Aromantic spectrum

The aromantic spectrum flag

The **aromantic spectrum**, abbreviated as **arospec**, refers to romantic orientations that are aromantic or are closely related to aromanticism when placed on a spectrum ranging from aromantic to alloromantic.

It is also used by people whose aromantic identities are conditional, unreliable, or atypical to societal expectations, and by people who simply do not wish to label it further. Identities under the aromantic umbrella are closely connected as part of a broad community.

## Community

While it is commonly assumed that romantic and sexual attraction go hand in hand, evidence suggests that a statistically significantly percentage of people experience inharmonious attraction with sexual and romantic orientation. In one study, 1% of the sample size (4 people) identified as asexual or aromantic.

Many websites and resources are available for learning more about the aromantic community and the spectrum itself, such as AUREA (Aromantic-spectrum Union for Recognition, Education, and Advocacy)*.*

The words used to describe the aromantic spectrum often mirror those seen in the asexual spectrum.

### Aromantic Spectrum Awareness Week

Aromantic Spectrum Awareness Week (ASAW) is an annual, international event that aims to spread awareness and acceptance of aromantic spectrum identities. It works to spread awareness of the identity while celebrating the existence of those who identify as such. It takes place the first full week in February, usually following Valentine's Day. It began as a way to unify those in the aromantic community who found it difficult to share their experiences with others. The first week was recognized in November 2014, under the name *Aromantic Awareness Week*, though it was moved to February in 2015. The new date also included the use of the word "*spectrum*" in a strive to be inclusive to all.

### Queerplatonic relationships

Main article: Queerplatonic relationship
A **queerplatonic relationships** is a close non-sexual, non-romantic relationship that is beyond what most would consider to be a friendship. It consists of emotional commitment and prioritization that is typically seen in a romantic relationship without being romantic. People in queerplatonic relationships may be of any gender or sexual identity.

### Identities under the umbrella

#### Aromantic

Main article: Aromantic

**Aromantic**, often shortened to **aro**, describes people who do not experience romantic attraction, or experience little-to-no romantic attraction. One of the meanings of the **A** in LGBTQIA+ is **A**romantic. Aromanticism is a romantic orientation and may involve forms of attraction that are not necessarily romantic, or interests in relationships that are intimate in other ways. There is no singular experience of aromanticism.

See also: Asexual

#### Aegoromantic

**Aegoromantic**, less commonly known as **anegoromantic**, also previously known as **autochorisromantic**, describes those who enjoy the concept of romance but do not have a desire to participate in romantic activities. Aegoromantic individuals may have romantic fantasies, enjoy romantic media, or engage in shipping in fandoms, but they tend to feel little to no romantic attraction in real life and typically do not desire a romantic relationship.

See also: Asexual spectrum § Aegosexual

#### Apothiromantic

**Apothiromantic** is a person who does not feel any romantic attraction and is repulsed or disgusted by it.

See also: Asexual spectrum § Apothisexual

#### Aroflux

**Aroflux** is an identity that operates along the aromantic/alloromantic spectrum. People who identify as aroflux may experience their romantic orientation as fluctuating between experiencing and not experiencing romantic attraction, or that attraction is being experienced to alternating or changing degrees.

See also: Asexual spectrum § Aceflux

#### Autoromantic

**Autoromantic** describes people who elicit romantic attraction from themselves, by themselves. They may not desire romantic activities with others but may enjoy being romantically intimate with themselves.

See also: Asexual spectrum § Autosexual

#### Bellusromantic

**Bellusromantic** involves having an interest in conventionally romantic things without desiring a relationship.

#### Cupioromantic

**Cupioromantic** describes those who do not experience attraction but do desire a romantic relationship. The term "cupio", as a verb, is the Latin word for "I desire."

See also: Asexual spectrum § Cupiosexual

#### Demiromantic

Main article: Demiromantic

**Demiromantic** describes people who do not experience romantic attraction until they have formed a deep emotional connection with someone, according to the most common definition. Other definitions of this romantic orientation are only experiencing limited romantic attraction, or falling somewhere on a **spectrum** between aromantic and romantic; the latter definition overlaps with one for grayromantic.

See also: Demisexual

#### Desinoromantic

**Desinoromantic** people do not experience "full-on" romantic attraction, but do experience "liking" someone instead of loving them romantically; the attraction then goes no further.

#### Frayromantic

**Frayromantic** people only feel romantic attraction to people that they do not have a strong emotional bond with. Once they form an emotional bond with that person, that attraction disappears or fades. This identity may be seen as a counterpart to demiromantic.

See also: Asexual spectrum § Fraysexual

#### Grayromantic

The term **grayromantic** includes, but is not limited to, people who feel low amounts of romantic attraction, rarely feel romantic attraction, only feel romantic attraction under specific circumstances, or are not sure if they experience romantic attraction. It may be considered a romantic equivalent to gray-asexuality.

On the aromantic spectrum flag, grayromantics are represented by the pale green stripe, found underneath the darker green stripe on top. A flag specifically for grayromanticism was created by an unknown person, though the flag bears similarity to a common graysexual flag. The flag was made available online as early as August 21, 2015.

See also: Gray-asexual

#### Lithromantic

**Lithromantic** or **lithoromantic**, alternatively called **akoiromantic** or **akoineromantic**, describes someone who feels romantic attraction but does not want that attraction reciprocated or loses attraction when it is reciprocated. They may enjoy romantic relationships in theory, but may stop feeling romantic attraction or enjoyment in a relationship.

The term was originally coined as "lithromantic" by Ian, who uses the Tumblr screenname stopanthropomorphizingme, as early as May 22, 2014.

See also: Asexual spectrum § Lithosexual

#### Quoiromantic

**Quoiromantic**, also known as **WTFromantic**, describes not being romantically categorizable, being unable to tell the difference between differing kinds of attraction, being unsure about experiencing romantic attraction or not, and/or not feeling the concept of "romantic attraction" to be relevant to oneself. The term "wtfromantic" was first used flippantly by Sciatrix in 2011, and "quoiromantic" was proposed as a synonym by Cor in 2012. *Quoi* is the French word for "what."

#### Recipromantic

**Recipromantic** people only experience romantic attraction after knowing that the other person is romantically attracted to them—that is, when it is reciprocated.

### Flag

The main flag used for the aromantic spectrum is the flag for aromantic itself, as shown previously. An alternative aromantic spectrum flag design was posted to Tumblr on August 6, 2020, by Potion of the *Flag Archive* blog. It has five equal-sized horizontal stripes, and the creator suggested the following meanings for the colors: dark green for aromanticism in all forms, light green for diversity in attraction and experiences, light yellow for the aromantic community and its history, teal for pride in an aromantic identity, and dark teal for recognition of aromanticism as its own separate identity from asexuality.

## Resources

* AUREA, the Aromantic-spectrum Union for Recognition, Education, and Advocacy

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 AUREA: "All Aromantic Terms". *AUREA - Aromantic-spectrum Union for Recognition, Education, and Advocacy*. (Archived on January 29, 2022).
2. ↑ Diamond, Lisa. *What Does Sexual Orientation Orient? A Biobehavioral Model - Distinguishing Romantic Love and Sexual Desire*. Psychological Review, 2003. (web archive)
3. ↑ Lund, Emily M.; Thomas, Katie B.; Sias, Christina M.; & Bradley, April R.. *Examining Concordant and Discordant Sexual and Romantic Attraction in American Adults: Implications for Counselors*. Taylor & Francis, 2016-11-21. (web archive)
4. ↑ AUREA: "aromanticism.org". aromanticism.org. (Archived on February 2, 2022).
5. ↑ "Aromanticism and the aromantic spectrum" (2022). asexualitytrust.org.nz.
6. ↑ "About ASAW". *Aromantic Spectrum Awareness Week*. (Archived on February 20, 2022).
7. ↑ Dyer, Harriet. *From Ace to Ze: The Little Book of LGBT Terms*. Summersdale Publishers, Ltd, May 10, 2018. ISBN 9781786852847.
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 Hardell, Ash. *The ABC's of LGBT+*. Mango Media Inc., 2016. ISBN 9781633534087.
9. ↑ Asexual Visibility and Education Network: "Romantic Orientations". *The Asexual Visibility and Education Network*. (Archived on December 4, 2021).
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "About Aromanticism". *Aromantic Spectrum Awareness Week*. (Archived on February 20, 2022).
11. ↑ "What Does Aroflux Mean? + Other Aroflux Information To Help You Be A Better Ally!" (2021). queerintheworld.com. Queer in the World!.
12. ↑ "Aroflux glossary" (2022). identiversity.org. Identiversity.
13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 Green, Jamison; Hoskin, Rhea Ashley; Mayo, Cris; and Miller, sj. *Navigating Trans\*+ and Complex Gender Identities*. Bloomsbury, 2020. ISBN 9781350061064.
14. ↑ Plonski, Logan: "Facts you should know about aromantic people" (2018-02-28). them.us. Them.us.
15. ↑ "Cupio (Latin) origin & history". wordsense.eu.
16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 Hardell, Ash. *The Gay BC's of LGBT+: An Accompaniment to The ABC's of LGBT+*. Mango Media Inc., 2017-11-09. (web archive)
17. ↑ Holleb, Morgan Lev Edward. *The A-Z of Gender and Sexuality: From Ace to Ze*. Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2019. ISBN 9781784506636.
18. ↑ Ritika Joshi: "What Are Fraysexuality And Frayromanticism?" (2021-03-09). shethepeople.tv. She The People.
19. ↑ Whimsy, Cameron: "Newer and more improved aro flag (Untitled post)" (2014-11-16). *volbol*. (Archived on January 20, 2022).
20. ↑ Pride-Flags: "Gray Aromantic (2)". deviantart.com. (Archived on August 28, 2021).
21. ↑ Ian (as stopanthropomorphizingme): "On Lith and Stone" (2014-05-22). *I Will Suffer No Humans*. (Archived version).
22. ↑ Sciatrix: "Writhing in the Throes of Unrequited Like" (May 22, 2011). writingfromfactorx.wordpress.com. Writing From Factor X.
23. ↑ Cor: "A thought" (December 9, 2012). epochryphal.tumblr.com.
24. ↑ Coyote: "Quoiro / WTFromantic: a brief timeline of disidentification with & personal rejection of romantic orientation" (January 4, 2019). theacetheist.wordpress.com.
25. ↑ Potion: "Aromantic spectrum flag!" (2020-08-06). theflagarchive.tumblr.com. (Archived on February 21, 2022).