Attraction

**Attraction** is a term which describes the feeling of being drawn towards someone in particular, or having feelings sparked by a specific person. There are many types of attraction, which can generally be grouped into three categories: sexual attraction, romantic attraction, and tertiary attraction. Alternatively, attraction may be categorized into physical attraction and ecstatic attraction, with some exceptions.[*source?*]

Some people experience all forms of attraction, while others experience only a few, only one, or none at all. This is referred to as the Split Attraction Model, or SAM. People who experience little to no attraction of any sort may identify as anattractional, attractionless, or with similar labels. Some people experience different forms of attraction in different ways; these people may identify as varioriented. Other people experience all forms of attraction, or their primary forms of attraction, in the same way; these people may identify as perioriented.

The attraction (or lack thereof) that a person experiences is typically the primary factor in one's orientation.

## Under the umbrella

As mentioned previously, there are many types of attraction. While these forms of attraction can often be simplified into sexual, romantic, and tertiary (or physical and ecstatic), there are many more terms that exist to describe different forms of attraction. This is not a concrete list, and terms may be added when necessary.

### Physical attraction

These forms of attraction focus on physical aspects of a person, or the physical ways in which one wants to engage with that person. These forms of attraction may or may not accompany ecstatic attraction, relationships, and/or activities.

* Sexual attraction
* Some forms of tertiary attraction
	+ Aesthetic attraction
	+ Sensual attraction

### Ecstatic attraction

These forms of attraction do not focus on physical aspects of a person, and instead center more heavily around a desire for emotional closeness with someone, mental and spiritual bonding, relationship building, and similar experiences. These forms of attraction may or may not accompany physical attraction, relationships, and/or activities.

* Romantic attraction
* Some forms of tertiary attraction
	+ Alterous attraction
	+ Amical attraction
	+ Domestic attraction
	+ Mental attraction
	+ Nebulous Attraction
	+ Platonic attraction
	+ Queerplatonic attraction
	+ Social attraction
	+ Spiritual attraction

### Other forms of attraction

These forms of attraction cannot be clearly defined as physical or ecstatic.

* Fluitic attraction
* Some forms of tertiary attraction
	+ Pseudosexual attraction
	+ Pseudoromantic attraction

## Distinction

### Activity stance

***Main article:** Activity stance*

**Activity stance** is the personal stance a person takes on sexual activity, romantic activity, and various types of 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 attraction despite not experiencing that form of attraction. For example, one may be interested in romantic relationships, or have a general desire for romance, without experiencing romantic attraction to anyone in particular. The opposite can also be true; one may experience romantic attraction without wanting to be in a romantic relationship.[*source?*]

### Libido

***Main article:** Libido*

**Libido** refers to a person's sex drive, or sexual desire. This can be affected by medical conditions, medications, hormone levels, or other biological, psychological, and environmental factors. A person can experience varying libido levels regardless of their sexual orientation and attraction they experience.[*source?*]

### Political sexual stance

***Main article:** Political sexual stance*

**Political sexual stance** refers to the nonpersonal stance one takes on sexuality. This does not involve one's attraction, one's libido, or one's personal activity stance. For example, one may experience no sexual attraction whatsoever, be sex-averse when it comes to their personal sexual activity stance, and be sex-positive when it comes to their political sexual stance. This would mean that this person generally believes that openness about sexuality is important, and that people should be able to consensually explore their sexuality without shame, even though sex is of no personal importance to them.[*source?*]

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Asexual Spectrum. Asexual India. Archived from the original on July 5, 2023.
2. ↑ Romantic Orientations. The Asexual Visibility and Education Network. Archived from the original on December 4, 2021.
3. ↑ Split Attraction Model (SAM). The Trans Language Primer. Archived from the original on December 8, 2021.
4. ↑ Sarran Webster, Emma. This New Color Scale Can Show You Where You Sexually Identify. Teen Vogue. Archived from the original on July 5, 2023.
5. ↑ twilight-moon-velvet (2018-07-18). Anattractional. Archived from the original on July 5, 2023.
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 perioriented and varioriented (17-02-2014). Archived from the original on May 8, 2023.
7. ↑ Ferguson, Sian (01-07-2016). Here’s What It Means When Your Romantic and Sexual Orientations Are Different. everydayfeminism. Archived from the original on May 23, 2023.
8. ↑ PFLAG National Glossary of Terms. PFLAG. Archived from the original on January 25, 2022.