Aromantic
(also: aro)
Table of Contents
Aromantic
Somoene who is aro experiences little to no romantic attraction to other people.
August 25 is aromantic spectrum visibility day.
Aromantic Flag
The green stripes in the aromantic flag represent the aromantic spectrum.
The white stripe in the aromantic flag represents platonic relationships.
The black and grey stripes in the aromantic flag represent the sexuality spectrum.
Demiromantic/Demi
Demiromantic is on the aromantic spectrum.
The term demiromantic is typically used to describe those who only experiences romantic attraction to someone after first experiencing a strong emotional connection and/or platonic attraction with that person. Some people use demiromantic to describe experiencing limited romantic attraction or falling somewhere on the spectrum between aromantic and romantic.
The prefix "demi-" is derived from the Latin term "dimidium", meaning "divided in half". When combined with the word "romantic" the term comes to mean "half romantic" or "partially romantic".
Some people who identify as demiromantic will wear a simple white ring on the middle finger of zir left hand to subtly signal to others that ze are demiromantic.
Demiromantic Flag
The black triangle on the demiromantic flag reprsents the sexuality spectrum.
The gray stripe on the demiromantic flag represents grayaromanticism and demiromanticism.
The green stripe on the demiromantic flag represents demiromanticism, or the aromantic spectrum.
The white stripe on the demiromantic flag represents patonic and aesthetic attraction, queer/quasi platonic relationships, or being outside of the straight-gay and male-female binaries.
External Links
The following links have been provided for entertainment, education, or further reading to encourage seeking out additional information. None of these links are sponsored, nor endorsed. The inclusion of an article/video/etc is not complete approval for its contents. The thoughts/views/opinions/etc of everything included below do not inherently represent those of The Transgender Dictionary.
Demiromantic Resources
- Cosmopolitan: Lauren Tamler & Rachel Varina: 10/27/2021: Demiromantic: Everything you need to know about the romantic identity. (https://www.cosmopolitan.com/sexopedia/a31094953/demiromantic-definition/) - article about being demiromantic including how it is different from similar terms, how it can present itself, ways to tell if you are demiromantic, how to be proud about it, and how to be a good ally
- LGBTQIA - Fandom - Wiki - Demiromantic (https://lgbtqia.fandom.com/wiki/Demiromantic) - crowdmade wiki about demiromantic, what it means, flag, history, community, etc
- LGBTQIA - Wiki - Demiromantic (https://lgbtqia.wiki/wiki/Demiromantic)
- Orientation - Fandom - Wiki - Demiromantic (https://orientation.fandom.com/wiki/Demiromantic)
- Queer Books For Teens - Find Books - Demiromantic (https://queerbooksforteens.com/find-books/?fwp_romantic=demiromantic) - list of books with demiromantic characters
- Them: Erika Owen: 08/30/2023: What Does It Mean to Be Demiromantic? (https://www.them.us/story/what-does-it-mean-to-be-demiromantic)
- VeryWellMind: Kendra Cherry, MSEd: 04/25/2023: 9 Signs You May Be Demiromantic (https://www.verywellmind.com/signs-you-may-be-demiromantic-7482879)
- WebMD: Carmelita Swiner, MD: 07/05/2023: What Does Demiromantic Mean? (https://www.webmd.com/sex/what-demiromanticism-means) - article about being aromantic, how it works, similar terms, myths
Aromantic Resources
- Arocalypse (https://www.arocalypse.com/) - aromantic forum
- Aromantic - Fandom - Wiki (https://aromantic.fandom.com/wiki/Aromantics_Wiki)
- Aromantic - Fandom - Wiki - Aroflux (https://aromantic.fandom.com/wiki/Aroflux)
- Aromantic - Fandom - Wiki - Lithromantic (https://aromantic.fandom.com/wiki/Lithromantic)
- AroSpecWeek (https://www.arospecweek.org/)
- AroSpecAwarenessWeek - Tumblr - In terms of the arospec drama going on currently, I have a wonder. Where exactly is the line between acrospec and where should we draw it? How often does one have to feel romantic attraction to be considered alloromantic? Or how rarely do they have to experience to be aromantic sepctrum? I am all for the spectrum, I am all for helping people discover themselves (on the spectrum or not)... I just feel like with all the new terms cropping up and awareness week coming up, we should have a (c) (https://arospecawarenessweek.tumblr.com/post/108800662897/in-terms-of-the-arospec-drama-going-on-currently)
- Asexuality Archive: 12/11/2012: …And Then What? (https://www.asexualityarchive.com/and-then-what/)
- Asexuality Unabashed: 03/13/2011: The “R” Word (https://audaciousace.blogspot.com/2011/03/r-word.html)
- AZE Journal (https://azejournal.com/) - AZE is a literary and art journal publishing asexual, aromantic, and agender authors that was created in 2016.
- Black Dog Musings: 11/24/2011: Attraction (https://blackdogmusings.blogspot.com/2011/11/attraction_24.html)
- BuzzFeed: mcrosswell: 07/08/2014: 5 Myths About Aromanticism (https://www.buzzfeed.com/mcrosswell/5-myths-about-aromanticism-tysc#.hfj8VGB2X)
- LGBTQIA - Fandom - Wiki - Aromantic (https://lgbtqia.fandom.com/wiki/Aromantic)
- Merriam Webster - Aromantic (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aromantic)
- Merriam Webster - Aromanticism (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aromanticism)
- Orientation - Fandom - Wiki - Aromantic (https://orientation.fandom.com/wiki/Aromantic)
- Prismatic Entanglements: Elizabeth: 12/01/2011: Nothing Gray About This: Re-evaluating Attraction (https://prismaticentanglements.com/2011/12/01/nothing-gray-about-this-re-evaluating-attraction/)
- Queer Books for Teens - Aromantic (https://queerbooksforteens.com/find-books/?fwp_romantic=aromantic) - list of books with aromantic characters
- Queerdom - Fandom - Wiki - Aromantic (https://queerdom.fandom.com/wiki/Aromantic)
- Queer in the World: Cecilia Miller: 10/14/2023: What Exactly Is The Aromantic Pride Flag, And What Does It Mean? (https://queerintheworld.com/aromantic-pride-flag/)
- Sexual Diversity: 11/18/2022: Aromantic Pride Flag (https://www.sexualdiversity.org/edu/flags/1091.php)
- Skeptics Play: 11/14/2011: Attraction is like wine (https://skepticsplay.blogspot.com/2011/11/attraction-is-like-wine.html)
- Stonewall: 02/18/2022: 5 things you should know about aromantic people (https://www.stonewall.org.uk/news/5-things-you-should-know-about-aromantic-people)
- The Thinking Aro - An Aromantic Primer (https://thethinkingasexual.wordpress.com/2013/02/23/an-aromantic-primer/)
- Trans Language Primer - Aromantic (https://translanguageprimer.com/aromantic/)
- Trans Language Primer - Grey Asexual (https://translanguageprimer.com/grey-asexual/)
- tumblr: 04/09/2014: aromanticaardvark: I wanted to make a post about this because I think this is something a lot of people don’t understand. (https://www.tumblr.com/the-transgenda-agenda/794264127845613568/aromanticaardvark-i-wanted-to-make-a-post-about)
- Tumblr: arospecawarenessweek (https://arospecawarenessweek.tumblr.com/)
- Tumblr: AroSpecAwarenessWeek: Glossary (https://arospecawarenessweek.tumblr.com/glossary)
- Wayback Machine: tumblr: anagnori: 12/27/2014: How to be a better ally to aromantic people (https://web.archive.org/web/20191006150517/http://anagnori.tumblr.com/post/71315914431/how-to-be-a-better-ally-to-aromantic-people)
- Wayback Machine: tumblr: anagnori: 12/06/2013: You might be aromantic if... (https://web.archive.org/web/20180419040308/https://anagnori.tumblr.com/post/69145328274/you-might-be-aromantic-if)
- Wayback Machine: Tumblr: chekhovandowl: Autobiographical Story about A Hopeless Aromantic (https://web.archive.org/web/20170410063106/https://chekhovandowl.tumblr.com/becomingloveless) - comic
- Wayback Machine: Tumblr: checkhoveandowl: You're aromantic but you have a girlfriend?! What?! (https://web.archive.org/web/20160707082726/https://chekhovandowl.tumblr.com/girlfriendquestion) - comic
- Wayback Machine: tumblr: anagnori: 11/06/2013: Aromantic representation in fanfics, or lack thereof (https://web.archive.org/web/20140718020301/https://anagnori.tumblr.com/post/66230787155/aromantic-representation-in-fanfics-or-lack-thereof)
- Wayback Machine: anagnori: 11/29/2013 aromantacism 101 (https://web.archive.org/web/20180607132231/https://anagnori.tumblr.com/post/68486300877/i-made-a-thing-as-always-if-i-made-a-mistake)
- Wayback Machine: anagnori: 03/16/2015: Aromanticism, Empathy, and Cognitive Dissonance (https://web.archive.org/web/20160324031441/https://anagnori.tumblr.com/post/79725652770/aromanticism-empathy-and-cognitive-dissonance)
- Wayback Machine: anagnori: 11/05/2015: Different Kinds of Love (https://web.archive.org/web/20150910193850/https://anagnori.tumblr.com/post/66145349851/different-kinds-of-love)
- Wikipedia - Aromantic Flag (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aromantic_flag)
- Wikipedia - Aromanticism (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aromanticism)
- Wikipedia - Gray Asexuality (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gray_asexuality)
- Writing from Factor X: 04/02/2011: If You Can See The Invisible Elephant, Please Describe It (https://writingfromfactorx.wordpress.com/2011/04/02/if-you-can-see-the-invisible-elephant-please-describe-it/)
Additional Resources