A person's experience of wanting romantically framed connection with someone.
Back to the glossaryIdentity & diversity
Aromantic
An orientation generally describing little or no romantic attraction. Aromantic, often shortened to aro, can also serve as an umbrella for varied aro-spectrum experiences.
Identity & diversity
In brief
Little or no romantic attraction, with many forms of care and connection.
Aromanticism concerns romantic attraction, not an inability to love, care, commit or experience sexual attraction. Aro people may value friendship, family, community, queerplatonic partnership, sexual relationships, solo life or combinations. Romantic couplehood is not the universal measure of adulthood or fulfilment.
Sexual interest directed toward a person, which an aromantic person may or may not experience.
A committed relationship that is not adequately described by conventional friendship or romance categories.
Discomfort with personally receiving or participating in romance; not identical to aromantic identity.
Aro-spectrum diversity
Some people experience no romantic attraction; greyromantic and demiromantic people describe rare, conditional or bond-dependent patterns. Labels are self-chosen rather than externally assigned.
An aro person may also identify as gay, bi, straight, pan, ace or another sexual orientation when describing sexual attraction.
Relationships beyond a hierarchy
Friendship, chosen family and queerplatonic bonds can involve commitment, cohabitation, caregiving or shared finances. Their importance is not determined by whether they are romantic.
Some aro people enjoy romantic-coded activities or partnerships and others do not. Behaviour and presentation do not disprove orientation.
Amatonormativity
Amatonormativity is the assumption that everyone seeks an exclusive romantic partnership and that such a bond should outrank other relationships. It can make aro lives seem deficient when they are not.
Healthcare, housing and social systems can also privilege couples. Practical planning may be needed without treating romance as the solution.
Consent and communication
Relationship language should be explicit about expectations rather than assuming friendship will become romance. Nobody owes romantic gestures, exclusivity or a trial relationship.
Changing or uncertain labels are valid. Respectful support makes room for exploration without pressuring a person toward couplehood.
Non-graphic examples
What the umbrella may include
- Being aromantic and bisexual.
- Building a committed queerplatonic partnership.
- Valuing chosen family above conventional dating.
- Enjoying romantic fiction without wanting romance personally.
- Declining a romantic relationship without being described as afraid of commitment.
Reviewed 30 August 2026
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This detailed field note uses the best available evidence without treating one community sample as universal. Evidence limits and UK context are stated where relevant.
Prepared by The UK Kink Guide editorial team. Read the evidence and review methodology.
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