LGBTIQAromantic+

A – Aromantic / Asexual

Aromantic – someone who does not experience romantic attraction, or do not have romantic needs

Asexual – someone who does not experience sexual attraction, or do not have sexual needs

For the purpose of knowing opposites, as a matter of better understanding definitions: Someone who experiences love towards others is an alloromantic. Someone who experiences sexual attraction towards others is a sexual.

An aromantic is someone who experiences little or no romantic attraction to others. Where romantic people have an emotional need to be with another person in a romantic relationship, aromantics are often satisfied with friendships and other non-romantic relationships.

An asexual is someone who does not experience sexual attraction… Asexuality is distinct from celibacy or sexual abstinence, which are behaviours, while asexuality is generally considered to be a sexual orientation.

For this & more resources visit AVENwiki.

It’s important to understand that these personality qualities do not leave the individual “deprived.” The most common misconception I’ve encountered is that alloromantic /sexual people tend to pity aromantic / asexual people greatly. I believe they do this because they are unable to see from the opposite perspective. For alloromantic /sexual people, life without romance / sex would be lesser to them. In a world that pushes both love & sex (involuntarily on all of us from a very young age), someone uneducated to the fact that some people aren’t affected by that influence the same way might reject its existence altogether.

As we get further down the line of letter the level of ignorance definitely rises, in my opinion. Not even necessarily in regards to microaggressions, but in straight up understanding.

MICROAGGRESSIONS

You just haven’t found the right person. You’re just not the person to have this conversation with.

If you have no understanding of either of these concepts & you lead the opposite lifestyle you’re probably going to start off confused. Confusion isn’t insulting unless you leave it at that. Ask questions & actively listen to the answers you’re given, if you really want to learn.

If you tried it, you might like it. I could say the same thing to you about anything – literally.

As mentioned, while it may be hard for an alloromantic / sexual person to identify with an aromantic / asexual that’s no excuse to dismiss the conditions of their existence. Similar to how you have no say over anyone else’s religion, you don’t get to choose that someone will eventually experience love. Like gender identity, being aromantic / asexual isn’t a choice.

Many people, when hearing about asexuality for the first time, claim that it cannot exist, or that a particular person claiming to be asexual can’t be. This page addresses some of the more common objections, along with AVEN‘s answers.

You’re weird. You’re rude.

Just so we’re clear, an aromantic / asexual person are not any more or less prone to bring “weird” than any alloromantic / sexual person. Being aromantic doesn’t mean you can’t have loving relationships with family or friends. Being asexual doesn’t mean you can’t be in a romantic relationship with your partner(s) – it’s just platonic. Being either of these doesn’t necessarily restrict you from being a parent & it certainly doesn’t impact your ability to work.

DON’T ASK QUESTIONS YOU DON’T WANT ANSWERS TO.

This is the whole, I don’t understand our fetish with other people’s sexuality. It doesn’t have to make sense to you, it isn’t your life.

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