different. Though he was a great person, I just couldn’t maintain it. I did not like communicating daily. I love people but I like space and I realized that maintaining a romantic/platonic relationship was not for me.

Abigail May

Difficult Anna

Impossible........ TerriLee Bell

Difficult Lian Acklin-Richardson

It is difficult, finding someone who is not ace to have a relationship with is near impossible, at least in my area I have yet to meet another ace Marianne Difficult. Definitely. I would love a low cost, good Ace dating site. A

I’ve never dated an Ace before. Jessica P.

I have not ventured out that way. Taryn

Yes Anuj

Absolutely. I look for someone more than a friend but just when it comes to cuddle and other not sexual forms of kindness other than that someone I can count on Rhaieny

Um... sexuals look for sex and asexuals usually don’t, so yes. In other regards I think things are fairly similar in the sense that it is all highly dependent on the individual. Anonymous

Yes. I’m resting on the back of my heels not in a rush and sexuals are head over heels. Meg

Yes, mainly because I am sex averse and decided to stick to my guns on that after trying to make an ordinary relationship work twice and struggling psychologically. It wasn’t worth that struggle

AS AN ASEXUAL, DO YOU FEEL THAT WHAT YOU LOOK FOR IN A RELATIONSHIP IS DIFFERENT FROM THAT OF SEXUALS?

so if I cant find a queer platonic relationship I’m probably best off going solo.

I think if I was less averse and it were just a case of doing That less often, people would be ok with compromise and it would be easier.

Kirstie

I think there’s a spectrum of interest in physical and sexual intimacy, and I specifically avoid potential dates who rate sexual activity/frequency high on their list of expectations. Beyond that, I don’t know how to rate or weigh compatibility in physical/sexual intimacy as a factor in a relationship’s viability.

Anonymous

Yes Laura

Pretty much the same: living together, spending quality time, watching romance movies etc. I can compromise on the sex part but ideally, I just don’t want sex.

Phoga

Yes. I meet a lot of people for whom the physical part of the relationship is very important, which is very different for me when I look for emotional bonds.

C.

Highly different. Friendship and emotional/intellectual priority. Physical/sex barely on radar.

Cass

Yes Rachel

Yes! Looking for intimacy and a deed personal connection I may share with allos, but I’m looking for someone not to have sex with, whereas sex is often at least somewhat important to allos

Mar

I absolutely do. The person I was with was demi and they had higher expectations for a relationship than I did.

Anna

Kind of. I look for less than they do. Like, a relationship without sex. Who really needs sex at 70 anyway???? :-) TerriLee Bell

Not completely. I believe that most people go into relationships with the intention of finding something more than just sex Lian Acklin-Richardson

Yes, I dare say most people think sex is an important part of a relationship and want that, I do not want that, I just want someone to be around, someone that I can confide in and care for Marianne

Yes, although some of that may be aromanticism. I am fine with gentle liking, progressing to urge to confide, progressing to true trust and platonic love.

Most Sexual people seem very focused on sex as a filtering tool. And seem to choose first (or all) partners based on attractiveness, instead of actual compatibility. Which is disheartening. A

Yes... everyone in today’s society relied on sex so much. Jessica P

Absolutely! I DONT have attraction to an outward appearance, stimulation has come from conversation and time invested. Taryn

AVEN’S DATING LIST

At AVEN we keep a list of dating websites our members have used. Please note all these entries are strictly 18+

Asexuals.net [https://www.asexuals.net/] Free to look around, monthly subscription, discounts on yearly subscription

Asexual dating - Find love and friendship! A dating site for asexuals should understand what it’s like to be asexual so they can offer options other dating websites wouldn’t think of. Search for women, men, non-binary and agender, as well as asexuals, demisexuals and graysexuals. We know finding, let alone dating asexuals , can be difficult. So we made it easier for you with our easy to use search options. Use filters for specific asexual orientations, age and location. This way you can find the best possible asexual match.

Asexuals don’t have it easy when it comes to finding and dating asexuals . But we are trying to change that with asexuals.net ! You’re in control. Send a message to other asexuals you like and make that first message count! And who knows, you might just find the asexual love or friendship you are looking for.

Acebook [http://www.ace-book.net/] No subscriptions but donations are optional

Hello, and welcome to Acebook! Acebook is a unique dating and social networking site for asexual people. If you’re asexual and looking to connect with someone who shares your interests, you’ve come to the right place. Even though we tend to like cake better than sex, many of us are still interested in romance. Just because we’re asexual doesn’t mean we should have to be lonely!

Asexual Cupid [http://www.asexualcupid.com/] Free but subscription for extra features

AsexualCupid.com is the first & largest professional asexual dating site for people who lack of sexual attraction to anyone, or low or absent interest in sexual activity. Asexuality (or nonsexuality) is not the same as celibacy, which is the willful decision to not act on sexual feelings. asexuals, while not physically sexual-type folks, are none the less quite capable of loving, affectionate, romantic ties to others.

OkCupid [https://www.okcupid.com/] Free with paid features

OkCupid is a free online dating site with a dating option for Asexuals. OkCupid is the only dating app that matches you on what matters to you. You deserve to find who you’re looking for. Meet them today!

DATING EXPERIENCE by SpirallingSnowy, 39, Australia

HOW HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED DATING AS SOMEONE WHO IS ACE?

Many people, ace and allo alike, are surprised when they find out that my number of relationships is higher than what they presume an asexual would/should have. I have had 15 and only 1, my current partner, has been asexual. Because the vast majority of those relationships were cishet allo men with whom I did not experience sexual attraction, I have spent most of my dating life compromising on sex with them.

My connection with my first boyfriend “AM” threw me because a few years after we first dated, we reconnected and almost dated again. And after I discovered my asexuality, when I compared my connection with AM over the years to the other relationships I was having, I could clearly see there was something with AM that I didn’t have with anyone else.

So, I embraced using Demi/GreyA as a qualifier to explain this difference. I also felt I was obliged to use it because saying I was asexual when so many other aces had less of a sexual history seemed disingenuous and I felt like an outsider/ anomaly.

Over the years since I came out as Ace, I have tried to explain Asexuality to some boyfriends I’ve had. Because I was convinced I had experienced sexual attraction at least once, I felt guilty not trying to date allos, and trying to have a “normal” allo relationship. I just saw my asexuality as a thing I just had to “ deal” with myself.

Because I had previously not entirely hated sex/not entirely grossed out when in the moment, and had thought that I had experienced sexual attraction at least once, that I would not have been entirely happy in an ace/ace relationship. I have since realised that there have been a number of times where I have persisted with a sexual relationship in an attempt to

obtain a romantic relationship that I thought I would get, if I could just “prove” how awesome/into them I was. If I could just get them to want me enough, if I could just be what they wanted, then maybe they would want the relationship part.

Back then, I passed as allo so well that I never used Queer, never saw myself as weird or different, just a slightly different type of normal. I mean, I knew asexuality was different to being heterosexual, but I had myself so convinced that I wouldn’t be able to date another asexual, and thought I was feeling some sort of stunted version of sexual attraction to others. I thought all my relationship experience meant I was able to pass as a cishet allo. Because I had myself so convinced of this, and wanted to get married, I married “MG”, acehet allo man.

During the length of my relationship and marriage to MG (8 years – more than 4 times as long as any of my other relationships), I discovered more about my asexuality and romantic attraction. After the initial high of a new relationship wears off, and you get into the long term part of the relationship - well that’s when I discovered that what I had thought was sexual attraction, was something completely different, and started to discover how sex averse I actually was.

In the past I had broken relationships off by 1.5-2 years, thinking there was something wrong with me because I had presumed I no longer was in love with them – oh little did my heart know about the diversity of the aro-spec! MG had, for many years before we got together officially, regularly professed how much he loved me, and we’d get together, only for me to rapidly bail a few weeks later

when it got emotionally “too hard” or “ too scary” , or I felt smothered by the relationship. Eventually I decided to give the relationship a proper go. He was aware I was Asexual, I had been very active in the Australian/International asexual community for a long time, and he was a very private person and felt uncomfortable with myasexuality being so public, requesting I dropped my ace community involvement.

Over the course of the relationship/marriage, my asexuality started to become an issue. The longer the relationship got, the more I started to feel like I didn’t have to/want to put on the allo-ish mask I had worn for so long in relationships. It felt like it was now ok for me to not “want” sex as much. Over the marriage , I explained over and over that I don’t experience sexual attraction to ANYONE, and tried to explain that it’s just how I was wired. He would always say that for him sex and love were so intertwined that he couldnt separate them like I could.

We tried to compromise, but it always felt like I was the one doing all the compromising. I suggested that it was ok if he got sex outside the marriage, and he was adamantly against it saying he married me and he only wants to have sex with me. He wanted to feel WANTED in a way I didn’t feel. There were many things that went wrong with the marriage, but the last straw was that I had wanted 2 or more children, and he

wanted max 2, so we settled on 2 before we got married. After our son, he chss as bred his mind, and told me that if we had a second child our marriage would be over because he wouldn’t cope – and while he was entitled to feel that way, it utterly broke my heart, and I eventually left because I couldn’t reconcile staying when what we wanted was clearly do different.

In the last few years of the marriage I really started trying to pull apart my ace identity and my romantic attraction, because for so long it hadn’t occurred to me that I could have a different ace label for women compared to men. I hadn’t really thought about what sensual, aesthetic, platonic or alterous attraction looked like, because for most of my life had just assumed the attraction I did feel for ppl that I ended up dating was just a watered down version of sexual or romantic attraction. I started to come to terms with the fact that it was ok to be sex-repulsed, even if you have had sex that you enjoyed in a particular moment.

The 3 years since I left have been some of the best years I’ve had in a long time. I found my Ace tribe again, and am very involved with Asexuality activism, education, visibility and community. I started using new labels to describe my romantic attraction after many many hours pulling it all apart with fellow Aus Aces. I reconnected back

with AVEN, and as from earlier this year, I am in a QPR with a fellow Australian Ace, Kate - whom I’ve been friends with for 20+ years. We are looking at moving in together at the end of the year, with my son and I looking to move to her city. It’s definitely been a journey to get here, but I am the happiest I’ve been for a long time. Kate is an amazing partner, she is the most supportive, understanding and compassionate partner I’ve ever had, but she can also be a one-woman wrecking ball when she needs to be. She brings out the best in me, gives me space to be my neurospicy self, loves my son, and we complement each other well.

HAVE YOU HAD EXPERIENCE USING DATING SITES?

I have. They can be a bit hit and miss. I always wanted to like OkCupid and similar ones, but it’s always been very hard to find fellow Aces on them from Australia – although I did manage to find one of my Aus Aces friends which was kinda funny. I probably used them more when I was younger and had just assumed I’d be the one doing the compromising, and went on a number of dates with men from RSVP. I’ve taken a look at Tinder and Bumble and all the left/right swiping did my head in! Is it the screens left, or my left, or the left hand side of the person you are swiping? Gah! It was all very stressful, and

I didn’t want to give anyone the wrong impression. Back in the early 2000’s when online dating websites were still newish, I didn’t dare put asexual on my profile. There wasn’t anywhere to do so. In more recent years, it has been easier, and I didn’t want to date someone who wasn’t ok with it, so I was very clear on them that I was asexual.

It was awesome when Asexuals.net and AceApp came out, but the ace dating pool can be so small sometimes, and it was rare to find Aussie Aces on them, let alone ppl that werem similar age with similar interests who wanted similar things. That was why I always assumed I would end up having to settle on a relationship with an Allo to have the relationship I thought I wanted. Turns out that is not the case.

DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR ACE PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN DATING?

While it might be tempting to just not say anything to a potential date about asexuality, in case you put potential people off, I think its really important to make it abundantly clear where your non-negotiable lines are drawn, but it does take confidence and the self assurance that you know you are ok as a person and that its ok for your to draw those lines.

You don’t want to start a relationship with someone who wants something outside of what you are ok with – and that goes for everything in a relationship, not just whether you are sex favourable or sex averse, but your expectations about what you want from a partner, do you want to eventually settle down or do you want something casual, do you want someone who has similar interests/ agrees with you politically/ doesn’t like alcohol, etc. Know what you can compromise on, and what you can’t. Make friends with people, without the expectation that it might turn into a relationship.

DO YOU THINK IT’S IMPORTANT TO SAY YOU ARE ACE AND STRAIGHT AWAY WHEN DATING?

I personally think its important, because you don’t want to be setting the other person up for certain expectations, that as an asexual you might not want/be willing/be able to meet, especially when it comes to intimacy. It’s only fair to make sure that person is aware that you do or don’t want or like things, just as they should tell you if there are things they expect/want/need or not, in a relationship. I feel as though if you are having to hide parts of yourself when you are just in the getting to know you stages, especially things you will not, cannot, or do not want to compromise on, or things you need or want from a partner, then that makes it hard for both parties to work out if this is something they want to pursue. You dont have to tell them the second you meet them that you are asexual, but I personally think you need to be clear with them before you start dating. It helps avoid broken hearts, people feeling as though they were given the wrong

impression, people asking things of you that you aren’t comfortable with, etc.

Most have just not really known what it meant, and just presumed it meant that I didnt havesex, or that I was a prude/ naive about sex. Some have taken it as a challenge, or thoughtthey were the exception - that Iwould suddenly want sex, because they loved me or because they did something romantic or kind, and expected to get something out of it. A couple of partners, it didn’t even get mentioned, because at the time their libidio was lower than mine, and I was the one initiating things.

Because I do sometimes experience sensual or aesthetic attraction, and I had it confused for a very long time as sexual attraction, some have questioned how I could be asexual if I have had sex. Even talking in the ace community, I have felt like a bit of an outsider because so many asexuals I’ve talked with are aroace or totally alloromantic, never had sex and never want to, had sex, found it gross/traumatic and

IN GENERAL, HOW HAVE POTENTIAL PARTNERS RESPONDED WHEN YOU TOLD THEM YOU WERE ASEXUAL?

never did it again, or are sex neutral/favourable, or a combination of these. So when i say “I’m a sex averse/repulsed ace who’s had over a dozen boyfriends, had sexual relationships with most of them, not entirely sure I experience romantic attraction but use biromantic and quoiromantic labels” I dont find many who have had similar experiences. Generally I tend not to talk about my relationship experiences because the person I am now separated from is the father of our child, and the social media that I use they are also present on, and they react badly when they are painted in a less than perfect/favorable light (regardless of the truth of what I am saying).

ANY OTHER THOUGHTS?

- Be honest and straightforward with others.

- Be realistic about what you want and expect.

- Realize you are not going to be everyone’s cup of tea, and that is ok.

- Surround yourself with people who love and care about you, who are in your corner, and who listen with compassion and kindness.

- Have at least 1 person who is going to tell you the absolute honest truth, even when it’s not what you really want to hear.

- Be prepared to grow as a person.

- Be brave and ask for what you want.

- You should always try to be your genuine self. If you want to be with someone long term, they need to see the real you, because that’s what’s going to be there once the new and shiny bit wears off.

- The people who mind, don’t matter, and the people who matter don’t mind.

PHYSICAL & MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES BY SCARLETLATITUDE

Physical Health Resources

• PopSugar Fitness (https://www.youtube.com/user/ popsugartvfit)

“POPSUGAR Fitness offers fresh fitness tutorials, workouts, and exercises that will help you on your road to healthy living, weight loss, and stress relief. Check out Class FitSugar, our do-it-along-withus real-time workout show to sweat alongside fitness experts and Hollywood’s hottest celebrity trainers. Class FitSugar regularly covers the most buzzed-about workout classes and trends, including the Victoria’s Secret workout, Tabata, P90X, Bar Method, and more.”

• Yoga with Adriene (https://www.youtube.com/user/ yogawithadriene)

“Our mission is to connect as many people as possible through high-quality free yoga videos. We welcome all levels, all bodies, all genders, all souls! Browse our library of free yoga videos to find a practice that suits your mood or start a journey toward healing.”

• Body Project (https://www.youtube.com/c/ BodyProjectchallenge)

“High energy, motivating workouts to do from home. We created Team Body Project to share our passion for exercise and excellent movement with others who want to feel good about their body and experience great health.”

Mental Health Resources

*If you or someone you know is currently experiencing a mental health emergency, please call your local emergency services (911, 999, 000, etc.).

• Check Point (https://checkpointorg.com/global/)

Websites and emergency contact numbers listed by country.

• 7 Cups (https://www.7cups.com/)

Call or chat with a therapist for emotional support.

• SAMHSA (https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/nationalhelpline)

“SAMHSA’s National Helpline is a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-daya-year treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders.”

• IMAlive (https://www.imalive.org/)

Online crisis help chat UK

• Mental Health Foundation (https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/)

Information and resources for mental health.

• Together UK (https://www.together-uk.org/)

Online and in person help Canada

• Crisis Services Canada (https://www.crisisservicescanada.ca/ en/)

Call and text services in English and French.

• Canadian Mental Health Association (https://cmha.ca/)

Information and resources. You can look up information based on your location.

• Lifeline Australia (https://www.lifeline.org.au/)

24/7 crisis support through phone, text, and online chat.

• Kids Helpline Australia (https://kidshelpline.com.au/)

Resources for kids and adults.

ASEXY PUZZLE –WORD SEARCH