nonsexual

Nonsexual is an adjective used to describe phenomena that do not involve sexual activity, sexual attraction, or sexual content. It can apply to individuals, relationships, content, or biological processes. In social and psychological contexts, nonsexual can describe someone who does not experience sexual attraction or desire. While many nonsexual individuals identify as asexual, nonsexual is a broader term and not a specific sexual orientation; some people use it to describe behavior or preferences without making claims about attraction.

In relationships, nonsexual may refer to platonic or asexual partnerships where emotional closeness is present but sexual activity is absent. In media and policy, nonsexual content is material that excludes sexual material and is suitable for general audiences.

In biology, nonsexual reproduction is a less common term for asexual reproduction, which describes reproduction without the fusion of gametes. Organisms may reproduce by budding, fission, vegetative propagation, or cloning, among other means. Nonsexual reproduction reduces genetic variation between generations.

See also: asexuality, aromanticism, platonic relationship, nonsexual content, sexual reproduction, asexual reproduction.