Aromantic
(Aro)
Our Definition
refers to a person who experiences little-to-no romantic attraction. An aromantic person may or may not experience different forms of attraction such as sexual, intellectual, or platonic.
Real Life Examples
Shmedley has been in lots of intimate relationships but does not relate to the notion of romantic love.
Gloriana does not want a romantic partner, since she is aro-ace. Her most important relationship is her live-in lab assistant
Ellio had always had a hard time differentiating between the love he feels for friends and the love that he is expected to feel for intimate partners. Figuring out his aromantic identity made sense of all of this.
Common Practices &
Experiences
Everyone is different! You'll see this repeated throughout our website and glossary. Common practices and experiences involving aromantic people include, but certainly aren't limited to:
- Feeling at odds with society’s expectations regarding love and intimate relationships.
- Use in combination with one’s sexual orientation (ex. Bisexual Aromantic or Aro-Ace)
- Avoiding relationships where romantic love is expected
- Feeling uncomfortable when one is the object of romantic love
Got a beef with our definition?
Of course we don't speak for everyone! If you feel we are missing additional info, context, facts, history, or data, please email us and let us know!
While we can't promise every suggestion will make it, we'll always be working to keep this glossary thorough and inclusive!