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Aromantic asexuality

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Aromantic asexual
EtymologyThe combination of aromantic (aro) and asexual (ace) using the split attraction model
DefinitionThe lack of both romantic and sexual attraction to others
Abbreviations
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Other terms
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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.[2][3][4]

Just like asexuality and aromanticism, aro-ace identities exist on a spectrum.[5]

Over a quarter of asexual people also identify as aromantic, with just over 40% of aromantic people identifying as asexual. Aroace individuals may feel alienated from the broader LGBTQ community due to amatonormativity.

Community

Symbols

The first aro-ace flag, designed by Deviantart user Pride-Flags in 2016, was a combination of the aromantic and asexual flags.[6] This design has the aromantic flag at the top and the asexual flag on the bottom, with the two merging at a black stripe in the middle.[7][8] The original 2016 flag is used by advocacy group Aro/Ace San Diego.[9] Deviantart user decaykid uploaded a simplified design in 2017, with one less stripe and slightly different colors.[10]

The most popular aro-ace flag, often referred to as the "sunset flag" was designed by Tumblr user aroaesflags in 2018.[11] It consists of five horizontal bars, including (from top to bottom) orange, yellow, white, and two shades of blue. The two shades of blue represent the spectrum of aroace identities and experiences.[12][10] White represents wholeness, yellow represents love and relationships outside of more conventional ideas of romantic and sexual relationships, and orange represents community.[12][10] According to the creator, blue sits between aromantic green and asexual purple on the color wheel, while orange sits between green and purple in the opposite direction.[10][13][14]

The ace of spades playing card is also used as a symbol of aromantic asexuality, with the ace of hearts symbolizing romantic asexuality.[15][16]

Microlabels

Some aroace microlabel flags. Clockwise from top left: angled aroace, aroaceflux, grey-aroace, demiaroace
  • Angled aroace — experiencing an intense form of non-sexual, non-romantic (ie. platonic, aesthetic) attraction while still being on the aroace spectrum, including those that experience some amount of romantic or sexual attraction (see grey-aroace)[12]
  • Aroaceflux — having fluctuating experiences on both the aromantic and asexual spectrums[12]
  • Demiaroace — both demiromantic and demisexual, experiencing sexual and romantic attraction only after an emotional bond has been formed[17]
  • Grey-aroace — both grayromantic and greysexual; experiencing limited, infrequent, or nebulous romantic and sexual attraction.[18]
  • Oriented aroace — similar to angled aroace, but refers only to people who experience no romantic or sexual attraction at all.[12]

Research

A 2022 study run by Ana Catarina and David L Rodrigues found that aromantic asexuals tended to experience more sexual aversion than romantic asexuals.[19] On a 7-point scale, aromantic asexuals rated their sexual aversion an average of 4.31, while romantic asexuals had a 3.74.[20]

Demographics

A 2011 survey of 3,436 asexuals found that 40.9% were somewhere on the aromantic spectrum, with 18.2% being completely aromantic, 12.1% demiromantic, and 10.6% greyromantic.[21] Later, a 2020 study from the Archives of Sexual Behavior found that 26% of asexual people also identify as aromantic,[22] while the 2020 Asexual Community Survey found the overlap to be 29%.[23] The Aromantic Census, also in 2020, found that 42% of aromantic people also identified as asexual.[24] Another 2020 survey, this one by the Trevor Project, found that about 13% of asexual youth who responded were also aromantic.[25]

In 2025 researchers Randolph C. H. Chan and Fei Nga Hung published a paper on the intersection of autism and asexuality.[26] They found that autistic people on the asexual spectrum were more likely to also be on the aromantic spectrum (47.8%) compared to non autistic asexuals (39.4%).[27] A possible reason for this is that the social difficulties autistic people can have may cause lower interest in romantic relationships.[27]

Stigma and social invisibility

Several aro-ace people report struggling with social invisibility, even among the LGBTQ+ community. While this often contributes to feelings of loneliness, some also use it as a means of camouflaging at work or school, though this often reinforces feelings of loneliness.[28]

Many aro-ace people also struggle with amatonormativity and allonormativity, social assumptions that treat romantic and sexual attraction as more important and contribute to aro/ace erasure and stigma.[29][30][31]

Activism

Yasmin Benoit is an aro-ace activist who came out in 2018.[32] In 2021 she won Attitude magazine's Attitude Pride Award, becoming the first openly aro-ace person to win any LGBTQ award.[33][34]

In media

Alice Oseman's graphic novel Loveless follows the story of Georgia, a college student discovering her identity as aromantic and asexual.[35] Oseman herself is aroace, and draws upon some of her experiences in the novel.[36]

The J-drama Koisenu Futari (English title: Two People Who Can’t Fall In Love) is about the friendship between Satoru Takahashi and Sakuko Kodama, an aroace man and woman.[37][38]

Aromancing of Gwendolyn Poole (originally titled Love Unlimited: Gwenpool) is a 2023 comic anthology that explores Gwenpool's relationship with sex and romance, with the final installment having her realize that she is aroace.[39]

References

  1. ↑
    • "GSD Center celebrates National Coming Out Day".
    • Project, The Ace and Aro Advocacy (2023-04-21). Ace and Aro Journeys: A Guide to Embracing Your Asexual or Aromantic Identity. Jessica Kingsley Publishers. ISBN 978-1-83997-639-1.
    • Filardo-Llamas, Laura; Roldán-García, Alba (July 2025). "Between "Queer" and "Cishet men". Lexical Creativity, Gender Identities and Sexualities in Linguistic Labels in Tumblr". Journal of Language and Discrimination. 9 (1): 1–27. doi:10.3138/jld-2025-0501. ISSN 2397-2637.
  2. ↑ Lienhard, Alissa (May 2024). ""I'll Call it Platonic Magic": Queer Joy, Metafiction, and Aro-Ace Autofictional Selves in Alice Oseman's Loveless". In Progress: A Graduate Journal of North American Studies. 2 (1): 59–72. doi:10.15488/17355.
  3. ↑ Sheshadri, Shruti; Chandrasekaran, Agharsh (2024-04-21). "Hopelessly AroAce: An Exploration in the Margins". International Journal of Human Rights Education. 8 (1). ISSN 2691-8633.
  4. ↑ Leyda, Julia; Seymour, Nicole (2024-09-01). "Aromantic Comedy: The Aro/Ace Aesthetics of Together Together". Camera Obscura: Feminism, Culture, and Media Studies. 39 (2 (116)): 131–162. doi:10.1215/02705346-11207841. ISSN 0270-5346.
  5. ↑ "Ace/ Aro Spectrum Definitions". OXFORD UNIVERSITY LGBTQ+ SOCIETY. Retrieved 2026-07-11.
  6. ↑ Gayety (3 September 2022). "What You Need To Know About The Aroace Flag". Gayety. Retrieved 5 October 2026.
  7. ↑ Walshe, Tess. "What is the "A" in LGBTQA+?". Slick Journalism. Retrieved 1 October 2026.
  8. ↑ Sitton, Drew (29 June 2026). "Aro/Ace San Diego provides visibility for often overlooked 'A' in LGBTQIA". Uptown News. Retrieved 4 October 2026.
  9. ↑ Sitton 2026.
  10. 1 2 3 4 Gayety 2022.
  11. ↑ Fowler, Daniel (2 October 2024). "Aroace Flags Explained: Meanings, Colors, Hex Codes & Variations". Japan Gay Guide. Retrieved 1 October 2026.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 Fowler 2024.
  13. ↑ "What You Need To Know About The Aroace Flag". Gayety. 2022-09-03. Retrieved 2026-08-13.
  14. ↑ "Aroace Flag Meaning: Colors, Hex Codes & Major Variations". 2024-10-02. Retrieved 2026-08-13.
  15. ↑ "Asexual symbol explained". Asexuals.net. Retrieved 20 September 2026.
  16. ↑ Williams, Isabel (28 July 2014). "ACE: Asexual Identities and Resource Guide". Campus Pride. Archived from the original on 18 December 2015. Retrieved 20 September 2026.
  17. ↑ "Demiaroace". FetLife. 14 November 2025. Retrieved 4 October 2026.
  18. ↑ Young, Eris (21 December 2022). Ace Voices: What it Means to Be Asexual, Aromantic, Demi or Grey-Ace. Jessica Kingsley Publishers. pp. 53, 55, 133. ISBN 978-1-78775-699-1. Retrieved 4 October 2026.
  19. ↑ Carvalho, Ana Catarina; Rodrigues, David L. (1 May 2022). "Sexuality, Sexual Behavior, and Relationships of Asexual Individuals: Differences Between Aromantic and Romantic Orientation". Archives of Sexual Behavior. 51 (4): 2159. doi:10.1007/s10508-021-02187-2. ISSN 1573-2800. Retrieved 6 October 2026.
  20. ↑ Carvalho & Rodrigues 2022, p. 2164.
  21. ↑ Decker, Julie Sondra (13 October 2015). The Invisible Orientation: An Introduction to Asexuality * Next Generation Indie Book Awards Winner in LGBT *. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-1-5107-0064-2. Retrieved 5 October 2026.
  22. ↑ Antonsen, Amy N.; Zdaniuk, Bozena; Yule, Morag; Brotto, Lori A. (July 2020). "Ace and Aro: Understanding Differences in Romantic Attractions Among Persons Identifying as Asexual". Archives of Sexual Behavior. 49 (5): 1615–1630. doi:10.1007/s10508-019-01600-1. ISSN 0004-0002. PMID 32095971.
  23. ↑ Tessler, Hannah; Winer, Canton (1 November 2023). "Sexuality, romantic orientation, and masculinity: Men as underrepresented in asexual and aromantic communities". Sociology Compass. 17 (11). Wiley-Blackwell: 1–20. doi:10.1111/soc4.13141. ISSN 1751-9020. Retrieved 20 September 2026.
  24. ↑ Tessler & Winer 2023, pp. 6–7.
  25. ↑ The Trevor Project (26 October 2020). "Asexual and Ace Spectrum Youth". doi:10.70226/EPPY5730. Retrieved 4 October 2026.
  26. ↑ Chan, Randolph C. H.; Hung, Fei Nga (1 June 2025). "Sexual, Romantic, and Community Experiences of Individuals at the Intersection of Autism and Asexuality". Archives of Sexual Behavior. 54 (6). doi:10.1007/s10508-025-03170-x. ISSN 1573-2800. Retrieved 6 October 2026.
  27. 1 2 Chan & Hung 2025, pp. 2206–7.
  28. ↑ "Aromantics & Asexuals - The AroAce Identity". Counseling Schools. Retrieved 2026-07-11.
  29. ↑ cline, nicholae. "Library Research Guides: Asexuality: Home". guides.libraries.indiana.edu. Retrieved 2026-09-05.
  30. ↑ "Creating Change 2021 – Amatonormativity and Relationship Anarchy – The Ace and Aro Advocacy Project". 2021-02-21. Retrieved 2026-09-05.
  31. ↑ "AUREA - Amatonormativity 101". AUREA. 2020-07-24. Retrieved 2026-09-05.
  32. ↑ Scaife, Abi (28 October 2022). "How Yasmin Benoit is Championing Asexual Rights in the UK". Smiley Movement. Retrieved 4 October 2026.
  33. ↑ Scaife 2022.
  34. ↑ James, Alastair (11 June 2021). "The asexual activist dispelling myths around lack of sexual attraction". Attitude. Retrieved 4 October 2026.
  35. ↑ Knight, Lucy (19 November 2022). "Heartstopper author Alice Oseman: 'If you don't have sex and romance, you feel like you haven't achieved'". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 September 2026.
  36. ↑ Knight 2022.
  37. ↑ Sugah, Jamie (7 April 2024). "Asexual Representation in Popular Culture – The Geekiary". Retrieved 3 October 2026.
  38. ↑ ohestiada (17 February 2022). "An aromantic-asexual duo are leads in this J-drama". Lifestyle.INQ. Retrieved 3 October 2026.
  39. ↑ Schlesinger, Alex (5 May 2023). "Gwenpool Officially Comes Out as Marvel's First Asexual Hero". ScreenRant. Retrieved 4 October 2026.
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