Tertiary orientation

**Tertiary orientation**, also known as **nonrose orientation**, is a term which describes people's identities in relation to the way they experience tertiary attraction. There are many specific subsets of tertiary orientation, such as aesthetic orientation, platonic orientation, and more. Tertiary orientations are often associated with a-spec people, and can be useful for the purpose of describing one's identity in a way which is unrelated to sexuality or romance. However, while tertiary orientation labels are most commonly used by a-spec people, they are not exclusive to them.

The tertiary attraction (or lack thereof) that a person experiences is typically the primary factor in their tertiary orientation. This often refers to the gender(s) one experiences, or does not experience, tertiary attraction to. For example, a straight person experiences attraction to the 'opposite' gender, or genders different from their own.[*source?*] This is sometimes referred to as affinitive orientation. It may also refer to the conditions in which it is possible for a person to experience attraction. For example, a demisensual person cannot experience sensual attraction unless a strong bond is formed.[*source?*] However, there may sometimes be other factors as well. For example, a cupioplatonic person's orientation not only takes into account the way they experience platonic attraction, but their tertiary activity stance as well.[*source?*] Both of the former examples may be referred to as amative orientations.

Tertiary orientations which specify the gender of the person experiencing attraction, as well as the gender(s) they're attracted to, are sometimes referred to as juvelic orientations. Examples of juvelic orientations include lesbian, vincian, and terraric.

## Under the umbrella

As mentioned before, there are many specific subsets of tertiary orientation. This is not a concrete list, and terms may be added when necessary.

### Physical orientations

These orientations primarily center around physical attraction.

* Aesthetic orientation
* Sensual orientation

### Ecstatic orientations

These orientations primarily center around ecstatic attraction.

* Alterous orientation
* Amical orientation
* Domestic orientation
* Mental orientation
* Nebulous orientation
* Platonic orientation
* Queerplatonic orientation
* Social orientation
* Spiritual orientation

### Other tertiary orientations

These orientations cannot be clearly defined as physical or ecstatic.

* Pseudosexual orientation
* Pseudoromantic orientation

## Distinction

### Tertiary attraction

**Tertiary attraction**, also known as **nonrose attraction**, is an umbrella term which describes any form of nonsexual and nonromantic attraction, or attraction that otherwise can't be clearly defined as sexual or romantic. While tertiary attraction is often a primary factor in one's tertiary orientation, the two are not necessarily synonymous. Attraction refers to a feeling or experience, while orientation refers to identities often related to those feelings and experiences. One's tertiary orientation also does not necessarily have to center around the way in which a person experiences tertiary attraction, such as in the case of pomotertiary people. Similarly, a person may prefer to describe their tertiary attraction without labeling their orientation at all, such as in the case of unlabeled people. One can also have a tertiary orientation without experiencing tertiary attraction, such as in the case of atertiary people.

### Tertiary activity stance

**Tertiary activity stance**, also known as **nonrose activity stance**, is the personal stance a person takes on nonsexual, nonromantic activity, and nonsexual, nonromantic relationships. This is also sometimes referred to as desire, though the term "desire" can also be interchangeable with "libido", which is not necessarily related to activity stance. People may have an activity stance often associated with a specific tertiary orientation despite not experiencing that tertiary orientation. For example, one may be interested in platonic relationships, or have a general desire for friendship, while being aplatonic. The opposite can also be true; one may be alloplatonic without desiring friendship. While activity stance can be a factor in one's tertiary orientation, such as in the case of cupioplatonic, apothialterous, or iculasensual people, it is often considered separately, and may not influence the person's tertiary orientation label.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Neolabels (2019-01-11). Orientation Umbrella Terms. Archived from the original on February 24, 2022.
2. ↑ here & queer & tired (2018-08-13).