Romantic and sexual orientation: Difference between revisions

'''Romantic and sexual orientation''' are enduring personal qualities that incline people to feel romantic and sexual attraction to certain kinds of people. Sometimes terms for sexual orientation are also used to include romantic orientation, the tendency to feel romantic attraction to certain kinds of people. Other times, orientation labels differentiate between romantic and sexual attraction. Some of the most widely known labels for attraction, such as "lesbian," also imply the user's gender. Words for attraction experienced by nonbinary people or attraction to nonbinary people have been proposed, but are not as wide-spread yet. By some interpretations, every orientation includes attraction to some nonbinary people.<ref name="KravitzM">{{Cite web |title=Does Liking a Nonbinary Person Make You Bi or Pan? Not Necessarily. |last=M. |first=Kravitz |work=Medium |date=29 June 2020 |access-date=25 August 2020 |url= https://medium.com/an-injustice/does-liking-a-nonbinary-person-make-you-bi-or-pan-not-necessarily-359241923561}}</ref><ref>[https://kil9.tumblr.com/post/617496855567286272/i-think-a-reason-why-so-many-people-dont-accept i think a reason why so many people dont accept that every sexuality is inclusive of nonbinary people is because they think every sexuality must be inclusive of ALL nonbinary people, and that’s just not true], 7 May 2020</ref> This wiki article includes many terms for romantic and sexual orientation that may include nonbinary people, and explains how they may.  

In the English-speaking world, most people know about three orientations that are usually attracted to women: bisexuals (who are attracted to two or more genders), [[Romantic and sexual orientation#Heterosexuality|heterosexual men]], and [[Romantic and sexual orientation#Homosexuality|homosexual women]] ([[Romantic and sexual orientation#Lesbian|lesbians]]). Some other identity labels have been proposed in order to have a way to say that one is usually attracted to women, without labeling one's own gender identity: [[Romantic and sexual orientation#Gynephilia|gynephilia]], [[Romantic and sexual orientation#Femaric|femaric]], [[Romantic and sexual orientation#Feminamoric|feminamoric]], [[Romantic and sexual orientation#Neptunic|neptunic]], and [[Romantic and sexual orientation#Venusic|venusic]]. Some identity labels have been proposed specifically for nonbinary people who are usually attracted to women: [[Romantic and sexual orientation#Azalian|azalian]], nonbinary people loving women ([[Romantic and sexual orientation#NBLW|NBLW]]), and [[Romantic and sexual orientation#Orbisian/Trixic|orbisian/trixic]].  

Some women who are attracted to women call themselves gay women. Gay women may or may not consider this to mean the exact same thing as lesbian. Gay women may or may not also consider themselves genderqueer. A notable example of this is American musician [[King Princess]], who describes herself as a [[genderqueer]] person and gay [[woman]].<ref name="Menuez">{{Cite web |title=King Princess |last=Menuez |first=Bobbi |work=theingenuemagazine.com |date= |access-date=6 May 2020 |url= https://theingenuemagazine.com/king-princess/}}</ref>

Gynephilia, also referred to as gynesexuality, gynosexuality<ref name="Kaplan">{{cite book|title=Bisexual Politics: Theories, Queries, and Visions |chapter=Your Fence Is Sitting on Me: The Hazards of Binary Thinking |author=Kaplan, Rebecca |year=1995 |quote=Even if I agreed that it is useful to have words to name the sex(es) to whom someone is erotically attracted, I would not have to use the categories homosexual and heterosexual. I could just as easily divide the world up into gynosexual (attracted to women), androsexual (attracted to men), and bisexual (attracted to both).}}</ref>, or femsexuality, is a romantic or sexual orientation in which a person feels attraction to women or to traits they perceive as feminine.<ref name="NeutroisTerms">"LGBTQ Terms." ''Neutrois.com.'' [http://neutrois.com/definitions/terms]</ref>

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[[File:Winning Orange-Pink Lesbian Pride Flag.png|thumb|A lesbian flag that won a contest for designing a lesbian flag in 2018, in which trans and nonbinary lesbians were welcome.<ref>''The search for the official lesbian flag.'' July 28, 2018. https://official-lesbian-flag.tumblr.com/post/176134630994/been-doing-some-research-and-looking-at-results</ref>]]

* American ballet dancer and choreographer [[Katy Pyle]] identifies as a [[genderqueer]] lesbian.<ref>[http://www.ballez.org/company/ Bio], retrieved May 17, 2020</ref>

* Australian actor [[Ruby Rose]], a [[genderfluid]] lesbian<ref name="Gomez">{{Cite web |title=Gender-fluid Ruby Rose opens up about the backlash she's received for identifying as a lesbian |trans-title= |last=Gomez |first=Patrick |work=Entertainment Weekly |date=5 June 2019 |access-date=27 May 2020 |url= https://ew.com/celebrity/paul-lynde-life-legacy/ }}</ref>

* American activist and actor [[Ianne Fields Stewart]], a [[transfeminine]] [[nonbinary woman]] and lesbian<ref name="SwiftMar2020">{{Cite web |title=Meet Ianne Fields Stewart: The Activist and Actress Who Is Combatting Food Insecurity In The Black Transgender Community |author=Swift, Jaimee A. |work=Black Women Radicals |date=March 2, 2020 |access-date=November 3, 2020 |url= https://www.blackwomenradicals.com/blog-feed/meet-ianne-fields-stewart-the-activist-and-actress-who-is-combating-food-insecurity-in-the-black-transgender-community}}</ref><ref name="MastersAug2020">{{Cite web |title=This Activist Ensures Black Trans People Don't Go Hungry |last=Masters |first=Jeffrey |work=The Advocate |date=August 4, 2020 |access-date=November 3, 2020 |url= https://www.advocate.com/transgender/2020/7/31/ianne-fields-stewart-okra-project-trans |quote=I am a Black, queer, nonbinary, lesbian woman. }}</ref>

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'''Non-binary people loving women''' (often abbreviated as '''nblw''') is an expression used to describe [[nonbinary]] people who feel some type of attraction towards [[Woman|women]]. [[Romantic and sexual orientation#Orbisian/Trixic|''Trixic'' or ''orbisian'']] are terms that can be used with the same meaning.

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[[File:Womasexual.png|thumb|Womasexual flag.]]

"Attraction to women (and/or feminine genders, depending on the person)."<ref name="polyamaesthetic2020">{{Cite web |title=Anonymous asked: Hi, I'm wondering if you know any systems of terms used to describe attraction to a specific gender without including the gender of the person experiencing the attraction? |author= |work=polyamaesthetic |date=15 August 2020 |access-date=10 September 2020 |url= https://polyamaesthetic.tumblr.com/post/626554691551215616/hi-im-wondering-if-you-know-any-systems-of-terms}}</ref>  

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In the English-speaking world, most people know about three orientations that are usually attracted to men: bisexuals, [[Romantic and sexual orientation#Heterosexuality|heterosexual women]], and [[Romantic and sexual orientation#Homosexuality|homosexual men]] ([[Romantic and sexual orientation#Gay men|gay men]]). Some other identity labels have been proposed in order to have a way to say that one is usually attracted to men, without labeling one's own gender identity: [[Romantic and sexual orientation#Androphilia|androphilia]], [[Romantic and sexual orientation#Marsic|marsic]], [[Romantic and sexual orientation#Mascic|mascic]], and [[Romantic and sexual orientation#Uranic|uranic]]. Some identity labels have been proposed specifically for nonbinary people who are usually attracted to men: nonbinary people loving men ([[Romantic and sexual orientation#NBLM|NBLM]]), [[Romantic and sexual orientation#Azurian|azurian]], [[Romantic and sexual orientation#Quadrisian/Toric|quadrisian/toric]], [[Romantic and sexual orientation#Thistlian|thistlian]], and [[Romantic and sexual orientation#Viramoric|viramoric]].  

[[File:Achillean 2.png|thumb|A commonly-used flag for achillean pride. The green carnation historically indicated gayness.]]

An umbrella term for any male, male-aligned, or partially-male people who feel attraction to men (e.g. gay men, bisexual/pansexual men, gay asexual men, etc.) In short, anyone who considers themself an MLM (man who loves men) can identify as achillean.<ref>https://www.deviantart.com/pride-flags/art/Achillean-638170749</ref> The term is derived from the mythical character Achilles.<ref name="en.w_Achi">{{Cite web |title=Achillean - Wiktionary |author= |work=en.wiktionary.org |date= |access-date=8 September 2020 |url= https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Achillean |quote=4. Of or relating to sexual or romantic intimacy between men, in the style of Achilles' relationship with Patroclus. }}</ref> Nonbinary people might consider themselves achillean if they are partly male, sometimes male, [[Gender alignment|male-aligned]], or [[Galactian system|solarian]].

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Androphilia or androsexuality is a romantic or sexual orientation in which one feels attraction to men or [[masculinity]], regardless of one's own gender identity.<ref name="NeutroisTerms" /><ref>https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/androsexual</ref><ref name="Zambon" />

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An azurian is a [[nonbinary man]] who is attracted only to men. Coined by tumblr user bentonthefoxkin, the word is derived from the mineral azurite.<ref>https://beyond-mogai-pride-flags.tumblr.com/post/174346001015/azurian-pride-flags</ref> Several flags have been created for this orientation.

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Cinthean was proposed as an alternative for the terms "gay man" and "homosexual."<ref>Now: Why cinthean? The word "gay" has become an umbrella term for multiple members of the LGBT+ community, which is great, except that leaves us with no term for our sexuality except for- "gay man" or "homosexual." Gay man may be an awkward term to use for nonbinary people who aren't exactly men but still connect to the gay label, and homosexual has negative connotations in general, and just sounds a bit awkward. https://twitter.com/bimbjus/status/1279769182809317376?s=20 https://twitter.com/bimbjus/status/1279769184902266880?s=20</ref> The term applies to men and nonbinary people who are exclusively attracted to men and nonbinary people. It is inspired by the tale of Hyacinthus, who was a lover of Apollo. As he died, Apollo transformed his blood into a flower to honor him, with that flower being believed to be what we now know as the hyacinth.<ref>https://cintheanz.carrd.co/#explanation</ref> [[File:Cinthean flag by bimbjus.png|thumb|Cinthean flag.]]

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People who identify as gay men have a male gender identity, and are attracted only to men. This word is applicable regardless of whether one or both people involved are cisgender men or transgender men. Some nonbinary people also identify as men to some degree ([[nonbinary man|nonbinary men]]), and also usually experience attraction to men, and so they consider themselves gay.

Non-straight attraction by anyone to men and masculine-aligned people. Coined by Tumblr user goodpositivitylgbt.<ref>https://goodpositivitylgbt.tumblr.com/post/162015830695/new-terms-as-many-of-you-know</ref>

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[[File:Masexual.png|thumb|Masexual flag.]]

"Attraction to men (and/or masculine genders, depending on the person)."<ref name="polyamaesthetic2020" />

Note: The word "viramoric" should not be confused with "vixenamoric", which was created to exclude nonbinary lesbians and pronoun nonconforming lesbians from lesbianism.<ref name="Rylan">{{Cite web |title=“Vixenamoric” is TERF Ideology with Training Wheels |last=Rylan |first=Jules |work=Medium |date=16 October 2020 |access-date=26 June 2021 |url= https://radiantbutch.medium.com/vixenamoric-is-terf-ideology-with-training-wheels-dc7bb5ea01b1}}</ref><ref name="lgbt_Vixe">{{Cite web |title=Vixenamoric |author= |work=LGBTA Wiki |date= |access-date=26 June 2021 |url= https://lgbta.wikia.org/wiki/Vixenamoric}}</ref>

[[File:Straight nonbinary by xx R4TZ xx.jpg|thumb|A proposed flag to represent straight nonbinary people.]]

Also called being straight, heterosexuality is a romantic and sexual orientation in which a person tends to feel sexual attraction only to people of a different gender identity than their own. For example, women who usually feel attracted only to men. This is heterosexuality even if one or both of the people are [[transgender]], because this is based on [[gender identity]] rather than [[sex]]. Heterosexuality is often defined as attraction between persons of opposite gender<ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heterosexuality</ref>. However, the idea "opposite gender" only makes sense within the [[gender binary]], which sees all people as being either of only two genders, and that those two genders are supposedly opposites to each other. What "heterosexuality" means when [[nonbinary]] identities are taken into account is not agreed upon. By its etymology, it could imply "other" or "different" gender.<ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heterosexuality#Etymology</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=25 Great Lesson Plans about Sexual Orientation|year=2017 |last1=Clark |first1=Terri |last2=Gilbert |first2=Tracie Q. |last3=Rayne |first3=Karen|quote=The prefix ''hetero'' means "different" or "other". Thus, ''heterosexuality'' (often called ''straight'') refers to people who are exclusively attracted to different-sexed or other-sexed partners. For most straight people, this usually means attraction to the opposite biological sex, but for some straight people it can also include attraction to certain trans and intersex people, as well as people of all sorts of gender identities.|url=https://twitter.com/BiDotOrg/status/1442167110927470594/photo/1}}</ref> In that case, a heterosexual nonbinary person could mean one who feels attraction to one gender other than nonbinary, to both binary genders, or to all genders other than their exact own. Nevertheless, heterosexuality is often assumed to refer to attraction between men and women only, even when nonbinary identities are acknowledged. This can cause distress to nonbinary people in a relationship and their partners as they struggle to find a labels for themselves. The question of whether a nonbinary person can identify as heterosexual-- and how exactly that person defines their heterosexuality-- is up to that individual person.

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[[File:Strayt flag.png|thumb|right|The strayt flag, designed by nblwnonsense.<ref name="Straytflag">https://www.deviantart.com/pride-flags/art/Strayt-748740864</ref>]]

Coined by Mercuryretrograde<ref name="Straytflag" />, the term "strayt" is for nonbinary people who feel their attraction "is 'straight' but in a nonbinary way." Being strayt does not require attraction to only one gender or attraction to an "opposite" gender.<ref>[https://gai-strayt-alliance.tumblr.com/post/186223092828/what-is-a-strayt what is a “strayt”], 11 July 2019</ref>

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[[File:Contraic.png|thumb|right|The contraic flag, designed by by identity-workshop. The blueish-purples and pinkish-purples represent masculinity and femininity, and the yellow represents nonbinary attraction.]]

Term for nonbinary people's attraction to an "opposite side of the binary" gender. Coined by identity-workshop in 2018.<ref name="symmaic_contraic">https://identity-workshop.tumblr.com/post/173088225231/so-i-noticed-that-theres-no-terms-to-represent</ref><ref>https://www.deviantart.com/pride-flags/art/Contraic-2-750152604</ref>

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"Omnistraight" (likely coined to mirror [[Romantic and sexual orientation#Omnigay|omnigay]]) is a term which can be used by individuals with [[genderfluid|fluid gender]] who experience fluid attraction as well, such that they are always attracted to a gender different than their own current gender.<ref name="wren-omnistraight">{{Cite web |title=Omnistraight has quickly become one of my main identities, but there’s no actual flag for it, so I designed one myself! |author=wren |work=pride for all! |date=30 March 2020 |access-date=29 September 2020 |url= https://enb-ab-y.tumblr.com/post/614023456214974464/omnistraight-has-quickly-become-one-of-my-main}}</ref><ref>https://lgbta.wikia.org/wiki/Omnistraight</ref>

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===Homosexuality===