Aromantic asexual

{{Short description|Romantic and sexual orientation}} {{Infobox sexuality | title = Aromantic asexual | abbreviations = aroace, aro-ace | etymology = The combination of aromantic (aro) and asexual (ace) using the split attraction model | definition = The lack of both romantic and sexual attraction to others | associated_terms = Aromanticism, Asexuality | flag = 300px | flag_name = "The sunset aroace flag" | flag_designer = Tumblr user "aroaesflags"<ref name="flag" /> | flag_creation = {{start date|2018|12|11}} | flag_meaning = }}

'''Aromantic asexual''', colloquially shortened to '''aroace''' or '''aro-ace''', is a romantic and sexual orientation characterized by experiencing little to no romantic and sexual attraction. The name comes from combining the two attraction minorities, aromanticism and asexuality, specifically the shortened versions of their names: "aro" for aromantic and "ace" for asexual, and forming a combined term using the split attraction model.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Lienhard |first=Alissa |date=May 2024 |title="I'll Call it Platonic Magic": Queer Joy, Metafiction, and Aro-Ace Autofictional Selves in Alice Oseman's Loveless |url=https://www.repo.uni-hannover.de/handle/123456789/17484 |journal=In Progress: A Graduate Journal of North American Studies |language=en |volume=2 |issue=1 |pages=59–72 |doi=10.15488/17355}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Sheshadri |first1=Shruti |last2=Chandrasekaran |first2=Agharsh |date=2024-04-21 |title=Hopelessly AroAce: An Exploration in the Margins |url=https://repository.usfca.edu/ijhre/vol8/iss1/10 |journal=International Journal of Human Rights Education |volume=8 |issue=1 |issn=2691-8633}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Leyda |first1=Julia |last2=Seymour |first2=Nicole |date=2024-09-01 |title=Aromantic Comedy: The Aro/Ace Aesthetics of Together Together |url=https://doi.org/10.1215/02705346-11207841 |journal=Camera Obscura: Feminism, Culture, and Media Studies |volume=39 |issue=2 (116) |pages=131–162 |doi=10.1215/02705346-11207841 |issn=0270-5346}}</ref>

A 2020 study found that 26% of asexual people also identify as aromantic.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Antonsen |first1=Amy N. |last2=Zdaniuk |first2=Bozena |last3=Yule |first3=Morag |last4=Brotto |first4=Lori A. |date=July 2020 |title=Ace and Aro: Understanding Differences in Romantic Attractions Among Persons Identifying as Asexual |url=http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10508-019-01600-1 |journal=Archives of Sexual Behavior |language=en |volume=49 |issue=5 |pages=1615–1630 |doi=10.1007/s10508-019-01600-1 |pmid=32095971 |issn=0004-0002}}</ref>

The aro-ace flag consists of five horizontal bars, including two shades of blue, white, yellow, and orange. Tumblr user aroaesflags designed the flag,<ref name="flag">{{Cite news |title=i originally sent this to the person ... |url=https://aroaesflags.tumblr.com/post/680531094324543488/pplatonic-i-originally-sent-this-to-the-person |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250812035200/https://aroaesflags.tumblr.com/post/680531094324543488/pplatonic-i-originally-sent-this-to-the-person |archive-date=2025-08-12 |access-date=2025-08-31 |work=Tumblr}}</ref> stating that the two shades of blue represent "the aroace identity as well as the spectrum of aroace identities and experiences." White represents wholeness, yellow represents love and relationships that exist outside of more conventional ideas of romantic and sexual relationships, and orange represents community.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Requests: Closed |url=https://aroaesflags.tumblr.com/post/181034758671/revised-aroace-flag-after-some-conversation-among |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250812035019/https://aroaesflags.tumblr.com/post/181034758671/revised-aroace-flag-after-some-conversation-among |archive-date=2025-08-12 |access-date=2025-11-03 |work=Tumblr}}</ref>

== References == {{reflist}}

Category:Aromanticism Category:Asexuality Category:Romantic orientation Category:Non-sexuality Category:Sexual attraction Category:2005 neologisms Category:LGBTQ studies