There is increasing interest in the interpersonal factors that shape the development of asexual individual’s sexual identity, including age, gender, and romantic orientation. In this study, we examined variability in timing and pacing of asexual identity development milestones, with a focus on the diversity present in the asexual population. Among a sample of 317 participants aged 18–59 from three distinct birth cohorts, we measured participants’ ages of asexual identity development milestones, including: first awareness of a lack of sexual attraction, first searching for orientation, first discovery of the term asexuality, first self-identification, and first disclosure. Participants from more recent cohorts reported earlier and accelerated pacing of milestones relative to those from middle and older cohorts. Subgroups defined by gender also varied in milestone timing, with cisgender participants experiencing asexual identity development milestones at a later age than gender non-binary cohorts. No significant difference in milestones were found among romantic orientation sub-groups, apart from the timing of identity disclosure. Romantic-identified asexual individuals disclosed their asexual identities much sooner than aromantic-identified asexual individuals following identification as asexual. By comparing differences within subpopulations, the results of this study extend upon our understanding of the various sub-identities that exist within the asexual population and attend to different experiences within the asexual community. This in turn contributes towards our understanding of how asexual people experience interpersonal relationships, their interactions with others, and how they develop a positive sense of identity.

人们对塑造无性恋个体性身份发展的人际因素越来越感兴趣，包括年龄、性别和浪漫取向。在这项研究中，我们检查了无性恋身份发展里程碑的时间和节奏的可变性，重点是无性恋人群中存在的多样性。在来自三个不同出生队列的 317 名 18-59 岁的参与者的样本中，我们测量了参与者的无性恋身份发展里程碑年龄，包括：第一次意识到缺乏性吸引力、第一次寻找性取向、第一次发现无性恋一词、第一次自我认同和第一次披露。相对于中间和老年队列的参与者，来自较新队列的参与者报告了更早和更快的里程碑起搏。由性别定义的亚组在里程碑时间上也有所不同，顺性别参与者经历无性身份发展里程碑的年龄比性别非二元队列晚。除了身份披露的时间外，在浪漫取向亚组之间没有发现里程碑的显著差异。浪漫身份认同的无性恋个体比无浪漫身份认同的无性恋个体在被认定为无性恋者后披露他们的无性恋身份要早得多。通过比较亚群内的差异，本研究的结果扩展了我们对无性恋群体中存在的各种亚身份的理解，并关注了无性恋社区内的不同经历。这反过来有助于我们理解无性恋者如何体验人际关系、他们与他人的互动以及他们如何发展积极的认同感。