A model has told how she identifies as asexual — despite working for lingerie and sex-positive brands.
Yasmin Benoit, 27, has had a successful career modeling for well-known brands such as Ann Summers, Playful Promises, Thistle and Spire.
But the model — who came out as asexual at age 15 — feels little to no sexual attraction regardless of gender.
She said that modeling is “a basic form of acting” and hopes to represent something different by working with sex positive brands.
Yasmin says she’s also aromantic – which means she doesn’t experience romantic attraction.
Yasmin, from Reading, Berkshire, said: “Being an asexual model doesn’t mean I’m anti sex.
“You can be sexually empowered while being asexual.
“I really want to break stereotypes by working with these lingerie brands.
“The campaigns I’ve worked on have been very women centred – the goal is promote feeling comfortable in your body.
“I want to show that asexuality can look like this too.
“My focus is to make the clothes I’m modelling look good, so I don’t feel uncomfortable modeling in sexy poses.
“It’s my job, so it’s very logistical.
“I’m selling a product, not myself.”
Yasmin knew she was asexual from a young age and started to come out to friends and family during secondary school.
She claims it took many years for people to understand her sexuality — saying it’s a lesser-known part of the LGBTQ+ community.
“Coming out as asexual was a long process,” Yasmin said.
“I realized that I’m asexual when everyone else realized that they’re not.
“I didn’t feel the same about sex and relationships as my friends.
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“A lot of people don’t understand what asexuality is — they assume you’re just a prude or that something is wrong with you.
“But that’s not the case at all, which is why it’s great that lingerie brands are trying to be more inclusive by hiring models of all different sexualities.”
Yasmin — who has never had a partner — started modeling at age 18 and booked her first underwear shoot in 2015.
She has worked in New York, Serbia, Sweden and Czech Republic for brands such as Bloom and Wild, Mercedes, and Benefit cosmetics.
Yasmin said: “I love modeling and getting to be part of the wider vision.
“Modeling has also helped me build a platform, and I’m glad to be representing something different.”
Yasmin’s modeling success has helped her to campaign and advocate for asexual rights.
She partnered with Stonewall to put together an asexual rights initiative called “Stonewall x Yasmin Benoit Ace Project” — in a project to better understand the experiences of asexual people in the UK.
She is also campaigning for asexuality to be recognized as a sexual orientation and to be included in the equality act.
Yasmin said: “Asexuality is so misunderstood.
“It is not legally recognised, which leaves members of the community vulnerable to discrimination.
“I hope my work as a lingerie model can help to get rid of the stigma and misconception of asexuality.
“It doesn’t have to be about sex — it’s more about your relationship with yourself.”
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