“A kiss may ruin a human life.”
-Oscar Wilde
Definition
Being aromantic means you do not experience romantic attraction to other people. Aromantic people are also known as aro in slang terms.
Aromantic vs. Asexual
There is a lot of mix-up between the terms aromantic and asexual. Aromantic means you are not interested in romance but you may very well be interested in sex. Asexual means you are do not experience sexual attraction but you could potentially be interested in romantic relationships. There are also people that identify as both aromantic and asexual. An aro person is not lacking in the ability to have emotional connections with people, they just don’t have the need for a romantic connection. Many aro people have what is known as a queerplatonic relationship, which is very much like a close friendship. Aro people will often develop “squishes” which is a strong desire to have a close platonic relationship with someone. Just like with asexuality, aro people are also on a spectrum ranging from fully aromantic to somewhat alloromantic (which is the opposite of aromantic). There are terms for people who fall in between such as gray-romantic, demiromantic, WTFromantic, and lithromantic.
Aromantic Relationships
Aro people can still be in a relationship – remember, there are reasons other than romance (or sex) to be in a relationship with someone. In those relationships, affection and sex may happen. An aro person may want to be in a relationship with someone because they love them in a platonic way, even if they are not experiencing romantic love, or because they have similar life goals or want to raise a family together. Some may opt to refrain from relationships but still participate in sexual relations with others.