Absolute Beginner

An Absolute Beginner is term used especially in Germany for an adult who has negligible or no sexual or romantic experience,.

The term originated in Germany in the late 1990s to refer to people who are involuntarily single or become involuntary virgins way into adulthood. The reasoning behind their sexlessness varies from psychological issues, an unsocial life, shyness, being socially inept, or a lack of initiative in making the first move.^[1] Absolute Beginners gradually developed into communities that culminated into self-help groups of the same name. The etymology of the term derives from a David Bowie song.^[2] Absolute Beginners sometimes abbreviate their self-identification as AB, and sometimes communicate with one another on online forums. They vary in age, with some being in their 20s, others in their 30 while others are in their 40s.^[3] In some online forums, the hallmark of being an Absolute Beginner is at the age of twenty if one still has had no sexual or romantic experience.^[4] In online forums, AB's sometimes discuss tribulations associated with their status such as pressures to date and the embaressments and secrecy associated with their inexperience.^[5] Awareness of the AB community in Germany has increased.^[6] Some German AB's have attempted to document their lifestyle in order to explore the reasoning behind their ineffectiveness at courtship.^[7] The concept is considered to be analogous to other concepts such as incel (involuntary celibacy), and love-shy.^[8] The apearance of AB's has also been blamed on various factors including a skewed sex ratio, such as a surplus of women or a surplus of men in a particular region^[9] and a perception of themselves as unattractive and the subsequent low-self esteem.^[10]

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