‘People who fall under the aromantic category do feel love, but it’s usually platonic’

Alecia Allen/ Contributing Writer

Have you ever felt that you’re not too crazy about having sex or have little to no feelings of attraction towards other people but don’t know why? You might be asexual or aromantic.

In basic terms, asexuality means that you’re not sexually attracted to other people, but can be romantically attracted to them. This means that while you may go on dates and have a significant other, you’re not really interested in having sex. Aromanticism, on the other hand, means that you experience little to no romantic attraction to others. People who fall under the aromantic category do feel love, but it’s usually platonic, like the love they have for a family member or best friend.

According to the Asexual Visibility and Education Network, “there are at least one percent of aromantics and asexuals in the world today.”

Sarah Lee, a junior majoring in social work has a friend that identifies as asexual, but their sexual identification, she said, hasn’t harmed their friendship and in fact has made it better.

“These students may be different from other students, but they’re fun, loving, and make good friends,” Lee said. “It’s like having a friend who you don’t have to worry about getting involved with because they don’t see you in a sexual way. That person is just in the relationship to nurture, support, and help you be a better individual.”

I think it’s important to let everyone know that this is not something that these individuals go through and then just grow out of.  A person can’t say, “oh it’s a phase, it’ll pass,” or “maybe you should just try sex and see if you like it” because asexuality and aromanticism are known to be innate. Instead of trying to change these individuals, just support them!

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Photo taken from Flickr.