PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Sexuality: Equality (10 February 2021)

The Equality Act 2010 covers discrimination in employment, the provision of goods, services and public functions, housing, premises, education, transport, occupational pensions, clubs and associations. The Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of a number of characteristics, including sexual orientation. Sexual orientation is defined under the Act as a person’s orientation towards persons of the same sex, the opposite sex or of either sex. We have no plans to amend the Act and are not aware of any significant evidence of discrimination against people because of their asexuality.

There are however situations in which an asexual person may already be protected by the Equality Act – for example, the Act bans discrimination based on the perception that someone has a protected characteristic (for example that they are lesbian or gay), or because they are associated with someone who has that characteristic.