Aromantic
(also: aro)
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- General Information
- Aromantic Flag
- Other Identities
- External Links
- Aromantic Resources
- Aromantic Representation Resources
- Aromantic Experiences Resources
- Aromantic Forums
- Aromantic Terminology Resources
- Aromantic FAQ & Ally Resources
- Aromantic Flag Resources
- Lithromantic Resources
- Additional Resources
- Back to the Definition
Introduction
The default assumption about romance presented by society as a whole is that everyone must be interested in it. The idea that there are people who would not be interested in romance, or have no desire to develop an interest in such a thing is something that rarely crosses the minds of the general public. Regardless of these thoughts perpetuated by alloromantic people, there are still plenty of people who experience little to no romantic attraction to other human beings.
While the primary focus of The Transgender Dictionary is regarding discussion of gender, pages such as this one have been included for educational purposes. Discussion of variations in romantic orientation often overlap with discussions of gender diversity.
For more information on various topics related to relationships and such, please see the dropdown buttons found in the top menu. Otherwise use the alphabet buttons to navigate to other sections of this site for more information on queer topics. Clicking on underlined words or phases throughout this page will lead you to other sections of The Transgender Dictionary while clicking on links underneath the [External Links] section will lead you to other parts of the internet that are not affliated with The Transgender Dictionary.
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General Information
People who are aromantic experience little to no romantic attraction to other people. There are various terms that have been coined to describe variations in this experience. These various terms are broadly referred to as "the aromantic spectrum" or "the aro spectrum." For example, the label "aroflux" describes people who alternate between what levels of romantic attraction they experience.
People who identify as both aromantic and asexual sometimes use the label of "aroace." Not all asexual people are aromantic, and not all aromantic people are asexual. Some aromantic people seek out sexual relationships with other people, some don't. Some seek out QPRs. Most aromantic people are able to feel satisfied in life without dating anyone at all.
People who are aromantic tend not to fall in love or experience crushes.
Click here to jump to [External Links] section [Aroflux Resources] subsection.
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Aromantic Pride Flag
August 25 is aromantic spectrum visibility day.
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.
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Other Identities (on the aro spectrum)
There are other identities on the aromantic spectrum. Click the hyperlinks below to learn more about them.
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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.
Aromantic Representation Resources
- AZE Journal (https://azejournal.com/) - AZE is a literary and art journal publishing asexual, aromantic, and agender authors that was created in 2016.
- Queer Books for Teens - Aromantic (https://queerbooksforteens.com/find-books/?fwp_romantic=aromantic) - list of books with aromantic characters
- 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)
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Aromantic Experiences Resources
- 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)
- Black Dog Musings: 11/24/2011: Attraction (https://blackdogmusings.blogspot.com/2011/11/attraction_24.html)
- Skeptics Play: 11/14/2011: Attraction is like wine (https://skepticsplay.blogspot.com/2011/11/attraction-is-like-wine.html)
- 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)
- 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/)
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Aromantic Terminology Resources
- Merriam Webster - Aromantic (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aromantic)
- Merriam Webster - Aromanticism (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aromanticism)
- Trans Language Primer - Aromantic (https://translanguageprimer.com/aromantic/)
- Tumblr: AroSpecAwarenessWeek: Glossary (https://arospecawarenessweek.tumblr.com/glossary)
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Aromantic Forums
- Arocalypse (https://www.arocalypse.com/) - aromantic forum
- Reddit - r/aromantic (https://www.reddit.com/r/aromantic/) - aromantic reddit forum
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Aromantic FAQ & Ally Resources
- BuzzFeed: mcrosswell: 07/08/2014: 5 Myths About Aromanticism (https://www.buzzfeed.com/mcrosswell/5-myths-about-aromanticism-tysc#.hfj8VGB2X)
- 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/)
- 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)
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Aromantic Flag Resources
- 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)
- Wikipedia - Aromantic Flag (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aromantic_flag)
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Lithromantic Resources
- Aromantic - Fandom - Wiki - Lithromantic (https://aromantic.fandom.com/wiki/Lithromantic)
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Additional Resources
- Aromantic - Fandom - Wiki (https://aromantic.fandom.com/wiki/Aromantics_Wiki) - wiki dedicated to all topics related to aromanticism
- AroSpecWeek (https://www.arospecweek.org/) - information regarding aromantic spectrum awareness week, along with answers to FAQs, experiences written by other aromantic people, additional resources, and ways to organize events and meet-ups and such
- 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) - some drawings/diagrams explaining the aro spectrum
- LGBTQIA - Fandom - Wiki - Aromantic (https://lgbtqia.fandom.com/wiki/Aromantic)
- Orientation - Fandom - Wiki - Aromantic (https://orientation.fandom.com/wiki/Aromantic)
- Queerdom - Fandom - Wiki - Aromantic (https://queerdom.fandom.com/wiki/Aromantic)
- Tumblr: arospecawarenessweek (https://arospecawarenessweek.tumblr.com/)
- 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: 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 - Aromanticism (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aromanticism)
- YouTube Video: Stuff Mom Never Told You: 10/26/2013: People Who Don't Want to Fall in Love
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