Aroace
Aroace is a term used to describe someone who identifies as both aromantic and asexual.
To break it down:
Aromantic (aro): Someone who experiences little to no romantic attraction. This doesn't mean they don't experience other forms of love or connection, like platonic love or familial love.
Asexual (ace): Someone who experiences little to no sexual attraction. This is separate from their romantic orientation and doesn't mean they don't have a libido or engage in sexual activity for other reasons.
Therefore, an aroace individual is someone who experiences little to no romantic and little to no sexual attraction.
Key things to understand about being aroace:
Independent Orientations: Aromanticism and asexuality are distinct orientations. Someone can be aromantic and not asexual, asexual and not aromantic, or both (aroace).
Spectrums: Both aromanticism and asexuality exist on spectrums. An aroace person's experience can vary. They might identify with terms like gray-aroace (rare or conditional attraction) or demi-aroace (attraction only after a strong bond).
Not a Lack of Desire for Relationships: Being aroace doesn't necessarily mean someone doesn't want relationships or intimacy. They may have close platonic relationships, queerplatonic relationships, or other forms of meaningful connections that are not based on romantic or sexual attraction.
Diverse Experiences: Just like any other group, aroace individuals have diverse experiences, desires, and ways of navigating the world.
In short, aroace is a concise way to describe someone whose experiences align with both the aromantic and asexual orientations.