A Guide to Aromanticism

Wait, Aromanticism is more than just Aromantic?

{Disclaimer: I apologize for any spelling/grammar errors in here. Grammarly was down while I was writing this along with my spellcheck.}

Yes, it is. Aromanticism is so much more than aromantic people. So many people experience such different levels of aromanticism.

Before introducing some aromantic spectrum identities I would like to address and define the romantic orientation that most people don't realize they are: Alloromantic. 

~Alloromantic is a romantic orientation for those who experience romantic attraction regularly. This is considered the "standard" way to experience romantic attraction. However, alloromantics can still be other romantic orientations such as heteroromantic, homoromantic, biromantic, panromantic, omniromantic, etc.

Aromantic Orientations

~Greyromantic (Also spelled Greyaromantic and Grayromantic) : Greyromanticism is also known as Grey-Aro. This is an orientation on the aromantic spectrum when an individual is usually aromantic but experiences very rarely and/or low intensity romantic attraction. This romantic attraction may come in certain circumstances. Some of these people feel romantic attraction once or twice in their life and others may feel it more frequently. However, it is still less frequent than alloromantic.

~Demiromantic: Demiromanticism is when someone doesn't feel romantic attraction unless they have a deep emotional bond with the person. Once this bond is formed, they may develop romantic attraction. This does NOT mean they develop romantic attraction to everyone they have a deep emotional bond with. These bonds may be platonic, sexual, or some other emotional bond. Demiromantics will NOT feel any romantic attraction unless a deep emotional bond has been formed.

                                          Isn't everyone demiromantic to an extent?                                                                     No. Demiromantic is a specific aromantic identity. If everyone was demiromantic then we wouldn't have this idea of love at first sight.

~Frayromantic: Frayromanticism is when one only feels romantic attraction eitehr when first meeting aperson or before an emotional bond has been formed with the person of their romantic attraction. Once an emotional bond is formed with this person they lose this romantic attraction to them.

~Lithromantic: This is when one may feel romantic attraction btu does not want this romantic attraction reciprocated. Lithromantics may be uncomfortable by the thought of people having romantic attraction for them and at the thought of being in a romantic relationship. For this reason, many lithromantics do not actively seek a romantic relationship. They may even lose the romantic attraction once they discover that it is reciprocated. Some lithromantics may fantasize or theorize about romantic relationships but they prefer romantic relationships in this fantasy/theory instead of in reality. Some lithoromantics will purse romantic relationships with teh one sthey're attrcated to. Some of those lithormantics may feel discomfort and unease in these relationships.

~Recipromantic: This is when someone doesn't feel romantic attraction on a regular basis and they only experience romantic attraction when they know that it is reciporcated first. Once they know someone experiences romantic attraction for them, they may develop romantic attraction for that person. However, they do NOT develop romantic attraction for everyone who experiences romantic attraction for them.

~Aroflux: This is when a person experinces a romantic orientation that fluctuates. However, their romantic orientation usually remains on the aromantic spectrum when it fluctuates. However, some aroflux people may occasionally feel they are alloromantic at times. generally for aroflux people the gener(s) they are attracted to remains constant and they only thing fluctuating is the intensity and how they feel romantic attration. However, som aroflux people may find that the gender(s) they are attracted to fluctuate some as well and that is okay!

~Arospike: Arospike is  when one usually feels no romantic attraction (aromantic) but they may have sudden bouts of romantic attraction for a person. This romantic attraction usually lasts for a short amount of time. This time is commonly around  a few hours to a few months. After this time, the romantic attraction vanishes as quickly as it came and they are back to their usual levels of aromanticism. Some aromantics have expressed discomfort in the arospikes that they feel since they are used to the feeling aromanticism and so this brings them discomfort or because they wish they could experience this romantic attraction for often. That discomfort however, doesn't happen for everyone who experiences arospikes.

~Platoniromantic: This is anothe ridentity on the aromantic spectrum that describes the feeling of not being able to differentiate betwee platonic feelings and romantic feelings. This identity is considered a subcategory so usually one will also identify as aromantic, quioromantic, or a different aro-spec identity along with platniromantic. While this is considered  a micro-label, it is a fairly common label used in the aro community. 

~Quioromantic (also known as WTFromantic and Whatromantic): This is a romantic orientation where one challenges the ideas of one's romantic attraction and/or not knowing one's romantic orientation/ not wanting to know one's romantic orientation. This orientation may include not knowing what romantic attraction is and not knowing whetehr or not one experiences romantic attraction, being unable to understand romance/romantic attraction, not identifying with romantic attraction, questioning of the romantic orientation becomes the orientation, difficulty distinguishing romantic attraction from other forms of attraction (sexual, aesthetic, sensual, emotional, etc.) etc. It is possible for quiromantics to not connect with the aromantic spectrum.

~Alicoromantic: This is when one is aware and knows that their romantic orientation and experience lands on the aromantic spectrum, but they are unsure as to where on the spectrum their oreintation lands. They may also feel that their romantic orientation can not be explained by any existing labels in the aromantic spectrum. This term may also be use by aro-spec questioning indivuals who are questioning which label in the aromantic spectrum fits them the best.

As always, there are SO many more aromantic spectrum labels and identities that i didn't cover above. These are just some of the more common ones that I have run into. I am planning on making a chapter later on covering some of the microlabels as well so if y'all want to comment any romantic orientations I didn't mention, I'll make sure that they make it into the next chapter about identities. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns please feel free to reach otu and I'll do my best to help y'all out.

Make sure to come check out the next chapter which'll be on: Aromanticism and the Overlap.

Remember that y'all are stunning and fantastic human beings! I love y'all so much (no romo)!

-Jazz