Televising asexuality: retracing a history of asexual representations on British television

Humphreys-Lamford, Rebecca ORCID: 0000-0002-5500-0898 (2024). Televising asexuality: retracing a history of asexual representations on British television. University of Birmingham. M.A.

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Abstract

Asexuality – referring to people who experience little-to-no sexual attraction – is an almost invisible identity on British television. Even so, this research sets out to explore what representations of asexuality do exist and question the impact these representations may have on societal understandings of asexuality. Across three chapters, I explore three key areas. First, the emergence of asexuality on TV through the “asexual resonances” in ‘Eleanor’ (1972) and ‘Celibacy: Putting Sex in Its Place’ (1993). Secondly, the ‘confirmed’ asexual representations within Richard & Judy (2004), Doctors (2014), Emmerdale (2016-2022), and Steph’s Packed Lunch (2021). And third, the asexual potentiality of ambiguously asexual characters, with a focus on Doctor Who (2005). From this, I conclude that current methodologies for exploring asexual representations on screen – past and present – are inadequate, but nonetheless representations of asexuality can be retraced throughout British television history. However, these representations have involved characters and representatives who are almost exclusively white, under-30, heteronormative, cisgender, non-disabled, and neurotypical, whilst focusing on narratives surrounding dating and coming out, which misrepresents the diversity of asexual experiences. “Asexual resonances” and ambiguously asexual characters can, however, escape these narratives, but this reveals a further issue within the erasure of asexual identities on screen.

Type of Work:	Thesis (Masters by Research > M.A.)
Award Type:	Masters by Research > M.A.
Supervisor(s):	Supervisor(s) Email ORCID Evans, Elliot UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Dalton, Benjamin UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Downing, Lisa UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Brunning, Luke UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Lester, Catherine UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Collie, Hazel UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED
Licence:	All rights reserved
College/Faculty:	Colleges (2008 onwards) > College of Arts & Law
School or Department:	School of Languages, Cultures, Art History and Music, Department of Modern Languages
Funders:	None/not applicable
Subjects:	N Fine Arts > N Visual arts (General) For photography, see TR
URI:	http://etheses.bham.ac.uk/id/eprint/14202

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