r/Orientedaroace • u/Therarity72 • 3d ago
r/Orientedaroace • u/onyxonix • Oct 02 '20
đResourceđ Oriented AroAce Information Page
This is an information page about what it means to be oriented aroace as well as answers to some commonly asked questions. This page is always being updated so if you would like to add something, leave a comment or message a mod.
Note May 2022: Since the LGBT wiki was taken down, some of these links don't work. They will be replaced when replacements are found.
What is oriented aroace?
An oriented aroace is an aromantic asexual (aroace) person who experiences a different form of attraction that is neither romantic nor sexual, but is significant enough to warrant a place alongside their aroace orientation. This means an aroace person uses a sexuality label such as gay, lesbian, uranic, or pan alongside the label aroace to explain their sexuality.
What is angled aroace?
Oriented aroace is not the same as angled aroace. Oriented aroace refers to "vanilla" aromantic asexuals who do not experience sexual or romantic attraction in any way while angled aroace refers to aroaces who can experience sexual or romantic attraction, such as demisexuals/romantics or greyasexuals/romantics. However, we don't care about the distinction much and angled aroaces are still welcome on this subreddit of course. The creator of the term Oriented Aroace was a bit of a gatekeeper so we're trying to break down those barriers and make the oriented aroace community inclusive to whoever feels like they belong here. We just want people to find a label and community they are comfortable with.
What is electio aroace?
An electio aroace is an aromantic asexual who does not experience tertiary attraction. But, some electio aroaces still use labels such as lesbian electio aroace or bi electioaroace to indicate which gender(s) they seek relationships with, if they want a relationship that is.
What labels are okay to use alongside the term oriented aroace? What order do I put words in?
Here is a guide as to how to form an oriented-aroace label.
Affinitive orientation, or words that describe who someone is attracted to, labels can be used to describe sexuality can be used alongside the term oriented aroace. Here is a list of examples with their definitions. These labels can be used in addition to an amative orientation label, or words that describe how someone experiences attraction. Most typically, one would say that they are their affinitive orientation-oriented aroace but if one would like to be more specific, they can also add their amative orientation and type of tertiary attraction.
For example, someone may say they are gay-oriented or homo-oriented aroace but if they wanted to be more specific they could add a form of tertiary attraction, such as homoaesthetic; add their amative orientation, such as grayhomo-oriented aroace; or add both their amative orientation and tertiary attraction to their affinitive orientation, such as grayhomoaesthetic-oriented aroace.
Labels describing gender identity such as transgender or non-binary cannot be used as an orientation. If you are attracted to, for example, non-binary people, you can use a label such as cetero-oriented aroace. If you are an oriented aroace non-binary person, you could say, for example, you are an oriented aroace enby. Remember: sexuality labels are adjectives (with rare exceptions) while gender identity labels are nouns.
What are the different kinds of attraction?
Tertiary Attraction is an umbrella term made by the aro community used to describe nonsexual non-romantic attraction. Some types of tertiary attraction include the following:
Aesthetic Attraction is form physical attraction to appearance or the way someone looks
Alterous Attraction is a form of emotional attraction that is not romantic in nature
Amical Attraction is best described as a best friends relationship or similar to siblinghood that often is similar to or overlaps with queerplatonic feelings, involves nonsexual touching, and is valued more than other relationships
Cedural Attraction is a type of attraction that stems from the need to be protected or understood
Familial Attraction is a type of attraction based on a desire for emotional closeness with a person in the same way a person is bonded with their family
Intellectual Attraction is a type of attraction based on the desire to form an intellectual bond with someone
Platonic Attraction is a type of attraction describing the desire to form a close friendship with someone specific
Presential Attraction is a type of attraction based on the desire to know someone through their presence rather than by intimacy or touch
Queerplatonic Attraction (see Queerplatonic relationships below)
Sensual Attraction describes attraction to another person involving the senses, usually touch. Usually describes interest in nonsexual attraction such as cuddling or kissing but also includes non-tactile ways such as attraction to voices
Social Attraction is based on a desire to form social relationships or socialize with a particular person
Tutelary Attraction revolves around the desire to protect or care for a specific person
What if I don't experience these kinds of attraction?
Just like how not everyone experiences sexual and romantic attraction, not everyone experiences the types of attraction listed above. For example, a person who doesn't experience sensual attraction can be asensual or nonsensual. If someone does experience these kinds of attraction, that is considered allo and they would be called something such as alloplatonic or allosensual. And as stated above, electio aroace is a label you can use if it feels right.
What is a [insert type of attraction] crush called?
A squish is the a-spec equivalent of a crush, meaning a crush without the desire for a romantic or sexual relationship. There are also more specific words used for specific kinds of attraction such as the following: an amical crush is called a shush or thresh, a presential crush is called a swoon, a sensual crush is called a swoon, a social crush is called a rush, an alterous crush is called a mesh or a hush, and a tutelary crush is called a mush. Most specific words are rarely used and generally just called squishes.
Can aroaces still be in relationships?
Yes, they can. Many aromantics and asexuals are in Queerplatonic Relationships, also known as quasiplatonic relationships or queerplatonic partnerships. There is no set way to be in a QPR and anyone can be in one regardless of gender or sexuality. They can be monogamous or polyamorous, live together or not, be married or unmarried, have children or not. There is no set in stone way to be in a QPR but they are often characterized by close friendship and physical affection.
Where can I talk to other oriented aroaces?
Here is a permanent link to this subreddit's original discord.
r/Orientedaroace • u/Once_Upon_A_Mafia • 4d ago
My Attraction Flow Chart!
I've seen multiple of these flow charts recently on various subs, so I decided to make one.
I am technically Angled AroAce as I experience sexual attraction to a degree, but I've heard that Oriented AroAce can be used interchangeably.
Microlabels:
- Cupioromantic - Experiencing no romantic attraction, but desiring romantic relationships.
- Aegoromantic - An aromantic person who enjoys the concept of romance, especially in media.
- Aessex - Somebody whose aesthetic and sexual attraction are linked, often the lines between them are blurred. (I also use the term "Pseudosexual").
- Toric - Non-Binary people with attraction to non-women/feminine-aligned people.
- Achillean - Queer attraction to non-women/feminine-aligned people.
- Androsexual - Attraction to men, male-aligned, and/or masculine people.
- Panalterous - Alterous attraction regardless of gender identity.
- Uranisthetic - Aesthetic attraction to men and non-binary people.
- Asenflux - A fluctuating sensual attraction.
- Apothisensual - Touch-averse asensuality.
- Dovesensual - The desire to engage in or reciprocate sensual activity, but only when an emotional bond is present.
- Uranisensual - Sensual attraction to men and non-binary people.
r/Orientedaroace • u/ThisJasch • 5d ago
My flowchart
Yeah I dont really care if people think I am valide in RL I just use the AroAceflag and call it a day.
r/Orientedaroace • u/Therarity72 • 8d ago
Question can i be both objectum and oriented aroace?
like i experience absolutely zero romantic or sexual attraction but i do get squishes on objects :/
r/Orientedaroace • u/Natural_Maybe_2966 • 8d ago
Question Is there any label in between aroace and oriented aroace?
The title is pretty much self explanatory, I'm both sex and romance repulsed aroace but sort of feel tertiary attractions towards some people, but they (the tertiary attractions) aren't really that strong mostly and I don't know if I would really consider them being that important to me, so I just tend up using both aroace and oriented aroace labels... is there possibly something in between?
r/Orientedaroace • u/nilancello • 11d ago
Question Can you be demiromantic AND oriented aroace? (Please read all)
So, I know that oriented aroace means experiencing absolutely no romantic or sexual attraction, but experiencing teritary forms of attraction, such as platonic attraction, sensual attraction, etc. I myself identify as 'oriented aroace.'
The thing is, I would like to make a headcanon about a character from a show I really like. (Good Omens; Aziraphale). I headcanon him as oriented aroace, but I also want to headcanon him as demiromantic in the sense that he needs a strong, deep emotional connection to experience tertiary attraction (in this case, strong, platonic attraction) towards another person.
Does that work? Can I just headcanon him as oriented aroace and demiromantic in that sense? Or is there already a sexuality that describes needing a strong emotional connection to experience tertiary attraction?
r/Orientedaroace • u/Fast-Pea3758 • 19d ago
Discussion âŠHas the word âattractionâ ever hit you?
Hello everyone,
Out of curiosity, has the word âattractionâ hit you when figuring out, learning, and/or accepting your asexuality or aromanticism?
For clarification, short story time:
A few days after reading Ace by Angela Chen on November 2025, the word âattractionâ finally hit me and cleared up a lot of things about being ace, then aro later on. For me at that time, that meant saying, âI donât experience sexual attraction, but I have some sort of attraction to people. However, I can tell you right now that my sexual desire is high.â
I guess what Iâm talking about is the nuance finally hitting me. Regardless, it felt great to finally get that clarification for myself.
Has anyone had a similar experience?
r/Orientedaroace • u/paperthinhymn11 • 21d ago
feeling jealously?
i have a friend i have a very deep love for. i always thought it was alterous (with some sexual feelings) until this friend started expressing interest in someone else romantically, and i found myself feeling surprisingly jealous of the two of them whenever all of us would hang out together or whenever my friend would talk about their crush on this other person. it made me sad and i would often cry bc i wanted it to be me - i wanted them to see me and like me the same way they saw and liked their crush, and i wanted to be able to do/say the same things to them that their crush was doing/saying (including things iâve been wanting to express since before they even knew this other person). things didnât end up working out between the two of them and when i found out i felt this immediate sense of relief, like i finally had a chance again
if they ever did find a partner i think i would feel shattered. but iâm not sure if this is stemming from romantic love or alterous love, or if jealousy in alterous love is even possible. all i know is that they mean so much to me that even if they did find a partner, i think i would still love them just as much as i do now and i would still want to be just as close, because not having them in my life would hurt a million times more. they are my person. they are home and family to me (and i to them - weâve said this to each other many times) and i canât imagine my life without them in it. i am so devoted to them and sometimes i feel like i just want to shower them with my love without needing them to love me back; but then when they do happen to have a crush on someone else, why is it that i suddenly feel jealous and protective?
has anyone else been in a similar situation before? does this sound like something that can happen in alterous love? or could this really be romantic love?
r/Orientedaroace • u/AdMajestic2438 • 24d ago
Question Thoughts on the specific orientation flags?
I see them used...no where actually. It wouldn't surprise me if some people didn't know they existed. Would you use them or just stick with the general oriented flag?
In order: lesbian, gay, bi, pan, poly, hetero, sapphic, achillean.
Ok, just realized my image quality is crusty, lmao. Download the flags from the wiki if you want higher resolution.
r/Orientedaroace • u/-_LunaMiuna_- • 26d ago
Check out this upcoming awesome song it's called Plato-Romantic
The merging of what is considered romantic and platonic too AAAA I love it so much
r/Orientedaroace • u/mashibeans • 27d ago
Vent Being told off and downvoted when claiming I'm hetero areace (specifically, aego)
So yeah, I (f40+) frequent some subs considered radical (feminism) and sadly when I said in one that I was "technically straight, but also aroace, specifically aego, I'm got downvoted and someone even told me off, that it's impossible to be straight AND aroace, and that I was stealing the Ace labels and using them like a fad or something...
I feel very disheartened because I thought that group was more inclusive, and also because it took me a long time to find myself and finally find some labels that explain my personal experience.
Am I wrong for claiming to technically be "straight" as in, a woman who is technically attracted in some way to men, but also Ace? I use aego-sexuality/romantic because it's the one that fits me best, any fantasies I might have are in a heteronormative dynamic of a woman and a man, even when I have a disconnect between the "self" and the fantasy.
Maybe it was my mistake for using the word "straight" instead of "hetero" but I never thought it was a problem before, I felt it was the best way to describe my own self.
Is there a more socially acceptable way to describe myself? Or am I wrong for feeling this way and I'm not really Ace? I really feel I'm aego...
r/Orientedaroace • u/Ornery-Personality82 • Jun 22 '26
Am I bi, les, ace
Please see my post of earlier, I just say I'm queer atp
r/Orientedaroace • u/maxarat • Jun 14 '26
Meme Identity Flowchart
I'm new to Reddit but I've seen a few people make flowcharts and I thought it would be fun to share mine!
Queer
AroAce
Oriented AroAce
Tertiary Attraction
Forms of attraction other than romantic and sexual, or other than physical and emotional
- Aesthetic Attraction
Attraction to the way someone looks, or how they present themselves
- Bi
Attraction to two or more genders
- Queerplatonic Attraction
Attraction that bends the rules for telling apart romantic attraction from non-romantic attraction.
- Demiqueerplatonic
Where one experiences platonic attraction to a person after they have developed an emotional connection to them
Experiencing queerplatonic attraction to two or more genders
- Ambiamorous
Someone with the ability to enjoy both monoamory and polyamory with little to no preference between the two. This can apply to romantic, sexual, queerplatonic relationships, or any other type of relationship.
- T4T
Transgender individuals who are either exclusively attracted to trans or otherwise non-cis individuals, or emphasize or prioritize their attraction and relationships with other trans individuals
- Queerian (Q4Q)
A queer person who celebrates queer love, queercentered relationship(s), and prioritizes their attraction to and relationships with other queer people
Asexual
Sex-Averse
Sex-averse individuals may find the idea of personally engaging in sexual activity to be undesirable, uninteresting, uncomfortable or generally unwanted
Aromantic
Aegoromantic
One who has a disconnection between themselves and the subject of romantic fantasies or attraction
- Romance-Ambivalent
Describes a personâs mixed feelings about romance or things related to it
Genderqueer
Transgender
Agender
AroAceAgender
Autigender
where autism is a part or whole of one's gender identity, or a gender that can only be understood in the context of being autistic
- Cassgender
A gender identity in which one feels that their gender is unimportant or one is indifferent to the idea of gender
Definitions are from MOGAI Wiki unless otherwise stated.
r/Orientedaroace • u/MeepBabaan • Jun 14 '26
Question I don't really know what I am?
Hello! I'm kind of new to aroace specs and how this stuff works but I've been struggling figuring out what I am and I felt that this was the right place to go. I'm also using this opportunity to see if there might be anyone else out there who feel the same as me.
Recently Ive realized that I may be aroace spec but I've yet to figure out where I am on it. What sent me down this road was the ending of a long term relationship of mine, which I've found out after some self reflection, that I was on the spectrum. This relationship lasted for about 3 years and what really set me off was a mutual friend of mine that was also aroace spec and questioned how I really felt with my relationships in general. The possiblity of me being on the spectrum wasn't a new one, I came to terms with it a while ago but for the sake of my relationship at the time I didn't look too deep into it for fear of social backlash.
Now what really made me come here was actually a problem of having a squish? Crush? Thing? With one of my friends. And it's been so confusing to me. I don't crave a romantic relationship necessarily but I also do? It's like I feel that fluttery feeling like I did with my ex but that feeling always hurts? It's like I need to throw up but I hate throwing up. Can't stand it đ and I just don't know how to proceed? I wouldn't mind if we stayed friends and I wouldn't mind getting in a relationship either but it's just so confusing on what I want. This feeling that I get is overwhelming and it's not in a good way. It's also important to note that I'm neurodivergent but it's all mostly undiagnosed so I couldn't really say to what capacity. I like this person's style, and I was to hug and kiss them but at times that thought repulses me but then other times it's all I can think about. And then I'm kind of hit with a bomb shell that I might not even like physical touch and kissing but I'm assuming that the repulsion and the craving of it is to do with my environment growing up and the general stigma about getting into a relationship.
I really don't mean to make this seem like a vent, but it's just extremely hard to put into words on how I feel about this person. I wish I could confidently say what I'm attracted to from this person but I can't considering my last relationship wasn't exactly what I thought it was on the attraction scale. I guess I mainly want advice as to where to look with these kind of things, and if anyone has any experience in feeling this way?
TLDR I'm feelings things and they're overwhelming to the point it hurts to think about, and I need help on identifying on what this is. Thank you for listening to my TED talk
r/Orientedaroace • u/startoursg24t • Jun 13 '26
Celebration Finally found the Ace ring I wanted!
galleryr/Orientedaroace • u/Idk_who_I_am17181920 • Jun 12 '26
Question Idk if its vaid to call myself oriented aroace
Hello guys how are yall doing? I'm 17 (F) and i want to ask if calling myself lesbian or bisexual aroace is okay or no, im okay with the label aroace alone and I'm okay with not using lesbian label but i sometimes like to use it and idk if its okay.
So to start from the very beginning:
Since childhood I have shown love to feminine male characters in anime or cartoons and that's it, but when I turned 11 i was addicted to AMVs, particularly one about an anime with a very cute female gothic character (and athore characters), i was also drawn to femal or feminine male aesthetically more than stereotypical masculinity and stuffs.
When I turned 14 i was like "omg these girls are so lovely they are so cute I want to marry them " and i was enthusiastic whene saying it, but i didnt know anything about types of attractions and i was homophobic so thene i will say "duh ofc i was joking" and i actually beleived my lies, i picked male crushes because i wanted to feel mature (i was infentased sooo much) but my excitement toward feminine stuffs was stronger but i wasnt overthinking it.
At 16 and 17 i start feeling things i dont understand toward bo#bs (oml im ashamed im writing this oml!) and i just hate it, like i use dto feel that feeling toward athore stuffs that are not sexual but i feel ashamed to talk about, i will tell a therapist about it not yall sorry, but at that time i was still a little bit homophobic, like i would be an ally at day and a homophobic before i sleep, so i thought i was homosexual and got scared but thene figured out my favorite anime character that makes me feel less guilty about the thing i refused to tell yall about before was queer so i chilled (ik ik stupid as hell)
Then I started searching about asexuality and aromantisim in january this year because i knew jadain animation made a vid about it so i watched it and it makes sense for me:)
But i beleive i ve got a lot of male crushes, even more than female cruches (talking abiut fiction i still aro guys) but ikr that i had a lot of femal crushes that i choose not to give that label because of my old homophobia
Im mainly asking yall because i think only those who fall in "little romantic /sexual attraction" that identify with it so i want to make sure:)
Edit: i think its important to add that there was a time where i liked male fictional characters more than female but i feel like i love females more (afab,nonbinary and trans women) i mean i liked women for the largest time in my life.
Idk if i will enjoy touch and closeness but lately when im overwhelmed i figured out if I imagined two women being close to each athore then project their feelings on me i will feel better, but as i said irl it will be awkward and im not sure if i can do it naturally, like i can start it but it wont last long and it will becom manual, but idk.
r/Orientedaroace • u/ConfusionMuted6748 • Jun 09 '26
Question Comment savoir si je suis aroace
r/Orientedaroace • u/dlufkydykful • Jun 04 '26
dĂșvida da minha sexualidade
desde que eu tinha 11 anos eu me entendi como lésbica e posteriormente aroace, mas nunca soube onde exatamente me encaixava, passei por alguns relacionamentos, o principal foi um a distùncia durante 2 anos, foi na pandemia então tinha aql de gf e tals, dps ainda me relacionei com outras garotas e pessoas não binårias, inclusive algumas eu transei. atualmente estou em um relacionamento de 1 ano com uma garota e com ela eu percebi algo, minha relação com a sexualidade nunca foi sobre não gostar de homens e sim sobre não gostar de pessoas, percebi que tudo parecia ser apenas algo forçado e como eu entendia que não gostava de homens, automaticamente eu gostava de garotas, com todo sentido extremamente intenso por ela me fez perceber isso, eu sempre achei tudo relacionado a romance e sexo extremamente repugnante, nunca gostei de pornografia, nunca gostei nem se quer de beijos.
isso me leva a uma dĂșvida genuĂna, serĂĄ que eu sou lĂ©sbica de fato ou sou apenas demi? eu sei que tudo que eu estou sentindo agora Ă© gigantesco pra cacete, nĂŁo acho que seja grey-aroace, mas serĂĄ que faz sentido eu ser so demi sem ser bissexual? pq de fato eu nĂŁo me imagino com homem e acho ate repugnante, mas ultimamente tava pensando e com mulheres tb Ă© assim, talvez em uma escala menor por mulheres serem de certa forma "melhores" (nĂŁo sei me expressar direito, peço perdĂŁo), mas eu nĂŁo sei se faz sentido eu ser so demi, tipo, eu me apaixonaria por um homem??????? pra mim nĂŁo faz sentido pq parece repugnante, mas olhando pra trĂĄs, por uma mulher tb era antes dela, eu to confusa
obs: eu sou bigenero tb, nĂŁo sei se Ă© relevante
caso algo esteja escrito errado, estou com tradutor (se estiver em inglĂȘs ou espanhol, post originalmente em portuguĂȘs, apenas estou copiando e colando o que eu escrevi)
r/Orientedaroace • u/c1trustt • May 26 '26
new here, but decided to make my flow chart!
Oriangled Aroace: A label for those who are both angled aroace and oriented aroace.
Angled Aroace: A label for those who are both acespec and arospec.
Asexual: A label for those who experience little to no sexual attraction.
Apothisexual: A label for those who are asexual and sex-repulsed.
Black Stripe Asexual: A label for those who experience absolutely NO sexual attraction.
Arospec: A label for those who are on the aromatic spectrum.
Compliaro: A label for those whose aromatic identity is so complicated that they just say they are aroace.
Cupioflux: A label for those whose desire for a romantic relationship fluctuates in intensity.
Cupioarospike: A label for those who are typically aromantic, but experience sudden spikes of cupioromanticism in which they desire a relationship before returning to being aromantic.
Cupioflip: A label for those who flip between cupioromantic and aromantic with no set frequency or duration.
Fortaromantic: A label for those who are aromantic, but regularly entertain the idea of being in a romantic relationship in the future for whatever reason.
Undefinedromantic: A label for those whose romanticism is undefined for whatever reason (for me: never experiencing romantic attraction and not knowing if I ever will).
Quoiromantic: A label for those who are unsure if they experience romantic attraction.
Nebularomantic: A label for neurodivergent individuals who struggle to differentiate between platonic and romantic attraction.
Theoryromantic: A label for those who in theory might be romantically attracted to others, but are unsure due to never experiencing it.
Arofluid: A label for those who are fluid between different arospec labels.
Demiromantic: A label for those whose aromatic only experience romantic attraction after a deep emotional bond has been formed.
Prospatheiaromantic: A label for those who, in order to feel romantic attraction, must first convince themselves that they do or should feel attracted to that person.
Quepromatic: A label for those who only experience romantic attraction after a queerplatonic bond/relationship has been formed.
Oriented Aroace: A label for those who are both asexual and aromantic, but experience a tertiary attraction type strong enough to warrant labels.
Queer4Queer: A label for those who exclusively date or prioritize dating other queer people.
Alloaesthetic: A label for those who experience a âtypicalâ amount of aesthetic attraction.
Panaesthetic: a label for those who experience aesthetic attraction toward all genders with no preference.
Aqpspec: A label for those who are on the aqueerplatonic spectrum.
Greyqueerplatonic: A label for those who rarely or infrequently experience queerplatonic attraction.
Demiqueerplatonic: A label for those who only experience queerplatonic attraction after a deep emotional bond has been formed.
Aqpflux: A label for those whose queerplatonic attraction fluctuates in intensity.
Abroflux: A label for those who have a fluid orientation that also fluctuates in intensity and preference.
Omniflux: A label for those whose queerplatonic are omni and experience changing/fluctuating preferences.
Omnifluid: A label for those who have fluid orientations, but are typically omni.
Altarian: A label for those attracted to men/minspec people, non-binary individuals, and finspec individuals, but lack attraction to COMPLETELY female individuals.
Sileneon: A label for trans people who are typically not attracted to all genders, but are T4T towards all genders: overall, a trans person who prioritizes or prefers relationships with non-cisgender individuals to the point that their typical attraction changes.
T4T-Leaning: A label for trans individuals who will date transgender or cisgender individuals, but lean towards preferring transgender partners.
Liberopres: A label for individuals who are attracted to all genders presentations (not gender, but presentation style).
Asenspec: A label for those who are on the asensual spectrum.
Apressensual: A label for those who do not experience sensual attraction until another type of attraction has been experienced.
Demisensual: A label for those who only experience sensual attraction when a deep emotional bond has been formed.
Merosensual: A label for those who are okay with/enjoy certain sensual actions, but are repulsed by others.
Aplspec: A label for those who are on the aplatonic spectrum.
Aplflux: A label for those whose platonic attraction fluctuates in intensity.
Neuroplatonic: A label for those whose platonic attraction is impacted by their neurodivergence in some way.
r/Orientedaroace • u/GodTierDino • May 26 '26
Art 3 variations of my queersona!
I was originally gonna just draw an updated ballsona, but then I just drew a full body sona to fit more of my flags, and then decided to color it in normally.
Check out a previous post of mine to learn what my flags are and what they mean! :3