Emily Clarke

Understanding the Aromantic Spectrum

The aromantic spectrum is an often misunderstood identification. While society is making progress in accepting gender identity and queer orientations, there's still plenty of work to do.

So, what does it mean to be on the aromantic spectrum?

Understanding the Aromantic Identity

You might be familiar with asexuality. That term describes a person who does not experience sexual attraction. They might prioritize love and genuine emotional connection, but sexual attraction is non-existent.

The best way to understand someone who describes themselves as aromantic is to compare it to asexuality. A person on the aromantic spectrum does not experience a romantic connection. They may or may not feel sexual attraction, but the romance side doesn't apply.

Refining the Terminology

As you know, sexuality is on a spectrum, and it's not as black and white as some believe. For this reason, many who identify as aromantic often utilize other terms to define their approach to relationships further.

Some people are aromantic and allosexual. That means they don't experience romantic feelings, but they do have sexual attraction. Others are aromantic and asexual, which means they lack sexual and romantic interest.

Like asexuality, the aromantic spectrum can be fluid. After asking themselves, "Am I aromantic?" a person might conclude that they are grey romantic or arospec. That means they experience romantic attraction very rarely. It might come under specific circumstances or be less intense than what others feel.

There's also demiromantic. The "demi" portion of that term reflects a lack of sexual attraction until a strong emotional connection occurs.

Am I Aromantic?

The concept of being on the aromantic spectrum can be confusing.

Generally, people first start to question aromantic feelings after realizing they find traditional themes of romance confusing. You might struggle to understand that feeling or see people's behavior puzzling when they're in love. You may even find romance stories and movie plotlines boring or unrealistic.

There are a lot of misconceptions about the aromantic spectrum. If you choose to identify this way, it doesn't mean you're a robot who lacks emotions. Your identity is valid, and educating those around you about it will make it easier for them to accept you for who you are.

Author Resource:-

Emily Clarke writes about social networking apps and LGBT community. You can find her thoughts at LGBTQ assistance blog.