[Image Description:  A preview of a pamphlet entitled “Aromantic Identity & the A

[Image Description:  A preview of a pamphlet entitled “Aromantic Identity & the Aro Spectrum, with the front and back laid out side-by-side. There is a summary, disclaimer, and helpful resources on the left page and sections titled “Aromantic Terms,” “Being Aromantic,” and “Understanding Aro Identity” on the right. The smaller text is too blurry to read. The entire pamphlet has a dark green, light green, and gray color scheme.]Aromantic Identity & the Aro Spectrum version 1.1This is an updated version of an earlier pamphlet on the same subject included in the original run of Queer Condensed. It serves as a basic overview of aromantic identity with definitions, validation for aro, arospec, and questioning readers, explanations of stereotypes, online resources, and more.Updates are pretty extensive, including a formatting change, addition of “alloromantic” definition, color switch of yellow to gray to reflect the more commonly used aromantic flag, large portions of rewritten text, and minor changes to the suggested resources.I could not have made this updated pamphlet without help from readers sending in corrections and suggestions. As someone who isn’t aro, the information that @aphobephobe and @kdkorz10211 provided was indispensable. I also want to thank them and @shes-cured for beta-reading it as well.Click here for the list of all resources and to download the pdf of this pamphlet. If you download or use this, a reblog or link to this post would be much appreciated!This work is free for noncommercial use as long as credit is given. The original Publisher files can be requested via ask or email if you’d like to edit the pamphlet yourself.The text can be read below the readmore, formatted in the intended reading order.Front Panel:Aromantic Identity & the Aro Spectrum, A Condensed GuideProduced by Queer Condensed, queercondensed.tumblr.comVersion 1.1Inside FlapSummaryAromantic identity is often lumped in with asexual identity, but the two are very different and deserve separate materials. In this pamphlet we focus on the former and look at what “aromantic” and “aromantic spectrum” means, the many types of love that exist outside of romantic love, some of the struggles and stereotypes of aromantic people, and how unique each aromantic person is from the next. We stress that aromantic people are complex and should not be boiled down to their romantic feelings as they often are.A reminder: if you are aromantic, on the aromantic spectrum, or questioning your identity, you are valid and amazing!DisclaimerQueer Condensed is meant to be a guide, but in no way is anything in our pamphlets definitive. It’s hard to be definitive when you’re dealing with a subject that’s so subjective. Take what you read as an introduction and maybe check out the provided resources or ask people open to taking questions if you want to know more. Published on August 12th, 2017Leftmost Interior: Aromantic Terms“Aromantic” is an identity that indicates a lack of romantic attraction towards others. Along with this, there’s the idea of the “aromantic spectrum,” or a range of other identities that are similar to aromanticism. Some of those identities are included on this list of aromantic-related terms.Aro / ArospecShort for “aromantic” and “aromantic spectrum”Grayaromantic / GrayromanticAn arospec identity; someone who has infrequent or hard-to-define romantic attraction towards othersDemiaromantic / DemiromanticAn arospec identity; someone who needs a strong bond with another before feeling romantic attraction towards themAlloromanticSomeone who is not aro / arospecQueer/Quasi-Platonic Relationship (QPR)* A relationship between two people that is not romantic, but stronger or more intimate than friendshipSquish*An aromantic or platonic version of a romantic crushSexual orientation *How someone identifies in relation to who they’re attracted to sexually; different from romantic orientation*People who are not aro can also use these termsMiddle Interior: Being AromanticAros and arospec people are frequently forgotten about or misunderstood, even in LGBT communities, but their lives and identities deserve attention.Society places a lot of stress on the idea of romance and relationships, but that doesn’t mean aro people are without feelings. Many aro people find love and companionship in different ways, including friendships and QPRs. Some aro people even enter into romantic relationships with partners that understand that the feelings may not be the same on all ends. Some aros don’t make connections at all, but that doesn’t make them broken.Each aro person’s experiences are unique. Some like physical affection, some find that too romantic or simply don’t want it. Some are open and proud of their identity, and for some it’s just a personal trivia fact. Some discover their identity early in life and others realize much later. Some find love in non-romantic ways, others don’t feel any sort of desire for it. There is no “right way” to be aro or arospec, just as there’s no “right way” to be other identities.Talking About or To Aro PeopleAro people are the judges of their own identity. Do not assume or say that an aro person will find the “right person” some day and stop being aro. This implies that the aro person is just going through a phase or can’t figure out their own attraction. Rightmost Interior: Understanding Aro IdentityAlloromantic people often question or ridicule aro identities because of a lack of understanding. This usually comes from the belief that romantic relationships or feelings are vital to being human when they’re really not. Not everyone goes about having romantic feelings in the exact same way, so aro people aren’t an abnormality, just experiencing feelings that are uncommon. If it doesn’t bother the aro person, it shouldn’t be of concern to anyone else.Common stereotypes of aro people include that they are being difficult, they are bad at socializing, they are incapable of feelings, those that have sexual relationships are manipulative, and they are unhappy. Consider that these stereotypes ignore these kinds of love:* Platonic  * Parental * Sexual* Familial * Aesthetic * QueerplatonicThese ideas also make it seem like humans can be boiled down to how we engage in romantic relationships, which just isn’t true. Thinking only in terms of who one loves is incredibly limiting and harmful to those who don’t experience certain/any types of love.Aro and arospec people are in need of kindness and understanding as they navigate a world unforgiving to them, not an insistence that their feelings are wrong. Prejudice and unearned anger are wrong, not them.Back Panel: Helpful ResourcesAro GlossaryArospecawarenessweek.tumblr.com/glossaryAromantic WikipediaAromantic.wikia.comAromantic FAQAaceclub.tumblr.com/aromanticism*More on Romance RepulsionRomance-repulsed-aros.tumblr.comAdditional ResourcesQueerCondensed.tumblr.com/tagged/asexualOur pamphlet on asexuality has many resources that, although not aro-specific, contain information about the aro community. Check it out for a few more websites to look at!Thank You!This updated version of this material couldn’t have been done without reader input, especially that of Tumblr users Aphobephobe and Kdkorz10211*This blog is no longer active, but the information is still relevant -- source link
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