ashlandr

Like what was said above only you can know what you truly want and there's nothing rushing you to know what that is right now. Sometimes things like this take time and reflection to understand what you want in the end and that's okay! Personally, I do want a life partner at some point (but with certain boundaries, I do still need my alone time lol) but not everyone does and that's just as valid! It's your life and you should live it however makes you the most comfortable.

Back in highschool I was vegetarian for a year and then transitioned into vegan for another year before abandoning it. It wasn't extremely sustainable for me because of my family situation but now I'm a flexitarian and try to eat vegetarian or vegan a large majority of the time. Hopefully when I move out at the end of the year I can be fully plant based!

First off, I'm sorry she reacted that way, my mom is very much the same and its frustrating so I know where you're coming from. I feel like I would find historical examples of why that's not true. Maybe information about the history and how common different relationship forms are around the world to dispute the fact that we must "pair up." For example there is a matriarchal community in southwest China called the Mosuo who have no concept of the nuclear family model or marriage and practice what's called a "walking marriage." "Men and women practice what is known as a “walking marriage” – an elegant term for what are essentially furtive, nocturnal hook-ups with lovers known as “axia”. A man’s hat hung on the door handle of a woman’s quarters is a sign to other men not to enter. These range from one-night stands to regular encounters that deepen into exclusive, life-long partnerships – and may or may not end in pregnancy. But couples never live together, and no one says, “I do”.' While scientific research isn't necessary to validate aromantic experiences or any other experiences that are negatively impacted by amatonormativity, I find that people who are closed minded to topics like this tend to require proof that not everyone is like them and that alternate ways of thinking and doing things are valid and functional. Hopefully responding this way will open them up to the idea that their beliefs aren't inherently correct just because that's what they've always done and been taught. That's the goal anyway! Good luck with your project though it sounds really interesting! Source: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/apr/01/the-kingdom-of-women-the-tibetan-tribe-where-a-man-is-never-the-boss

I'm not very romance repulsed and I actually crave a romantic relationship really strongly. I'm not very content being aro and being without a romantic relationship as a lot of aros tend to be that I've noticed. I really admire aromantics who don't want relationships at all. It would be a lot simpler for me if I felt that way lol but I also feel slightly aliented from parts of the community because I don't share that lack of desire