Lokiana

I don't think that "Ace and Aro" implies both, as it is. I think the logo definitely needs work, but, as you said, that takes know-how and time, so doing your best to make it as obvious as possible that it's both is good. I'm in agreement that "Liverpool Area Ace and Aro Group" is pretty generally a good and used format in many areas. The biggest thing is the language change - changing the group name to "Ace and Aro", changing the language used in discussions to "a-spec"...these are all things that need to be done that don't require as much effort, but are important to overall inclusiveness. As much as this suggestion is well intentioned, this isn't practical or...what they were asking? No offense at all, @Mark, but this comes across super unfriendly to the concept of allowing a group to grow to be inclusive, even if it wasn't originally. The group is currently alienating even to me if the group is called "Liverpool Aces Meetup" or something along those, because I identify more with my aro-ness. However, that suggestion is not helpful or practical, unless you're in the Liverpool area and want to start a group yourself.

I'm happy to tell you that they do now! Just implemented it, actually - it applies to the entire News Feed. ? On a more personal perspective, I really like this as an outreach strategy. I don't necessarily think it's 100% foolproof, but I think it certainly helps to find common ground with other queer people to help transition the conversation. I do wonder though, how this might impact later discussions on amatonormativity in queer communities, because I don't find that I entirely agree with the perspective that it's a part of heternormativity. If we frame it that way in our original approach and then attempt to discuss amatonormativity in, for example, the focus on gay marriage as one of the major tenements of LGBTQ+ rights, that we as a community may get the reaction of having to re-educate after introducing it in that manner, because the thought will be "I'm [x-identity], there's no way I can be amatonormative! That's a part of heternormativity, and I'm not a part of that!". (Although, I suppose that is somewhat inevitable.)

I've always had trouble with this. I've fluctuated between labeling my sexuality as "N/A", quoisexual, not a thing, asexual, and such for years. I tend to stick to using ace for a couple reasons: one, because it makes explaining things easier sometimes, and two, because the ace community has impacted me so much it almost feels like I'm leaving a part of me behind if I don't use that label anymore.

The first time I came out, I came out to one of my friends who was a gay aroace. I was literally shaking the whole time I was trying to tell them who I was - they're a couple years older than me, and had helped me a lot with identity stuff, but I was still terrified af. Nowadays I've come out several times - to my conservative classmates, to a couple of my teachers, etc. Not to my parents yet. I'm lucky to have a best friend who really, truly gets it, even if she's straight. Point is, it got easier as I went.