In the world of The Handmaid’s Tale, there is a sex panic surrounding sex that is not for procreation, which exemplifies Rubin’s use of them term. Homosexual sex is explicitly forbidden, as is abortion and birth control, and the sex that is purely for procreation is lacking in intimacy; these restrictions against sex for reasons other than procreation is enforced militarily.
Asexuality complicates this because, in a society that is focused on sexual practices and desires, they lack sexual desires. Sex is central in the society of The Handmaid’s Tale; however, the citizens are not acting on sexual desires as much as societal obligation enforced by violence. Therefore, asexuality complicates this universe because asexuals don’t desire sex at all, meaning that although they would not be having sex for reasons other than procreation, it’s unlikely that they would be having sex for procreation either.
References
Ela Przybylo, Introducing Asexuality, Unthinking Sex
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