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Yasmin Benoit

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Yasmin Benoit
Benoit at Pride in London's You!Me!Us!We! launch at the House of St. Barnabas
Born (1996-06-10) 10 June 1996 (age 28)
Reading, Berkshire, England[1]
Alma mater
Occupations
  • Model
  • Writer
  • Activist
Modeling information
Hair colorBlack
Eye colorBrown

Yasmin Benoit (born 10 June 1996) is an English model, activist, and writer. She has promoted the visibility of asexuality, aromanticism, and of LGBTQ+ people of colour and has worked as a lingerie and alternative model.[2][3][4] As Aislin Magazine wrote, in "the predominantly White alternative branch of modeling, [Benoit has] become one of the UK's most prominent Black alternative models."[5]

Early life

Benoit is from Reading, Berkshire. She is of Trinidadian, Jamaican, and Barbadian descent.[6] She attended Reading Girls' School and Padworth College.[7] She has a Bachelor of Science in Sociology from St Mary's University, Twickenham and a Master of Science in Crime Science from University College London.[8][9]

Although she did not have a word for it yet, Benoit knew she was not interested in anyone sexually or romantically from as early as 9 years old.[10][11] She chose to attend an all-girls school because she believed the absence of boys would lessen the chance of sexual intercourse and relationships coming up in conversation.[10][12] Instead, Benoit stated she "made a terrible mistake"[10] as it seemed to increase the likelihood of it coming up, and her classmates accused her of being gay or a victim of child sexual abuse because she did not relate to their enthusiasm around the subject.[10][12]

Benoit came across the term asexual in high school but did not fully claim it as part of her identity until after she had interacted with other asexual people online and started her career as an activist.[12]

Career

Benoit began modeling at age 16, focusing her efforts on alternative fashion despite the industry's emphasis of Eurocentric beauty standards. Her first modeling breakthrough was in 2015 with Scottish brand CRMC. Her gigs following that included Love Sick London, Dethkult Clothing, Seduced By Lilith, Kuki London, Pin Up Girl Clothing, and Teen Hearts.[13][14] In March 2018, Benoit collaborated with African-American-owned gothic fashion brand, Gothic Lamb.[15]

Benoit appeared in a BBC Three documentary on asexuality, but was critical of the experience, claiming the way the documentary framed asexuality was a misrepresentation.[16] She later appeared in a Sky News documentary on asexuality in February 2019.[17] Regarding her work as a lingerie model whilst being asexual, she told Sky News, "I'm literally here to show off the clothes and make it look good. I'm not trying to sell myself, I'm trying to sell a product."[18]

Benoit has written for several publications including HuffPost UK and given talks at several events and universities, including the University of Cambridge, the UK Asexuality Conference in 2018, Reading Pride, King's College London in February 2019, and National Student Pride.[5]

In January 2019, Benoit wrote an article for Qwear Fashion magazine in which she created the hashtag #ThisIsWhatAsexualLooksLike.[19] Benoit noted in her interview with Ireland's Sunday Independent that the hashtag was in response to people telling her she did not "look" asexual after coming out.[19] She encourages other people on the asexual spectrum to use her hashtag to show the diversity of the asexual community that is otherwise underrepresented in the media.[19][20][18] An Instagram account, ThisIsWhatAsexualLooksLike, was created to share submissions under the hashtag and is followed by Benoit.

In collaboration with Asexual Visibility and Education Network (AVEN), Budweiser, and Revolt London, Benoit hosted the first asexual-themed bar at Pride in London in 2019.[21] Benoit walked the runway in the London Queer Fashion Show that year.[22] In October, she joined the Board of Directors of the AVEN.[23] In a December 2019 issue of Attitude titled "The Activists", Benoit became the first openly asexual woman to appear on the cover of a UK magazine.[24][25]

Throughout early 2020, Benoit worked with England Unwrapped where she interviewed asexual people about their experience with asexuality in their daily lives.[11] The episode was originally broadcast on BBC Radio Berkshire and later published on BBC Sounds.

Alongside AVEN and other activists, Benoit announced in February 2021 that she was part of the launching of International Asexuality Day which occurred for the first time on April 6, 2021.[26][27][12]

In June 2021, Yasmin became the first asexual activist to win an Attitude Pride Award from Attitude Magazine.[28]

On the second annual International Asexuality Day, it was announced that Benoit is launching the UK's first asexual rights initiative in partnership with Stonewall; known as the Stonewall x Yasmin Benoit Ace Project.[29][30][31]

Personal life

Benoit is asexual and aromantic. "I may not be the first four letters, but I do not relate to the heterosexual experience in the slightest," she told The Nopebook in March 2019.[32] She came out publicly in a video on YouTube in 2017 titled "Things Asexual Girls Don't Like to Hear", which began her journey as an activist.[33]

Benoit has opened up about her experiences as an asexual lingerie model.[8] She also works to dispel myths and stereotypes regarding asexuality and aromanticism, whilst promoting the diversity of the asexual and aromantic communities and visibility for the voices within them.[34]

References

  1. ^ Bennett, Freya (29 March 2016). "MEET: Yasmin". Ramona Magazine. Archived from the original on 25 September 2019. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
  2. ^ "BBC Radio 1 - Radio 1's Life Hacks Podcast, Asexuality with Yasmin Benoit". BBC.
  3. ^ "Attitude becomes first magazine to put an asexual woman on the cover". The Independent. 6 December 2019.
  4. ^ "'I'm asexual and aromantic, and I don't need to be fixed'". inews.co.uk. 18 February 2020.
  5. ^ a b "An Interview With Yasmin Benoit & Clara Josefine". Aislin Magazine. 28 December 2018. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
  6. ^ Yasmin Benoit (14 April 2020). "English aromantic asexual via Trinidad, Jamaica & Barbados! Where are my Black aces at? What's your heritage?". Retrieved 6 September 2020 – via Twitter.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) [dead link‍]
  7. ^ Mackley, Elizabeth (15 December 2019). "'I just figured it would kick in': What it's really like to be asexual in Reading". Berkshire Live. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  8. ^ a b Jaffray, Chris (11 August 2019). "Lingerie model, 23, says she's never felt sexual attraction to anyone". Mirror. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
  9. ^ Yasmin, Benoit (5 March 2019). "This is What Asexual Looks Like". Qwear. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
  10. ^ a b c d Marsh, Stefanie (8 August 2020). "We're The Asexuals: Let's Not Get Physical". The Times. Retrieved 14 March 2021.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  11. ^ a b Boyle, Samuel (26 October 2020). "England Unwrapped - Me and my Asexuality". BBC Sounds. Retrieved 14 March 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  12. ^ a b c d Pantony, Ali (19 February 2021). "People Think I Must be Unlovable, Fussy or Mentally Ill. Here's What it Really Means to be Asexual and Aromantic". Glamour. Retrieved 14 March 2021.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  13. ^ "Black alternative model Yasmin Benoit fights her way into the industry". Afropunk. 12 September 2017. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
  14. ^ Nicholle, Taja (10 December 2018). "An interview with black alternative UK model and activist Yasmin Benoit". Punk Black. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
  15. ^ "Black-owned goth brand collaborates with alternative model Yasmin Benoit for latest lookbook". Afropunk. 7 March 2018. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
  16. ^ Benoit, Yasmin (20 January 2019). "Why I Hate my BBC Asexuality Documentary". Lapp the Brand. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
  17. ^ Jefferies, Beth (5 February 2019). "Emi Salida Stars in Sky News Asexuality Documentary". TenEighty. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
  18. ^ a b "Life without sex - what is asexuality?". Sky News. 2 February 2019. Retrieved 25 September 2019 – via YouTube.
  19. ^ a b c Hogan, Yvonne (5 July 2020). "Many Don't Know Much About Asexuality but There Are Still Stereotypes Attached to It' - Meet The Men and Women Living Asexual Lives". Sunday Independent (Ireland). Retrieved 14 March 2021.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  20. ^ Barr, Sabrina (26 August 2020). "Yasmin Benoit Interview: 'People Think That Being Asexual is a Mental Disorder'". The Independent. Archived from the original on 7 May 2022. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  21. ^ Sarrubba, Stefania (23 June 2019). "This asexual model is launching London's first asexual club for Pride". Gay Star News. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
  22. ^ Pestell, Scarlet (20 October 2019). "Meet the asexual lingerie model who's not here to turn anybody on". PinkNews. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  23. ^ Yasmin Benoit (2 October 2019). "I'm proud to announce that I'm officially on the Board of Directors of AVEN (@asexuality)! It's an honour to join forces with such an incredible organization. 💜 It's a pretty great way to start #BlackHistoryMonth too!". Retrieved 17 February 2020 – via Twitter.
  24. ^ Boatner, Cameren (12 December 2019). ""Attitude" Becomes First UK Magazine Featuring an asexual Woman on Cover". South Florida Gay News. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  25. ^ Gallagher, Sophie (6 December 2019). "Attitude becomes first magazine to put an asexual woman on the cover". Independent. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  26. ^ Lea, Imogen (21 February 2021). "Redefining Perceptions Of Asexuality With Yasmin Benoit". Noctis Magazine. Retrieved 14 March 2021.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  27. ^ "International Asexuality Day". International Asexuality Day. Retrieved 14 March 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  28. ^ "The asexual dispelling myths around lack of attraction - Attitude.co.uk". 22 June 2021.
  29. ^ "Asexual model Yasmin Benoit launches 'groundbreaking' project with Stonewall". 6 April 2022.
  30. ^ "Stonewall x Yasmin Benoit Ace Project". Stonewall. 5 April 2022. Retrieved 6 August 2022.
  31. ^ Baska, Maggie (6 April 2022). "Stonewall launches groundbreaking project to stamp out acephobia". PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news. Retrieved 6 August 2022.
  32. ^ Jaffray, Chris (5 March 2019). "The + in LGBTQ+: An Interview with Yasmin Benoit, Asexual Activist and Model". The Nopebook. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
  33. ^ Benoit, Yasmin (11 August 2018). "I'm Asexual, And I'm A Lingerie Model. Here's How I Balance The Two". HuffPost UK. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
  34. ^ Ashenden, Amy (9 November 2018). "Asexual model Yasmin Benoit on asexuality stereotypes". PinkNews. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
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