Collie

I think you're probably right. I think it's dumb that the term is so apparently offensive and "groups all sexuals together", like..... saying "cishet" also groups people together. It's just a handy term to refer to people who aren't ace and/or aro, just as cishet is a handy term to refer to people who aren't LGBTQ So it really just comes down to respecting people's feelings, I guess? But I'm personally not going to stop using it.

Hm, my current friendgroup has two people in long term relationships (one of which is my squish), and we relate just fine. Probably because they don't base their entire identity around their romantic relationships.

Yeah, I think some people are aro but may not realize it or want to identify with it. I have a friend who was asking my friend group what crushes are like since she never had one, and so far as I know she doesn't really use any official terms to describe her experience.

I had to go through this recently, so yeah. Oh, this is more of a general question than me asking for advice. We're still friends, though ever since I feel like there's a bit more distance between us than previously. Which is natural, I guess, since he's not trying to win me over anymore.

Iunno. Personally I don't find little things cute unless we're talking about fictional characters. I have experienced aesthetic attraction, which may be part of what you're talking about, but so far as actions people take? Nah, they don't seem special to me.

I'm out as asexual actually, but I don't want to come out as aromantic tbh. My reason for this is because I'm out in some circles as biromantic, and I don't want to confuse people by telling them I'm aro/grey-aro. I also feel like by telling people I'm more or less aromantic that I lose my ability to speak about LGBTQ members of the church and how the church (I'm religious) needs to re-examine how it treats its same sex attracted members

I think crushes or squishes can both come with different types of attraction that may be different for each person. My first crush involved a sudden onset of heavy aesthetic attraction, and I don't get that with squishes. With romantic crushes I also tend to have small amounts of sensual attraction, ie desire to kiss, cuddle, etc. But some people may get aesthetic or sensual attraction apart from romantic attraction. But overall? I'd say squishes and crushes can definitely feel about the same emotionally. A romantic crush isn't necessarily more intense than a squish (though it might be for some people). From what I understand, I think you can be intensely platonically attracted to someone, they are your favorite person in the whole wide world and all that, and still not want to date them.

So for years I had romantic feelings for a friend. (Which developed after knowing said friend for several years.) I have gone through a few periods of pining and yearning, but most of the time the feelings have been on the back burner in my mind..... still there, but not in need of immediate attention. I don't really know if my feelings for said friend are still romantic in nature or not, but..... this person is definitely still extremely important to me and if they were willing I'd jump into a QPR with them in a heartbeat. (But said friend is taken, so it'd be inappropriate to ask for that kinda thing.) But really..... just wanna know wtf to do with all my feelings. I find myself willing to drop whatever I'm doing to talk to them, they are on my mind a lot, I want them to be able to confide in me and even feel upset when they don't, etc, etc, etc. When I've gone through my pining periods this feeling of wanting a higher level of emotional intimacy has been pretty freakin intense. How do I like, deal?

I was wondering for a long ass time if I fit into the grey area. Then someone asked me out and my brain went...... nah. I'm in the grey area for sure, but I identify much more strongly with being basically aro now.

Varies. Usually once a week, or more.

I think as a kid I probably had squishes on boys (and assumed they were crushes), but 100% of my squishes as an adult have been with AFAB people

Hi, recently settled on the aroace label :)

Squishes and crushes can be a lot alike, but if there was no desire to be actually romantic with her I would probably call it a squish.

I was asked out today by a friend, and it basically confirmed my aro-ness. I turned him down as nicely as possible, but the emotional fallout and replaying the moment in my head is tortureeeeee. I also discovered that while I like romance in my head/in fiction, I am more averse to it in real life than I thought I was. What about you?

I made one for me today

One of my friends asked me out today, and I have never felt more aromantic in my life

You can be aro or aro-spec and still enjoy shipping and not be romance repulsed! I'm demiromantic, but I have only ever had feelings for two people, one a crush that faded after a few months and one person since that I consider myself to be actually in love with (even now). But I don't care about finding a romantic partner, don't really want one......though I used to find the idea of having an S/O to be nice when I was younger. If you haven't had a crush or been "in love" in the romantic sense, then you're probably aro! Fictoromantic (having feelings for fictional characters) people can also be on the aro spectrum. But it can be really hard to discern between being really into someone platonically and being in romantic feels for them, so I feel ya!

Can I say that I like how it makes me feel kinda unique? Is that okay?

I have a few ships. One or two that I'm really into. But typically, I don't ship and even am surprised when a relationship develops in the actual series in many cases. ? (Even if it's a romance series!!) But sometimes if it's obvious that two characters are being set up, I will ship them a little bit just cause. But overall, shipping isn't really on my mind too much when I watch things. Also, I hate most romance in Western shows--anime does it better.

I make TikToks and I'm demi/greyromantic, but I don't typically make videos specifically on aromanticism. I'm more of your below average fursuiter and cosplayer.

Romance is a vague kinda concept and apparently it's a new-ish one that didn't really exist a couple hundred years ago. Romance as an emotion definitely exists, but is hard to define in a way that is "one size fits all". I consider myself to be in love with a friend of mine, romantically, but I don't necessarily dream of kissing her, cuddling her, etc.....more I just want emotional intimacy and to know everything about her and to share everything with her and to be around her constantly. I'm fine with doing physical stuff with her like kissing and hand holding, but my desires in regards to her are primarily emotional. I've never felt this way for anyone else. So I define my feelings for her as romantic because of the level of closeness I desire--if she were just a friend to me, I would not agonize over her not telling me things. Maybe my romantic attraction to her falls under the alterous category to some degree, but I personally don't define it in that way.

Dysphoria being the opposite of euphoria......ah, I see! Don't mind me, just had an epiphany.

I ship Goku from DBZ with his wife and all, but a friend of mine headcanons Goku as demiromantic and I agree with her.

Same! Like, it's just not on my mind very much.