Demiromantic: A demiromantic does not experience romantic attraction unless they have already formed a strong emotional bond with the person.
Demisexual: A demisexual does not experience sexual attraction unless they have already formed a strong emotional bond with the person. The bond may or may not be romantic in nature. Please note that there is a difference between demisexuality, which involves attraction, and “I don’t have sex unless I love someone”, which has to do with behavior.
Erasure: How can I explain when there are few words I can choose? Sometimes, when people talk, they’ll hideaway other people’s sexuality. I don’t know why. When this happens, it tends to turn the love to anger. Stop! It doesn’t have to be like that. I say, I say, I say: “I know it ain’t easy to see the truth, but reach out and gimme gimme gimme a little respect, and live in harmony, harmony.”
Grace: A colloquial abbreviation of “Gray-Asexual”.
Gray-A: A colloquial abbreviation of “Gray-Asexual”.
Gray-Asexual: A gray-asexual may infrequently experience sexual attraction or may experience low sexual desire, yet will generally identify as being close to asexual. Gray-asexuals differ from demisexuals in that demisexuals will require an emotional bond before experiencing attraction, yet graces do not necessarily require a bond. The word “gray” comes from the “gray area” between asexuality and non- asexuality.
Heteroromantic: A romantic orientation characterized by romantic attraction to the opposite gender.
Heterosexual: A sexual orientation characterized by sexual attraction to the opposite gender.
Homoromantic: A romantic orientation characterized by romantic attraction to the same gender.
Homosexual: A sexual orientation characterized by sexual attraction to the same gender.
Libido: Also called “sex drive”, a libido may cause arousal and/or strong desires or urges to engage in sexual activity (although not necessarily with a partner).
Lithromantic: Someone who experiences romantic attraction, but does not desire reciprocation.
Panromantic: A romantic orientation characterized by romantic attraction to any gender.
Pansexual: A sexual orientation characterized by sexual attraction to any gender.
Pie: Better than sex. Also better than cake.
Repulsed: Feeling disgusted or put off by the thought of sex. It’s not necessarily the thought that sex is “wrong”, more that it’s “icky”.
Romantic Attraction: A sense of “I would like to be involved in a romantic relationship with that person”. (Please note that “romantic” in this context does not necessarily mean flowers and sunsets on the beach and candlelit dinners.)
Romantic Orientation: A description of the gender or genders (or lack thereof) that one experiences romantic attraction towards.
Sexual Attraction: A sense of “I would like to engage in sexual activity with that person”.
Sexual Orientation: A description of the gender or genders (or lack thereof) that one experiences sexual attraction towards.
References
Here is a list of asexuality related websites that you may find useful or interesting.
The web page for the book you’re holding.
http://www.asexualityarchive.com/
Asexual Visibility and Education Network. AVEN is one of the largest asexual communities on the Internet.
It doesn’t exist if it’s not on Wikipedia, so fortunately, asexuality has its own page.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asexuality
A collaborative vlog channel on YouTube on asexuality.
http://www.youtube.com/user/hotpiecesoface
Posts tagged with “asexuality” on Tumblr. (Warning: Unmoderated)
http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/asexuality
An asexuality themed community on LiveJournal.
About the Author
I am asexual. I made the discovery in April 2011, after years of thinking that I just wasn’t any good at being straight. I’m a cismale with a currently undetermined romantic orientation that lives somewhere close to aromantic, but with just enough heteroromantic touches sprinkled into it to keep things confusing. I currently live outside of Seattle and work in the software industry.
Web: http://www.asexualityarchive.com/
Email: ace@asexualityarchive.com
Twitter: @AceArchive
Visit http://www.asexualityarchive.com/book/ for updates.
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