#aroace things

[pheavampire]

Me when someone confesses they have a crush on me:

[theenbyroiderer]

Can I talk about aphobia for a bit? Because I wanna. Because it's not included in IDAHOBIT, and frankly I think it needs to be talked about more.

Aphobia exists as an insidious but ignored undercurrent. It often takes less visible forms than homo-, bi- and transphobia. Less overt. You seldom hear about people beaten up in the street because they are aro or ace. Instead the violence tends to happen behind locked doors and come from intimate partners.

You don't hear much about aro and ace people at all to be honest. Because of erasure. When someone does open up about being asexual, the reactions are usually full of ridicule and invalidation. But the majority of people don't even know what asexual or aromantic means. Sex ed classes don't mention the possibility of people being ace or aro. Aspec people grow up thinking that something is wrong with them because they have never heard that you can lack attraction.

And if they seek out a professional and ask if something is wrong with them, they are likely to be told that there is. Because even medical professionals don't know what asexuality and aromanticism are about and often see a lack of attraction as a symptom. An aspec person is also more likely than most to fall victim to conversion therapy.

The worst thing isn't pathologization/medicalization though. Not in my opinion at least. I think the worst is when ace and aro people are viewed as less human. Romantic love and sexual attraction are often seen as universal human experiences. Aspec people are compared to robots, aliens, animals... And that's a very slippery slope. That's the sort of thinking that leads people to ascribe less value to an aro or ace person's life. The sort of thinking that might make an aspec person ascribe less value to their own life.

And then, when we turn to other marginalized sexualities, hoping for understanding and solidarity, we all too often hear that we are not welcome, that we face no real oppression or discrimination.

[thearoacefromspace]

saying “aroace people can still date” when you want to ship a canonically aroace character :😒🤚

saying “aroace people can still date” when you want to hc a character aroace when they have/had a canonical love interest : 😙🤌

*THESE ARE NOT THE SAME THING*

[kristianasquill]

I make *very* specific aspec label stickers! (There isn't enough oriented aroace love, imo.) These little rainbows make me so happy. You can check them out on my Redbubble shop below!

Aroace sunset | Aroace QPR | Oriented aroace | Oriented aroace QPR | Aroace mixed flag | QPR

[some-what-of-a-cat]

Being aroace is Soo weird

What do you mean people feel romantic attraction and sexual attraction? Like both? At the same time? Sounds fake to be honest

Like, i get maybe having one but both? That must be insane

[paperclipdrawer]

I had a realization today about love. I pointed at two characters and yelled "THEY'RE IN LOVE!!" and I immediately backtracked and went, "wait no I like them as friends"

But like... why is "in love" assumingly romantic? Is friendship not love? Do you not look into your friends eyes and feel warmth?

So yes they ARE in love. As FRIENDS.

[garlicbreadish]

when i'm single and closeted but people always try to assume i'm gay, like NO??? I HATE EVERYONE EQUALLY??? LIKE EVEN MYSELF???

[moonprismpower456]

Pride And Prejudice: Too romantic for me, I don’t care for the plot

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Intriguing, I wanna know more about the zombies