Pragati Singh

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Pragati Singh
Citizenship India
Alma mater Maulana Azad Medical College
Occupation(s)Asexual activist, public health professional
Website drpragatisingh.com

Pragati Singh is an Indian doctor, public health official, and activist. She is known for her work in the Indian asexual community and research on the topic. She featured on the BBC's 2019 list of 100 inspiring and influential women from around the world. [1] [2] [3] [4]

Contents

Early life and education

Singh grew up in Delhi. [5] She graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery from Maulana Azad Medical College in 2011.

Career

Singh is a medical doctor and has worked as a public health professional in the fields of maternal, child, and reproductive health in India. [6] She has worked for organisations such as International SOS and the World Health Organization.

In 2014, Singh found that there were no present communities online for Indians who identify as asexual. As a result of this, she founded the self/non funded group 'Indian Aces' on Facebook, gaining a community of 3000+ members as time passed. [2] [6]

In 2017, Singh launched the friend-finding service 'Platonicity', a google form initially ran through Facebook like Indian Aces, with a goal to one day become a mobile app. The purpose was to have a platform that matches people looking for a non-sexual relationship. It was inspired by frequent messages online by those who needed help with finding relationships, and others whose family were forcing them to get married. It surveyed a large range of factors from an individual's gradient of sexuality to their political stances. Due to the rapid increase of interest towards the form with over 300 entries from multiple countries in two days, it was shut down to create a method that can accommodate more people. Since then she has hosted 'offline meetups' under the same name of Platonicity across Delhi, Bengaluru, and Mumbai, helping with speed dating and building communities. These communities help those who identify as asexual know that they are not alone. When it comes to payment, she runs it under pay what you can model. [1] [2] [7] [3] [8]

In the same year, Singh's research study on asexuality was selected and presented at the World Association of Sexual Health Congress held in Prague. The findings of this study were then published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine. [6]

As of 2019, Singh continues to run sexuality workshops, speed dating events, as well as group counseling sessions, raising awareness for and helping asexual communities. After extensive research, she has developed the "Comprehensive sexuality model". This model segregates sexuality into eight central components that form one sexual identity. [3] Another of her future goals is to bring these workshops into medical colleges, to bring her subjects to the eyes of more doctors. [8]

In a 2023 interview with Daniel Yo-Ling for Aze , Singh spoke to the differences in understanding asexuality as a sexual identity between the Western world and India, noting that "[as a sexual identity] in many context within India, it is less important," clarifying that "for my people, asexuality is not just about a flag, right? Or microidentities, or a label, it's not about that. It's about people literally making life and death decisions." [9]

Personal life

In 2014, Singh came across the term 'asexual' and immediately identified with it, and more specifically as gray asexual. [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Romantic orientation</span> Classification of a persons romantic attraction towards others

Romantic orientation, also called affectional orientation, is the classification of the sex or gender which a person experiences romantic attraction towards or is likely to have a romantic relationship with. The term is used alongside the term "sexual orientation", as well as being used alternatively to it, based upon the perspective that sexual attraction is only a single component of a larger concept.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sexual orientation</span> Pattern of sexual attraction

Sexual orientation is an enduring personal pattern of sexual attraction to persons of the opposite sex or gender, the same sex or gender, or to both sexes or more than one gender, as well as the degree of sexual attraction. Patterns are generally categorized under heterosexuality, homosexuality, and bisexuality, while asexuality is sometimes identified as the fourth category.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asexuality</span> Lack of sexual attraction to others

Asexuality is the lack of sexual attraction to others, or low or absent interest in or desire for sexual activity. It may be considered a sexual orientation or the lack thereof. It may also be categorized more widely, to include a broad spectrum of asexual sub-identities.

Sexual identity refers to one's self-perception in terms of romantic or sexual attraction towards others, though not mutually exclusive, and can be different to romantic identity. Sexual identity may also refer to sexual orientation identity, which is when people identify or dis-identify with a sexual orientation or choose not to identify with a sexual orientation. Sexual identity and sexual behavior are closely related to sexual orientation, but they are distinguished, with identity referring to an individual's conception of themselves, behavior referring to actual sexual acts performed by the individual, and sexual orientation referring to romantic or sexual attractions toward persons of the opposite sex or gender, the same sex or gender, to both sexes or more than one gender, or to no one.

India has developed its discourse on sexuality differently based on its distinct regions with their own unique cultures. According to R.P. Bhatia, a New Delhi psychoanalyst and psychotherapist, middle-class India's "very strong repressive attitude" has made it impossible for many married couples to function well sexually, or even to function at all.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Demisexuality</span> Only experiencing secondary sexual attraction

Demisexuality is a sexual orientation in which an individual does not experience primary sexual attraction – the type of attraction that is based on immediately observable characteristics such as appearance or smell and is experienced immediately after a first encounter. A demisexual person can only experience secondary sexual attraction – the type of attraction that occurs after the development of an emotional bond. The amount of time that a demisexual individual needs to know another person before developing sexual attraction towards them varies from person to person. Demisexuality is generally categorized on the asexuality spectrum.

Queerala, a registered community based Organisation (CBO) for Malayali LGBTIQ people, gives adequate support to Malayali persons who belong to the sexual and gender minorities. Queerala originally started in May 2013 as a secret Facebook page where closeted LGBTQAI+ community members met over the internet. Since its start of operations, Queerala has been an active platform for the rights of the LGBTIQ+ community in Kerala and India and focuses on various awareness campaigns on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity/Expression and Sex Characteristics (SOGIESC). Queerala's representatives has been marking its presence, in areas of literature, art, cultural spaces, academic discourses as well, besides conducting case studies on issues pertaining to sexual orientation and gender identity. They also focus on sensitisation on SOGIESC inclusive healthcare services, educational curriculum, workplace policies and local self governance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aromanticism</span> Lack of romantic attraction to others

Aromanticism is a romantic orientation characterized by experiencing little to no romantic attraction. The term "aromantic", colloquially shortened to "aro", refers to a person whose romantic orientation is aromanticism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gray asexuality</span> Spectrum between asexuality and allosexuality

Gray asexuality, grey asexuality, or gray-sexuality is the spectrum between asexuality and allosexuality. Individuals who identify with gray asexuality are referred to as being gray-A, gray ace, and make up what is referred to as the "ace umbrella". Within this spectrum are terms such as demisexual, semisexual, asexual-ish and sexual-ish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT rights in Kerala</span>

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in Kerala face legal and social difficulties not experienced by non-LGBT persons. However, Kerala has been at the forefront of LGBT issues in India after Tamil Nadu. It became one of the first states in India to establish a welfare policy for the transgender community and in 2016, proposed implementing free gender affirmation surgery through government hospitals. Same-sex sexual activity has been legal since 2018, following the Supreme Court ruling in Navtej Singh Johar v. Union of India. In addition, numerous LGBT-related events have been held across Kerala, including in Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram. However, there is also increasing opposition to LGBT rights recently as evidenced by the anti-LGBT campaigns spearheaded by meninist groups and Muslim organisations like Indian Union Muslim League, Samastha and Jamaat-e-Islami.

This is a timeline of asexual history worldwide. The briefness of this timeline can be attributed to the fact that acceptance of asexuality as a sexual orientation and field of scientific research is still relatively new.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sappho for Equality</span>

Sappho for Equality is an organization based in Kolkata, India, working for the rights of lesbians, bisexual women, and trans men in Eastern India.

Discrimination against asexual people, also known as acephobia or aphobia when directed at aspec people, encompasses a range of negative attitudes, behaviours, and feelings toward asexuality or people who identify as part of the asexual spectrum. Negative feelings or characterisations toward asexuality include dehumanisation, the belief that asexuality is a mental illness, that asexual people cannot feel love, and the refusal to accept asexuality as a genuine sexual orientation. Asexuality is sometimes confused with celibacy, abstinence, antisexualism, or hyposexuality.

In LGBT slang, a "gold star lesbian" is a lesbian who has never had sex with a man, and a "gold star gay" is a gay man who has never had sex with a woman. The terms can be joking, sincerely held identities, or stereotypes within the LGBT community. When used sincerely, the terms have been criticised as exclusionary towards bisexuality and other experiences of gender and sexuality, and as stigmatising survivors of sexual violence.

Queerplatonic relationships (QPR) and queerplatonic partnerships (QPP) are committed intimate relationships which are not romantic in nature. They may differ from usual close friendships by having more explicit commitment, validation, status, structure, and norms, similar to a conventional romantic relationship. The concept originates in aromantic and asexual spaces in the LGBT community. Like romantic relationships, queerplatonic relationships are sometimes said to involve a deeper and more profound emotional connection than typical friendship.

Abha Khetarpal is an Indian disability rights activist and counsellor based in New Delhi, India. She is the founder of Cross The Hurdles – a counselling/educational resource website and mobile application designed for people with disabilities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Split attraction model</span> Discordance between sexual and romantic attraction

The split attraction model (SAM) is a model in psychology that distinguishes between a person's romantic and sexual attraction, allowing the two to be different from each other.

<i>Aze</i> (magazine) Literary magazine

Aze is a literary magazine for asexual, aromantic, and agender people that was created in 2016 and publishes issues online. It was formerly known as The Asexual until 2019 when it expanded to include aromantic and agender people. The magazine publishes visual art, poetry, and personal and academic essays on the subjects of asexuality, aromanticism, and agender experiences and their various intersections. It was founded by Michael Paramo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Paramo</span> American writer

Michael Paramo is a writer, academic, and artist known for founding the literary magazine Aze and for their work examining interpersonal attraction and love with consideration to asexuality, aromanticism, and agender identity. Paramo identifies on the asexual and aromantic spectrum and advocates for people of similar experience to express themselves toward expanding society's ideas of human sexuality, romance, and gender identity. They published a book Ending the Pursuit with Unbound in 2024.

References

  1. 1 2 Muzaffar, Maroosha (9 July 2018). "An Asexual Dating Platform Still Has Many Kinks to Sort Out". Vice. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Jason Overdorf; Romita Datta; Moeena Halim; Suhani Singh (14 February 2017). "From matrimony website for asexuals to hall of heroes: All that's changing around you". India Today. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 Sharma, Khushboo (16 October 2019). "Pragati Singh Is Trying To Transform India's Gender & Sexuality Landscape Through Interactive Workshops". Indian Women Blog - Stories of Indian Women. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
  4. ↑ "BBC 100 Women 2019: Who is on the list?". 16 October 2019. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  5. ↑ Changoiwala, Puja (5 December 2019). "The Love Doctor for Asexuals". Ozy. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
  6. 1 2 3 "Indian Aces: Awareness and Activism in India". AZE. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
  7. ↑ Yadav, Sidharth (21 July 2019). "Attempt to define asexuality in more than one way". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 1 December 2019.
  8. 1 2 Halim, Moeena (21 February 2018). "Taking off the invisibility cloak". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 1 December 2019.
  9. ↑ "Asexual Advocacy in India: An Interview with Dr. Pragati Singh". AZE. 27 March 2023. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
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