Archived
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Date Available
5-11-2028
Year of Publication
2026
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
College
Communication and Information Studies
Department/School/Program
Communication
Faculty
America Edwards
Faculty
Renee Kaufmann
Abstract
Despite existing scholarship on asexuality and identity formation, asexuality is still largely misunderstood and misrepresented in media and society (Mollet & Lackman, 2020). Those who are asexual are often seen as broken, repressed, or even as monsters (Carrigan, 2011). When other marginalized identities exist within asexuality, such as identifying as a woman, individuals may face discrimination based on their sexual identity and their gender. The present manuscript focuses on asexual women, highlighting the intersection of cultural pressure surrounding gender norms, compulsory sexuality, and a heteronormative society. Utilizing the theory of memorable messages, the present study analyzed the memorable messages (n = 107) asexual women receive about childbirth, who sent these messages, their impact, and how these messages were sent. Employing thematic analysis, five themes occurred within the content of the memorable messages: motherhood as a social obligation, familial expectations/ interpersonal pressure, fear appeals about life without children, identity invalidation through future projections, and social scrutiny/judgement. Most memorable message were sent by another female. In terms of perceived impact, two overarching themes were identified: interpersonal and intrapersonal. Interpersonal impacts included relational strain and communication boundaries, while intrapersonal impacts involved both uncertainty and affirmation. Most messages were delivered face-to-face, and participants described how this mode shaped their experience through emotional intensity, nonverbal cues, and constraints on processing and responding. Overall, this study extends memorable messages research by examining not only message content, but also how communication mode influences interpretation, among asexual women in the United States.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2026.234
Archival?
Archival
Funding Information
This study was supported by a start-up fund given to America Edwards by the University of Kentucky in 2025-2026.
Recommended Citation
Heuton, Abigail E., "Memorable Messages Asexual Women Receive about Childbearing" (2026). Theses and Dissertations--Communication. 152.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/comm_etds/152
Included in
Gender, Race, Sexuality, and Ethnicity in Communication Commons, Interpersonal and Small Group Communication Commons
