February is claimed as a month of love birds, when romance and love is at its peak on everyone’s mind. There is a section of LGBTQIA+ community whose romantic quotient is never as strong as most of us. Who are these people and why romance is not a priority for them, let’s know more about Aromantic aka ‘Aro’ spectrum.
Aromantic individuals are those who do not experience romantic attraction towards person(s) of any gender. Feeling of romance and relationship vary among aromantic people.
To understand what aromantic means, one needs to understand between romantic attraction and sexual attraction.
Romantic attraction: desire to know someone emotionally, mutual physical touch (caress, hug, cuddle)
Sexual attraction: show sexual interest in other person(s).
Aromantic people’s lack of desire for romance can often make people to think that they are cold and have attitude issues, but that’s a myth. Aromantic individuals can make social connections and feel platonic love, like between friends and family. They are the ones who knows how to segregate love and sex.
Signs that one can be aromantic:
- One doesn’t have romantic crushes.
- Sexual attractions are never romanticized.
- One don’t see themselves in romantic relationships.
- One does understand and respect romantic attraction but it’s always seems to be at bottom of one’s priorities in
a relationship. - Romantic gestures are not well appreciated cause one doesn’t feel that way.
- Erotic love is never mixed with romantic love.
In 2023, Aromantic Spectrum Awareness Week is celebrated from 19–25 February 2023. It’s celebrated to create awareness and safe space for aromatic people.
Hopefully after reading this, next time if you come across aromantic person, your judgement guards go south and you try to make them feel accepted and celebrated.
Mihir Maher
Mihir is a physiotherapist, LGBTQI activist, mental health awareness for the community. He is the president of Impulse Mumbai, a forum of LGBTQIA+ community India to create awareness on HIV/AIDS, STIs, Mental Health, etc, via events and other engaging digital content. Physiotherapist, LGBTQI activist, mental health awareness for the community.
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