A woman from the UK has opened up about her process of self-exploration and coming out as an abrosexual, a sexual identity marked by change and fluidity. Emma Flint, aged 30, said that although she had never heard of the term before, she experienced a strong sense of validation and identification after learning it.
Her friends, however, damaged her feelings by questioning the authenticity of her identity once she revealed herself.
Emma said, ''It was only when I was reading the Instagram page of Zoe Stoller, a US-based creator, educator, and social worker who seeks to improve the visibility of the LGBTQ+ community, that I saw the term abrosexuality for the first time. You know in cartoons when a lightbulb appears above their heads? That's how it felt when I read their post. Finally, I feel seen.''
According to Emma, Ms Stoller explained that abrosexual describes someone whose sexuality is fluid, meaning it shifts and changes over time.
"Some abrosexual people might identify with different sexuality labels at different times—for example, some days they might use the label pansexual, whereas other days they might use the label lesbian,” Ms Stoller said.
“Other abrosexual people might just use the label abrosexual. This label can be thought of as the sexuality version of the gender identity label genderfluid,'' she added.
A very recent and obscure sexual identity called "abrosexuality" refers to a form of sexual fluidity. It describes the experience of having varying degrees of romantic or sexual desire over the course of a lifetime.
A person whose sexuality is erratic and alternates between various sexualities is known as an abrosexual.
For example, an abrosexual person may at one point experience significant attraction to men, but later on, this desire may alter or lessen, and the person may even experience a period of time during which they have no sexual interest at all.
Abrosexuals usually have swings in both the type of person they are attracted to and the strength of that attraction. Abrosexuals typically experience frequent changes in their sexual interest, though it might fluctuate on a weekly, annual, or even few-year basis.
Although abrosexuality is experienced by people of all ages, it seems to be predominantly related with Gen Z (those born between 1997 and 2012).
This could be explained by the increased understanding and acceptance of a variety of sexual identities.
Among more than 100 terms used to categorize various sexualities, 'abrosexual,' falls under the category of multisexuality, encompassing individuals who are romantically or sexually attracted to more than one gender.
Abrosexuality can manifest in various ways, like daily fluctuations, where you might be attracted to men one day and women the next, or shifting attractions (you could feel drawn to all genders initially, then focus on a specific gender after a few weeks).
Abrosexuality might feel like a Period of Low Attraction, where you might experience little to no sexual attraction at times, only to later find yourself attracted to people of all genders, or an Evolution of Attraction, where you might start as a heterosexual man and, over time, develop sexual attraction toward men.
Because their attraction is amorphous, abrosexual people may face unique difficulties when dating and in committed relationships.
Some people could be reluctant to commit to long-term partnerships out of concern that changes in their level of attraction might affect their relationship with their spouse.
For example, people may find that at first they are attracted to their partner's gender, but that eventually their desire fades.
But it's important to understand that being an abrosexual doesn't mean you can't have a happy, fulfilling romantic relationship. Many abrosexual people manage and maintain strong long-term partnerships with open communication, mutual understanding, and flexibility.
