shipping-isnt-morality:

“Children can’t ID as ace because children are naturally asexual, stop sexualizing children”

1) children are allowed to explore their identifies in any way they want. There’s no argument about “knowing asexuality exists will confuse children about their own identities” that doesn’t have some unfortunate implications elsewhere.

2) “children don’t have a sexuality before puberty” is like saying “children don’t have romantic feelings before puberty”. The vaaaast majority of people had a crush in mid-childhood (usually 5-8 y/o) and many report their first sexual fantasies around age 10, if not earlier. this doesn’t mean that they understand or actually want a romantic let alone sexual relationship. It does mean that they may begin to notice differences and identify those feelings. Source, source, anecdotes.

3) Some people don’t experience attraction in any way until late puberty or even late adolescence. Many people do, as a natural part of human development. Both are fine and an understanding that labels can be fluid and can serve a limited purpose is helpful. Informed confidence in and exploration of their own identities makes kids less vulnerable to abuse.

Children experience the beginnings of sexual and romantic feelings very early on. Variations in these feelings can also start becoming apparent very, very early in life. None of these things is suggesting that adult sexual attraction to or interaction with children is appropriate or acceptable (in b4 “SAYING CHILDREN AND SEX IN THE SAME SENTENCE IS PEDOPHILIA”). It’s a natural goddamn part of being human.

Or: not every child that never gets a crush will grow up to be ace/aro, but some will. And if they feel that and know it and say it then more power to them.