Abrosexual

Abrosexual is a sexual orientation which is experienced fluidly. In other words, abrosexual people experience attraction which changes and/or fluctuates over time. Abrosexual people may or may not identify with additional labels depending on their shifts in attraction. For example, one abrosexual person might identify as gay at one point, then pansexual at another, and then asexual at another. Another abrosexual person might only identify as abrosexual, without labeling their specific shifts in attraction. Some people may additionally or instead refer to this as being sexually fluid, or as experiencing sexual fluidity.
Examples of abrosexuality include, but are not limited to:
*Being attracted only to men one day, and then only to women the next day.
*Being attracted to all genders at one point, and then being attracted to only one gender a few weeks later.
*Experiencing little to no sexual attraction at one point, and then experiencing sexual attraction to all genders several months later.
*Being a straight man at one point, and then experiencing attraction to men as well a few years later.
The frequency of these changes in attraction varies between people, and might be experienced hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly. Changes can also vary in consistency; they may happen sporadically for some and more regularly for others. Shifts in attraction may change which genders one is attracted to, how strongly one is attracted to them, or both.
The number of orientations that an abrosexual person may experience also varies. For example, one abrosexual person might be fluid between only two orientations, while another might be fluid between all of them. Some abrosexual people can have their attraction triggered under specific circumstances, while for others, it is entirely up to chance.
Depending on how an abrosexual person experiences their attraction, they may or may not fall under the asexual spectrum, as well as the multisexual spectrum.
==Approaches to relationships==
Abrosexual people can have various approaches to relationships. Some abrosexual people choose to opt out of sexual and/or romantic relationships altogether, or don't feel any desire to participate in such relationships, due to the inconsistency of their attraction.
Others may participate in sexual and/or romantic relationships regardless of how their attraction changes, for a multitude of reasons. For example, their love for their partner may remain consistent, and they may enjoy the physical stimulation and emotional intimacy that sex can provide, regardless of whether attraction is present or not. There are also abrosexual people who are not abroromantic, and maintain romantic attraction towards their partner even when their sexual attraction changes.
Some abrosexual people may opt for a wavership, which is a relationship which fluctuates between different relationship types. Such abrosexual people may identify as fluitic, which is a term for people who desire a wavership.
==Etymology==
The prefix abro- is a Greek term which means "delicate" or "graceful," and derives from the Ancient Gree ἁβρός (habrós), or the Modern Greek αβρός (avrós).
== Distinction ==
===Asexual===
Main article: Asexual
Asexual is a sexual orientation in which one experiences no sexual attraction. It is also sometimes used as an umbrella term for all identities under the asexual spectrum, or is defined as experiencing little to no sexual attraction; under this definition, an asexual person may experience some limited sexual attraction. Abrosexuality, on the other hand, is a sexual orientation in which one experiences attraction fluidly. While some abrosexual people may experience asexuality, others do not. Additionally, not all asexual people experience fluid attraction.
===Bisexual===
Main article: Bisexual
Bisexual is a sexual orientation in which one experiences attraction to two or more genders. Some bisexual people may sometimes be attracted to certain genders at different times, and in different ways, commonly referred to as a bi-cycle. While bisexuality and abrosexuality can bother refer to forms of sexual fluidity, they are not the same. All bisexual people experience attraction to at least two genders overall, whereas an abrosexual person won't necessarily. For example, an abrosexual person might fluctuate between being monosexual and being asexual. Additionally, while some abrosexual people may also identify as bisexual overall, many identify as bisexual only sometimes, or never at all.
===Pansexual===
Main article: Pansexual
Pansexual is a sexual orientation in which one experiences attraction to all genders, and typically regardless of gender. Abrosexuality, on the other hand, is a sexual orientation in which one experiences attraction fluidly. Some abrosexual people may additionally identify as pansexual overall. However, many abrosexual people identify as pansexual only sometimes, or never at all.
===Genderfluid===
Main article: Genderfluid
Genderfluid is a term for when one experiences gender fluidly. Abrosexuality, on the other hand, is a sexual orientation in which one experiences attraction fluidly. Genderfluidity refers to a person's gender identity, whereas abrosexuality refers to a person's sexual orientation.
==Flag==
The abrosexual flag was created by Mod Chad from the Tumblr blog pride-flags-for-us, after an anonymous user requested it in 2015. The intended meaning behind the colors is unknown, but some ideas have been proposed. According to one Tumblr user, green may represent one form of queer attraction, and the fade to white represents the attraction shifting, with pink representing a completed shift in orientation. The colors could also be a pun based on watermelon, and thus, fluidity. Green and pink also may have been chosen due to being on opposite sides of the color wheel, showing that shifts in orientation may result in vastly different experiences of attraction.
The (sexually/romantically/etc.) fluid flag was created by Mod Fy from the Tumblr blog beyond-mogai-pride-flags on August 7, 2017. The flag's design was inspired by the bisexual and pansexual flags. The royal blue and lavender stripes represent fluid people as proud members of the bisexual community, as the bisexual flag shares the same stripes. The turquoise stripe acknowledges the pansexual flag, as well as the many kinds of queer people who celebrate the power of bisexuality, and the freedom from binaries that it offers. The flag's symbolism suggests that this version was only made with pluralian people in mind, rather than also including fluid people who experience attraction to only one gender overall (such as people who are sometimes straight, and other times asexual).
== Symbol ==
The interlocking abrosexual symbol was created by Tumblr user lgbtteenyouth, also known as Christopher, on April 7, 2020. The left segment of the symbol is the Venus symbol, which is commonly used to represent women and femininity; the upper-middle segment of the symbol is the nonbinary symbol; the right segment of the symbol is the Mars symbol, which is commonly used to represent men and masculinity. However, each segment can be replaced with different symbols, such as symbols for the person's own gender, or symbols for their fluctuating attractions. If they label their shifts in attraction, the segments can also be replaced with symbols for their specific sexual orientations. Each segment is separate, indicating movement and change.
Watermelons are also commonly used as an abrosexual symbol, due to the flag's visual similarity to watermelons, as well as the pun on fluidity. Other fruits and berries with similar colors are also sometimes used, such as strawberries and dragonfruit.
== Intolerance and prejudices ==
Abrosexual people are often treated like they're just unable to make up their mind, or are going through a phase. Rather than accept the existence of sexual fluidity, some insist that sexual orientation must be consistent and unchanging, and that any deviation from this is simply the result of confusion, selfishness, greed, or an inability to choose.
Some people also refuse to acknowledge separate experiences of attraction to be valid, instead asserting that sexual orientation should only be based on the total sum of attraction that a person experiences, regardless of when or how that attraction is experienced. For example, if an abrosexual person is fluid between being gay, straight, and asexual, some may insist that this person should only be allowed to identify as bisexual or pansexual. This can be distressing and invalidating, as abrosexuality is not just the sum of its parts; it is a fluid experience.
It is important to believe people and validate their experiences and identities, rather than shut them down or interrogate them over their identities. Trust that they know themselves, and that they know which words work best for themselves.
==References==
Category:Identity
Category:Orientation
Category:Sexual orientation
Category:Pluralian
Category:Plurian
Category:Asexual spectrum
Category:A-spec
Category:Prominent identities