Once Again Annoyed And Posting About This Elven Vampire's Canon Sexuality Because I'm Getting Increasingly

Once again annoyed and posting about this elven vampire's canon sexuality because I'm getting increasingly sick of people being willfully ignorant of it...

Astarion is PANSEXUAL. This is CANON.

He is not a asexual. He is not simply gay, either.

I have not played the game, but I have literally watched so many videos and clips that I know enough of his backstory. Neil himself, the actor who played Astarion, has outwardly confirmed that Astarion is, in fact, pansexual.

When romancing him in game, yes, he expresses that he doesn't want you or anyone else to see him in terms of sex--because he is healing from that being all he ever was. Astarion was a prostitute while under Cazador's command. Take note of him mentioning entertaining Cazador's guests in a specific room, one which has a large bed with what looks to be silk sheets on it in the middle of it.

He talks about being confined to the pleasure chambers. If you visit the drow twins and proposition them, there's a chance for dialogue in which he literally outright calls himself an elven prostitute ("You have a type, don't you? Elven prostitutes? Again? It's rather embarrassing, dear.") He also says he's never been on the paying end of a brothel.

His dislike of being sexually objectified comes from a place of trauma that he is trying to heal from.

But wait--there's more.

Because he does eventually heal enough that he desires sex. Specifically with your Tav. Whom he loves. Genuinely.

He brings it up on his own, and wants to act upon it. This occurs in the graveyard, directly on top of his very own grave. This is him taking back his bodily autonomy. Making sex with your Tav special, and his own, and something he wants.

This want will occur regardless of your Tav's gender. Astarion expresses sexual interest in your Tav. He is not asexual.

And for the record, here's the textbook definition of asexuality: adjective--experiencing no sexual feelings or desires; not feeling sexual attraction to anyone. Noun--a person who experiences no sexual feelings or desires, or who is not sexually attracted to anyone.

But Astarion does experience sexual attraction and desire. For your Tav. And it is wildly maddening that people keep finding ways to erase his pansexuality.

Hell, I'd accept panromantic demisexual as a take, considering the fact that yeah, he really doesn't have a preference regarding gender, but his sexual attraction is focused on your Tav. But to pop off saying he's asexual or solely gay is a stretch, and whether you mean for it to be or not, it is pansexual erasure.

Don't get me wrong, headcanon how you want, but don't go blatantly spitting opinions as if they are fact, when his canon lore says otherwise.

Y'all keep spouting about "respecting the character," but then, by disregarding his actual sexuality and preferences end up directly disrespecting the very character you demanded respect for.

"It's rather embarrassing, dear."

Edit: Just to be clear, this doesn't mean I have anything against people who are asexual or gay. Everybody is free to be who they are and have their own preferences, and I love and respect that! This is simply in regards to the character Astarion specifically, because we have been given canon lore and answers in regards to his sexuality, and people have been willfully and blatantly ignorant of it just because of certain aspects of him that they choose to hyperfixate on, which in turn completely eliminates all other aspects of his character and it is extremely disappointing to see happening when we consider how loved this character has become and how many people have resonated with him.