Aro Pride

[An Aro in the Quiver]

How do the people here feel about pride and acting "like being queer is your whole personality"? While I find pride to be an important movement, I think of aro as more of an adjective and it isn't really important to talk about because it just is a trait. Do others here feel more strongly about that and like to broadcast more? If so, why for either yes or no?

[sol]

I don't think people at pride act like being queer is their whole personality, we're simply celebrating a part of ourselves that used to be and still is marginalized. I see every orientation as being a trait of someone's character. Just as yours and mine entire personality isn't based on being aro, the same goes for every LGBTQ+ person, but that doesn't mean it's not important to talk about. There are people out there who are struggling with amatonormativity and increasing the range of the term aromatic could help them in some way.

I hope I managed to convey my perspective well!

Edited October 20, 2021 by sol

[Apex]

I agree with sol, people who are very "into" pride are typically fighting back against marginalization and practicing self-love. I do think sometimes people get attached to the sense of identity/community and are very excited about being queer because of that, but I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing.

However, I do personally feel very separated and isolated from the larger queer community because I can't relate to that sense of pride (or "feeling gay" or "gay/bi culture"). I don't hate myself, I just... don't have the same experiences, I guess?

In terms on aromanticism alone, I do have a fair bit of pride and consider it an important part of my identity, because it affects many parts of my life and is very enmeshed with other parts of myself. (Although due to what I mentioned above, I have trouble turning my personal aro pride into a sense of queer pride).

Edited October 20, 2021 by Apex

[roboticanary]

I find the complaint about having being queer as someone's whole personality largely rubbish. There might be a few but consider how many people have their entire life set around a straight relationship and nobody bats an eyelid. I have met multiple people who have been told that they are that person, that their sexuality is all they focus on and they are always just not. They talk about being that way far more than most people are used to but it is never all of their personality.

It is inevitably that they are too openly queer for some straight person's taste that gets that accusation levelled at them, rather than it really being all there is to them. Which is shit and I think the response is to be gayer and raise a middle finger at those who don't like it.

[Eli Vanto]

I honestly very much desire to cover my place with Aro flags and things XD I do want a relationship, a QPR, and I feel like it would be a personal assurance that I can be proud of who I am. Proud of ignoring amatonormativity and doing with my life what I like.

That's just me tho XD