Aro Fandom

Aromantic (shortened form: Aro; umbrella: Arospec) is a romantic orientation in which the person feels little or no romantic attraction. In fandom, aro fans or allies often cluster around aromantic canon characters, or at least those which can be headcanoned as aromantic. This page also covers responses to arospec characters and aro fans perceptions of common fandom tropes.
==Canon Representation==
Canon representation of aromantic characters in media, particularly mainstream media, is generally lacking. However, there are a few examples of canonically aromantic characters. Some examples include:
*Loveless by Alice Oseman: Georgia Warr is aromantic asexual.
*The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by Mackenzi Lee: Felicity Montague is aromantic asexual.
*Critical Role: Caduceus Clay is aromantic asexual.
*Archie Comics: Jughead Jones is aromantic and sometimes portrayed as asexual.
*Marvel: In 2023, it was revealed that Gwenpool is aroace.
==Fandom==
===Fanon & Headcanons===
There are also characters that are commonly headcanoned by fans as aromantic. Examples include:
*Voltron: Legendary Defender: Pidge Gunderson is commonly headcanoned as aromantic and asexual.
*Harry Potter: both Luna Lovegood and Charlie Weasley are commonly headcanoned as aromantic.
*Brave and Once Upon A Time: Merida is often headcanoned as being an aroace.
===Emphasis on Shipping===
Aromantic fans often have a complicated relationship with shipping, and can both enjoy and dislike shipping--one fan can even feel both ways depending on the situation.
The emphasis on shipping in fandom culture is considered alienating by many aro fans, especially those who are romance repulsed. Many aro fans have expressed confusion or frustration at the ways that (mainly alloromantic) fans center shipping as their primary fandom activity, or frustration at the intensity that fans can engage with their ships:
 
However, other aro fans enjoy shipping, for a variety of reasons. This can be because they are romance-favorable, because it is a common fandom activity, or because exploring concepts of romance in fiction is a way for them to explore their aromantic identity.
Aromantic does not automatically mean asexual, so aromantic fans may also enjoy fic that portrays characters in sexual relationships without an emphasis on romance, such as PWP or friends with benefits scenarios.
Shipping aromantic characters is a contentious topic. There are very few canonically aromantic characters, and some have expressed frustration that they are still shipped with other characters by other fans. One aro fan writes:
Another aro tumblr user expressing frustration about fan reactions to canon aro characters:
===Queerplatonic Relationships===
===Specific Tropes===
There are some specific tropes that many aro fans find objectionable, often because they reinforce amatonormative beliefs and ideals. 
====Soulmate AUs====
Aromantic people often strongly dislike soulmate AUs because they reinforce the idea that love (especially romantic love) is necessary to be happy. As one tumblr user describes: 
Another tumblr user writes:
Similarly, many aro fans dislike platonic soulmates, arguing that it continues to emphasize love as an ideal, and is alienating to loveless aromantic people. Particular criticized is the harm to nonpartnering aros:
====Hanahaki Disease====
Many aromantic fans strongly dislike Hanahaki Disease, and unlike soulmate AUs, there are not non-traditional or subverted versions of the trope that are preferred by parts of the community.
==Challenges & Events==
*FandomAspecChallenge2019
*AggressivelyAroSpecWeek2021
*Arospec Fanworks Week
==Fanworks==
*Love and Other Questions by squirenonny (Voltron: Legendary Defender)
*ice cream soup by fadewords (The Magnus Archives)
* Buckling Tradition by ThatWindingPath (Final Fantasy XIV)
==Meta and Discussion==
*Asexuality and Aromanticism on AO3 by toastystats, 2017. 
*Growing Up Platoniromantic: The Problem With Shipping by Ace Film Reviews, 2017. 
* Writing fic as an aroace or aro/ace fic (or with an aspec element to it) it is really frustrating..., 2019. (Archived version)
*The Friendzone in Fandom by Jes Layton, 2019. 
*Aromantic Experiences in Fandom: Survey Results Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3, an analysis of a survey done about aros in fandom, 2021.
==Resources & External Links==
*Aromantic tag on AO3
==References==
Category:Queer
Category:Discussion