Aromantic Spectrum Awareness Week

Aromantic Spectrum Awareness Week is an annual, week-long event held to raise awareness and educate people about the identities and issues aromantic people face.

 

What is Aromantisism?

Aromantasism is an identity that sits under the “ace” umbrella. The prefix “ace” is defined as the absence of attraction. It is the opposite of “allo”, meaning “to have attraction”.
There are many different forms of attraction, some include: platonic, romantic, sexual, sensual, estetic, alterous, and more! Ace people may have some, or total absence of attraction in one or more of the attraction categories.
Under the romance category of this split attraction model people may identify as aromantic, alloromantic or somewhere in between.

 

In other words, “Aromanticism is a romantic orientation, which describes people whose experience of romance is disconnected from normative societal expectations, often due to experiencing little to no romantic attraction, or sometimes feeling repulsed by romance or being uninterested in romantic relationships.”

 

The Aromantic Flag

The aromantic flag consists of five equal horizontal stripes. From top to bottom they are: Dark green and light green representing the aromantic spectrum, white representing platonic love and friendships, and lastly grey and black representing the sexuality spectrum.
Green was chosen as the primary colour due to it being the opposite or red, which is often associated with romance.

 

The Harms of Amanormativity

Amatanormativity: Amatonormativity is the assumption that a central, exclusive, romantic relationship is normal for humans, and is a universally shared goal.”

 

Social Standards and Stigma

Due to misinformation and stereotyping, many aromantics have felt the repercussions of both invisibility and bigotry in and outside the queer community due to amatanormativity.
As a result, there are many social and legal hurdles aro people face globally.

 

Legal Hurdles and Exclusions:

Amanormativity in law negatively affects rights including, but not limited to:

  • The medical, monetary, and caretaking designation of non-romantic partners
  • Anti-discrimination laws (such as those in some US states) that protect sexual orientation but fail to mention aromanticism entirely
  • Not having clear legal resources if discriminated against in housing or workplace environments

 Sources:

 

What you can do:

  • Learn more about the aromantic spectrum from aro people
  • Unlearn assumed and performed amanormativity
  • Ally with the aromantic community to work towards broader understanding and the expansion of legal rights