a blog for non-SAM aros, "just aros", and more

Synromantic </3

[Pt: Synromantic </3]

[Id in alt text

flag with 5 stripes, reminiscent of the originial 4 stripe Aro flag. From the top: light green, yellow, orange, black, light green. Containing a heart in the middle, with the 5 stripe Aro flag, dark green, light green, white, grey, black.

End ID]

Experiencing little or no romantic attraction unless the object of one's attraction is themselves aromantic. May or may not overlap with other microlabels or identities such as Aro4Aro.

Etymology:

Syn- Greek meaning "together" or "with" ex- Synonym, Synchronize.

I wanted to coin something separate from Aro4Aro. Because Aro4Aro implies that one emphasizes romance/relationships with fellow Aros, while I *only* experience romantic attraction to other Aromantic people. I didn't have romantic attraction to my current girlfriend until after she told me she was Aro too. It's a semantic difference between choosing to only date Aros and only being attracted to Aros.

What is the Aspec Glossary?

-flux is a microlabel suffix that indicates that the person in question experiences attraction of that type to a fluctuating degree. This can mean that they fluctuate between multiple identities while always remaining on the associated a-spectrum, or between being allo and aspec, etc.

Arofluxes may fluctuate between multiple identities or levels of attraction while always remaining on the aromantic spectrum (for example, fluctuating between being a green-stripe aromantic and demiromantic), or they may fluctuate between being aromantic and alloromantic, etc.

Acefluxes may fluctuate between multiple identities or levels of attraction while always remaining on the asexual spectrum (for example, fluctuating between being a black-stripe asexual and demisexual), or they may fluctuate between being asexual and allosexual, etc.

Aroacefluxes (Afluxes) are both aroflux and aceflux.

Aplfluxes may fluctuate between multiple identities or levels of attraction while always remaining on the aplatonic spectrum (for example, fluctuating between being a blue-stripe aplatonic and demiplatonic), or they may fluctuate between being aplatonic and alloplatonic, etc.

irl, i live alone. irl, i am disabled. irl, that intersection and my lack of interest in partnering actively makes life really hard. everything is expensive. i can't always cook when i want to or have fresh ingredients, because my symptoms don't care if I want to cut up vegetables and eat something homemade before they go bad. if I have a bad flareup and getting up is not in the cards, that's it. i have what's next to me. the lack of social support for single folks, for disabled folks, for folks whose family care is inadequate or damaging... it's impactful.

I talk about how i once visited a place with an ex partner. i mention how our relationship started because i was pressured into it, and i wasn't really into the level of seriousness and 'forever' she treated it with. everyone says it's weird that i agreed if i didn't want it to be serious. i remember being 16, saying no, and a chorus of people telling me i was stupid and immature, that her family was rich, that we would be cute and to listen to them, not my heart. my heart was saying nothing.

i look at my current age and life goals. for many of my peers, dating and marriage and eventual kids are common goals. i am watching my rights erode and trying to practice good mental hygeine. my five year goal is to be alive. my next major life milestone is a nebulous desire to find a life i can tolerate living.

being aromantic significantly impacts my day to day. i want to see aro people living their lives, and doing so with joy. i want to see aro adults making it, ones like me. i want aro people to thrive. i want to live, aromantically.