Romantic orientation is a term that originates with asexual communities. It is related to a person's romantic attractions or desires, whereas sexual orientation is associated with sexual attractions. Romantic orientation is generally expressed in terms of which gender or genders a person is attracted to in relation to the person's own. These terms usually end in the suffix "-romantic".[1]
Romantic orientations are most often referred to in asexual communities, but they are not exclusive to asexual people. Although a person's sexual and romantic attractions are usually implied by the same word used for their sexual orientation, a person's romantic and sexual orientation may differ. The Split Attraction Model is sometimes used to convey these differences.[1]
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Examples of romantic orientations
Abroromantic
- Main article: Abroromantic
Abroromantic, sometimes spelled as abromantic[2] people experience their romantic orientation as fluid and/or changing over time. Abroromanticism involves someone's entire orientation changing over time, not just the genders they are attracted to. They may also experience changes in the intensity of their attractions.[3]
Aromantic
- Main article: Aromantic
The aromantic pride flag
Aromantic, often shortened to aro, describes people who do not experience romantic attraction,[3][1] or if not strictly aromantic, little to no romantic attraction.[4] One of the meanings of the A in LGBTQIA+ is Aromantic.[3] 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.[4]
The aromantic spectrum, also known as "aro-spec", ranges from aromantic to alloromantic, referring to people who regularly and consistently experience romantic attraction.[3] People within the aromantic spectrum are part of a community that has much in common. They may use the label aromantic as a close fit for their experiences or use other labels that further describe them.[4]
Biromantic
- Main article: Biromantic
A biromantic flag
Biromantic is a term used to describe people who are capable of feeling a romantic connection to people of two specific and distinct gender identities.[5] Biromantics want to date and form a romantic connection with more than one gender—including cisgender men, women, and other non-rigid identities like transgender and non-binary people.[6]
Demiromantic
- Main article: Demiromantic
A demiromantic pride flag
Demiromantic describes people who do not experience romantic attraction until they have formed a deep emotional connection with someone,[7][8] according to the most common definition.[8] Other definitions of this romantic orientation are only experiencing limited romantic attraction,[8] or falling somewhere on a spectrum between aromantic and romantic; the latter definition overlaps with one for grayromantic.[9]
Heteroromantic
Heteroromantic describes individuals who feel romantic attraction to people of a gender different than their own. Within the Split Attraction Model, its sexual orientation equivalent is heterosexual.[1]
Homoromantic
Homoromantic refers to individuals who feel romantic attraction to people of the same or similar gender as their own. Within the Split Attraction Model, its sexual equivalent is homosexual.[1]
Panromantic
- Main article: Panromantic
The panromantic pride flag
Panromantic is a term used to describe people who are capable of feeling a romantic attraction to all people, regardless of their gender. It is similar to being pansexual, just without the sexual attraction.[10][11]
Polyromantic
- Main article: Polyromantic
Polyromantic, refers to someone who is romantically attracted to many, but not all, genders,[12] and not necessarily involving sexual attraction.[13]
