What is your romantic orientation?

Have you ever thought about your romantic orientation? And nope, it’s not always the same as the sexual orientation you identify with.

Romantic orientation is different from sexual orientation in the sense that it is less about a physical attraction than it is about an emotional one, so someone’s romantic orientation may be different from their sexual orientation.

For example, a bisexual person can be sexually attracted to more than one gender, but may identify as homoromantic in terms of their romantic orientation, which means that they are only romantically attracted to people who are the same gender as they are. This is known as “cross orientation” or “mixed orientation”.

There are a variety of romantic orientations – which one do you identify with?

• Homoromantic

As in the example above, a homoromantic person is romantically attracted to people who are the same gender as they are.

• Heteroromantic

A heteroromantic person is only romantically attracted to people of a gender that is different from their own.

• Biromantic

A biromantic person may find themself romantically attracted to people of two genders or more.

• Panromantic

Someone who is panromantic is romantically drawn to people of all genders.

• Polyromantic

A polyromantic person can feel romantically attracted to people of many or all genders.

• Greyromantic

Someone who is greyromantic does not experience romantic attraction to people very frequently.

• Demiromantic

A person who is demiromantic does not experience romantic attraction frequently, and when they do, it is only after developing a strong emotional connection with another person.

• Aromantic

Someone who is aromantic experiences little to no romantic attraction to any person, no matter what gender they are.

Who knew there were so many ways to find people romantically attractive? And all of them are valid!

Knowing what makes you tick on all levels is crucial when you’re looking for fulfilling relationships – how wonderful it is to know that there are a great many ways to be romantically captivated and swept off your feet (or not!).