Delaware may protect asexuals & pansexuals under state law

The state of Delaware is one step closer to adding civil rights protections for asexuals and pansexuals into existing law. House Bill 275 passed out of committee with bipartisan support and now advances to the full state House of Representatives for a vote.

The bill would update the definition of “sexual orientation” in state law to include the two identities. Current law defines it as heterosexuality, homosexuality or bisexuality.

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State Rep. Eric Morrison (D) said that the addition was sparked by a request from a constituent who identifies as pansexual.

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The bill would specifically define the two extra identities as follows: “Asexuality refers to individuals with little to no sexual attraction to other individuals, although asexual individuals may desire emotionally intimate relationships with other individuals. Pansexuality refers to individuals who are attracted sexually or romantically, or both, to another individual regardless of that individual’s sex or gender identity.”

“That’s a lot of words,” Morrison said during the committee meeting, “but one example is that you may have someone who’s heterosexual or heterosexual male, who of course is interested in women. However, they would not be or want to be with a trans woman.

“A pansexual individual is open to anyone. They would be willing to date someone or see someone who is trans.”

He says that part of the impetus for the change would be to allow residents to feel included. No specific actions of discrimination against asexual or pansexual people were cited in the meeting.

“Representation matters and words matter, and it also matters seeing yourself represented,” Morrison said.

House Minority Leader Mike Ramone (R) questioned whether adding other specific identities to the code was wise instead of leaving them under the larger umbrella terms. Would it cause problems, for example, if someone identified as demisexual and that wasn’t specifically listed?

“You’re this, but you’re in that part of this, so you’re going to be treated differently,” he said. “Are we making it worse?”

“Someone who is asexual cannot identify as heterosexual, homosexual or bisexual,” Morrison replied. “And somebody who is pansexual would not identify as any of those.”

Ramone assured Morrison that he wasn’t seeking a reason to vote against the bill, but was only trying to make sure the legislation would harm no other groups.

“I’m one of those who say if this is what people want, I’ll do it,” he said.

“I know a number of folks who identify as asexual and a number who identify as pansexual,” Morrison said. “They absolutely do not identify as heterosexual, homosexual or bisexual because it does not encode this spectrum.”

The bill passed out of committee with bipartisan support. Ramone voted in favor of the legislation.