As I’ve
mentioned, most of the few ace-ish characters I’ve seen are unconfirmed, but
they’re what I have to work with, so here we are. Although Moffat has denied that Sherlock is
asexual, I prefer to stick with what I’ve seen in-show, and I’ve seen nothing
to refute my first impressions.
For me,
it’s hard to look at Sherlock’s hero
and not see an asexual (and probably
an aromantic.) We’ll start at the
horse’s mouth. Sherlock tells John that
“girlfriends aren’t really [his] area” and he doesn’t have a boyfriend. He considers himself “married to [his] work,”
which doesn’t necessarily mean he’s ace – plenty of workaholic characters on TV
– but it’s worth a mention. Also, when
Irene suggests that they “have dinner” (code for sex, professional dominatrices
being known for their delicate euphemisms,) his response is, “Why would I have
dinner if I wasn’t hungry?” Not “too
busy to eat,” or “not in in the mood to eat,” or even “what you’re serving isn’t to my taste.” Rather, he’s not “hungry” – ie, he has no
physical urge that needs feeding.
I haven’t
seen Sherlock show a sexual/romantic interest in anyone, and he’s had options. Molly and Irene have been into him, there’s
Moriarty’s flirting, Kitty comes onto him as a ploy, he catches Janine’s eye,
and he thinks John is hitting on him early on.
He’s by turns apologetic (letting John down easy,) disinterested (preferring
Irene to solve puzzles rather than play sexpot,) and disdainful (laying harshly
into Kitty.) Sometimes, he misjudges
someone’s attraction for him, like Molly and the Christmas gift – a surprising
gaffe for a deductive genius, but common for many asexuals. I know I’ve had to learn that, “Can I have
your phone number?” may not mean, “Let’s be friends.” Additionally, I don’t see Sherlock yearning
for even a non-specified someone, desiring
a sexual and/or romantic relationship with an as-yet-undiscovered-partner.
Irene
may seem to clash with this idea; as she says, he “knew where to look.” I argue that, while Sherlock is surprised by
Irene’s nudity (who wouldn’t be?,) there’s no evidence that she arouses him. John is flustered and wants her clothed. Sherlock, meanwhile, discourses intelligently
and is level-headed enough to correctly eyeball her measurements. He’s intrigued by her, and I’m not ruling out
intellectual/emotional attraction, but I don’t see proof that he “wants” her.
The strongest
evidence is the most irritating: the way
characters frequently “other” Sherlock’s orientation. John and Mrs. Hudson speculate over his
seemingly-nonexistent love life when he’s out of earshot, wondering if he’s ever dated anyone and how they of all
people wouldn’t know. When Sherlock
tells Mycroft that “sex doesn’t alarm [him],” his brother’s rather smug
response is, “How would you know?”
Moriarty calls him “The Virgin” and Irene asks if he’s ever “had”
anyone. Janine laments of him, “I wish
you weren’t… whatever you are.” People
are forever finding his seeming lack of interest abnormal/perplexing, worthy of
comment/mockery.
If
Sherlock is asexual/aromantic, what
does it mean for representation? On the
downside, a lot of his traits fit unfortunate stereotypes. Like fellow potential-ace Sheldon Cooper, he’s
rude and antisocial, dismissive of anyone less intelligent than himself (in his
mind, everyone.) Many characters see him
as an unfeeling robot incapable of empathy.
However, he’s entertaining, brilliant (some of his deductions make my
jaw drop,) and complicated. Though he
keeps it quiet, he feels deeply and needs people more than he admits. Plus, it’s great to see such a popular possibly-ace
character. See, writers? Don’t be scared to include us! We can be fun to watch!
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