Julie Sondra Decker

Julie Sondra Decker (born January 17, 1978), also known by her YouTube name "swankivy", is an American writer, YouTuber, and activist known for her work on asexuality. She is particularly noted for a 2014 book on the subject, The Invisible Orientation.

Biography Decker was born in New Jersey on January 17, 1978. She mentions on her website that she started reading from an early age and has wanted to become an author since she was six years old. She attended and later graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in elementary education in 2000. She grew up in a family where her sisters were supportive of her and in which "alternative lifestyles" were considered acceptable.

Decker experimented with her sexuality in high school and found that she was generally uninterested in dating. When Decker was 19, she was sexually assaulted by a male friend who felt he could "fix" her asexuality. She eventually repelled him, and as she was leaving, he yelled out, "I just want to help you!"

Decker lives and works in her hometown of Tampa, Florida. Decker feels that it is important to speak for "asexuals who are insecure or depressed." She also has an additional account simply titled "JulieSondra" where she shares writing tips for struggling writers.

The Invisible Orientation In 2014, Decker released The Invisible Orientation: An Introduction to Asexuality. Library Journal wrote that The Invisible Orientation is "the first substantial book for the nonprofessional to emerge from the small but growing community of individuals who identify themselves as 'asexual,'" and called the book an important resource for understanding asexuality. Maclean's describes the book as using "plain, straightforward language" and helps readers understand various manifestations of asexuality. Decker includes a section for those who are trying to figure out if they are actually asexual or not. In 2015, Invisible Orientation won a silver IPPY award in the category of sexuality and relationships. Decker says that she wants the book to help change the "common narrative about what sexuality is."