As we wrap up for the year, we are wishing everyone a gentle and safe holiday period!

We are grateful for everyone and anyone who has engaged with Shout Out this year!

To close out Shout Out Listen In for 2025, volunteer Jenny (she/her) sat down with the Shout Out team for a special, festive episode.

In a time when there is a lot of discrimination and pushback towards the LGBTQ+ community, organisations such as Shout Out are vital, and Jenny wanted to highlight the positive and inspiring personalities of the incredible team who work tirelessly at Shout Out.

During Asexual Awareness Week, ShoutOut volunteer Jenny met with Ashley and Sabine from Outhouse's Ace & Aro Group, and Aiden who is the Events Chair, with RCSI's student Pride Society.

They discussed how they learned about asexuality, representations of asexuality in the media, finding community with other asexual and aromantic people, and asexual people's experiences with healthcare.

Resources recommended during this episode:

Books

Ace: What Asexuality Reveals About Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex by Alexandra Chen

The Invisible Orientation: An Introduction to Asexuality by Julia Sondra Decker

Ace Voices: What it Means to Be Asexual, Aromantic, Demi Or Grey-Ace by Eris Young

Podcasts:

Sounds Fake But Okay

Research:Anthony BogaertAce in the UK Report (2023) - Yasmin Benoit and Stonewall UK

In this episode, author Amy Clarkin speaks with ShoutOut volunteer Jenny about bisexual representation in the media, the importance of celebrations like Bisexual Visibility Day and her own journey to being proud of her identity.

Amy Clarkin's YA book series (starring with What Walks These Halls) is discussed, as is her article Bi Bi Bi (for Medium) which explores biphobia and bisexual imposter syndrome.