Romantic orientation
Romantic orientation describes the gender or genders toward which a person feels romantic attraction, which can differ from their sexual orientation. The split between romantic and sexual attraction was articulated within asexual and aromantic communities in the early 2000s and is widely used in LGBTQ+ discourse to sort people by the pattern of their romantic attractions.
Romantic orientation is a self-reported identity framework that distinguishes romantic from sexual attraction; it is descriptive rather than a validated scientific taxonomy. (Asexual and aromantic communities, early 2000s (popularised via AVEN and related online spaces))
Groups
- Heteroromantic — Romantic attraction directed toward people of a gender different from one's own.
- Homoromantic — Romantic attraction directed toward people of the same gender as one's own.
- Biromantic — Romantic attraction toward people of two or more genders.
- Panromantic — Romantic attraction toward people regardless of their gender or gender identity.
- Aromantic — Experiencing little or no romantic attraction toward anyone.
- Demiromantic — Romantic attraction that develops only after forming a strong emotional bond with someone.
- Grayromantic — Experiencing romantic attraction rarely, weakly, or only under specific circumstances, falling between aromantic and romantic.
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