#aroapl

"theres no platonic explanation for this" CORRECT! there isn't. there isn't a romantic one either though

I feel like the aromantic community puts so much emphasis on platonic relationships, like platonic love is inherent to aromanticism. To be clear I’m fine with aro people valuing their own friendships, that’s great! Everyone has a different experience with love and if you feel strong platonic love as an aromantic, more power to you! But it almost feels like an expectation that if you’re aro you have to love your friends a lot (at least in a way I don’t think is as emphasized by alloromantics), and as an aroapl person it just makes me want to avoid the aromantic community as a whole.

Yes, normalize "I love you" not always being romantic. At the same time, normalise asking someone if they are comfortable with it. I cannot count how many times someone thought platonic meant "no boundary questions required" and thought the fact it was platonic was enough. Yes, normalise this expression being used in this way. Yes, normalise boundaries around platonic love.

hanahaki disease that is not only nonromantic, but is also not platonic nor queerplatonic nor familial nor anything else like that. hanahaki disease in regards to stoicism rather than desire. feelings building up inside, not of love, but of pain, or sadness, or guilt, or regret, or any other vulnerable emotions. they refuse to admit that they feel. perhaps they are funny, to the point of constsntly hurting others and telling them they deserve it, all while refusing to admit that they wish they didn't push others away like that. perhaps they are a hardworking individual, pride themselves on being useful, decide that if they asked for a lesser load it'd make things worse. perhaps they are cold, seemingly apathetic, but there is more beneath the surface than they'd like anyone to have to see. and yet... any of these examples and more, they'd have to admit that they do, in fact, feel a lot deep down, lest they suffer at best or die at worst.