Everyone, regardless of identity, can benefit from learning about aromantic, asexual, and aspec experiences. They broaden our view of intimacy, showing that purpose can be found in countless ways beyond the traditional frameworks of romance and sex, creating space for everybody

Aromantic, asexual, and aspec people often build their lives around friendships in a way that is intentional and deeply meaningful. Building intimate connections that are real and sustaining without the expectation of sex or romance is so genuinely important

Aromantic, asexual, and aspec people are infantilized because attraction and partnership are viewed as a prerequisite to adulthood. This is harmful and projects that we'll "grow up eventually" but also that we aren't mature enough to consent or have valuable relationships

There's no wrong way to be aromantic, asexual, or aspec. Intimacy is such a diverse concept that allows for different meanings and associations based on individual desires and boundaries. All the ways in which we navigate our identities are important, and I think that's beautiful

Intimacy as a concept must transcend traditional ideas of sex and romance. When these attractions are viewed as inherent for a deep connection, it pressures an experience onto people without giving them the tools necessary to evaluate what they actually want for themselves

Queerplatonic relationships show us that there's freedom in defining partnership for yourself. Meaningful connection isn't determined by tradition, but the intention we use when caring for one another. We don't have to inherit anyone else's idea of intimacy in order to be happy

Asexuality challenges a culture that often conflates perceived desirability with sexual availability. Our identities invite reconsideration about what we're told is inherent to intimacy and attraction. Perception alone can never tell you what kind of connection someone might seek

Being asexual means growing up in a world shaped by compulsory sexuality. When we've inherited expectations without the ability to question them, it's easy to get confused about your own experiences. Understanding yourself means learning what's yours and what's been handed to you

For me, being aromantic and asexual is just as much of a political identity as it is a personal one. Breaking down normative structures and rejecting the imposition of intimacy, desire, and connection as defined by others is how I prefer to move through the world

Asexual people are often seen as naive because of society's focus on attraction as a sign of maturity. The reality is that many of us learn who we are by reflecting on the ways intimacy is presented to us and understanding where it does or doesn't make sense with our experiences

While aromantic and asexual people can have healthy partnerships, centering our acceptance and quality of life around that idea does more harm than good. We are deserving of respect and inclusion regardless of how we interact with intimacy and the actions associated with it

Being aromantic, asexual, or aspec isn't about absence, it's about presence. Connecting with others on our own terms means we get to define intimacy in ways that honor our boundaries and craft meaningful relationships beyond societal expectation. I just think that's beautiful

Asexuality and aromanticism have an incredible amount of political value that deserves to be acknowledged. With the way that amatonormativity is woven throughout various social structures, our experiences provide much needed perspective surrounding the nuance of connection

It's so sad that most aromantic, asexual, and aspec people reach the conclusion that they're "broken" WAY before they have the language accessible to them to even begin realizing who they are

A common conclusion that aphobes come to about why people identify as aromantic or asexual is that we're unattractive, which operates under the assumption that our identities are performative but is often a projection of their own misconseptions surrounding our orientations

The overall dismissal of predominantly asexual and aromantic experiences, as well how we chose to articulate them, shows how ingrained aphobia is in society. Erasure is discrimination and, passive or not, it carries a violent weight that deserves to be taken seriously

Aphobia is ingrained in our society because allonormativity places such heavy emphasis on sexual and romantic attraction, subsequently follwed by action, in relation to maturity and fulfillment as well as perpetuating them as inherent to the human experience, which isnt inclusive

"You're aromantic? But everyone needs love" Love isn't just romantic, but also centering someone's worth around how they interact with and articulate the idea of intimacy is incredibly othering. Being aromantic isn't a burden; we're whole, and our orientations are a part of that

While aromantic and asexual people can have healthy partnerships, centering our acceptance and quality of life around that idea does more harm than good. We are deserving of respect and inclusion regardless of how we interact with intimacy and the actions associated with it

Reimagining partnership as an aromantic person means finding love in community. Friends, chosen family, queerplatonic bonds, and so many other types of connection are important, not because they imitate romance, but because the weight of those relationships stand on their own

Aromantic and asexual identities aren't the result of unfulfilled allonormativity. Centering our quality of life around how we interact with attraction and its associates perpetuates that we're incomplete when our orientations and experiences are a part of what makes us whole

Aromantic, asexual, and aspec people also deserve to get what they want out of relationships. In the same way that we understand others' unwavering priorities, the weight of our identities and experiences needs to be respected as well

Aromantic, asexual, and aspec people aren't JUST valid, we're valuable and deserving of a space within the queer community. Letting people know we exist without actually allowing our voices to be heard isn't enough anymore

"Queerplatonic relationships? You mean just friends" Queerplatonic partnership isn't synonymous with friendship. Qprs are committed relationships on a foundation that isn't romantic or platonic, even if it has some elements that traditionally fit into those categories

It's unfortunate to me that asexuality in media is presented as less interesting or multifaceted than allosexual identities despite being an orientation that is incredibly varied and can add a lot of dimension to a character or plot line while also providing representation

To disregard the value of aromantic and asexual intimacy, and the nuances that come with it, is to be ignorant to varied social dynamics and perpetuate a hierarchical view of relationships established by harmful frameworks that aren't inclusive to everybody's experiences

As an aroace person, I dont want someone who feels like being with me is a sacrifice. In the way that I respect unwavering priorities, I need an understanding of the impact my identity has on me. Everyone should get what they want out of relationships, including aroace people

"You're asexual? I feel sorry for your partners" Our identities aren't a burden or a sacrifice. Centering the quality of relationships around asexuality is incredibly othering. Partnerships with nuanced attraction can work, and sustaining that ace people aren't whole isn't okay

Saying queerplatonic partners are "just friends" undervalues both of these types of connection and belittles language accessible to us. Perpetuating the allonormative idea that true love is inherently romantic is harmful to both aromantic people and the community as a whole