Sensual Attraction and Orientation
Sensual Attraction is a form of non-sexual physical attraction where one may desire sensual interactions with a particular individual.[1][2] This may include actions such as:
- General touching
- Kissing
- Cuddling
- Hugging
- Massaging
One's pattern of sensual attraction towards certain genders typically (but not always) forms that individual's sensual orientation. Sensual orientations are often identified by the usage of the '-sensual' suffix, such as heterosensual, or bisensual.
An individual who regularly experiences sensual attraction would be allosensual. Someone who does not regularly experience sensual attraction may be asensual or otherwise asenspec.
A sensual desire for another individual may be called a lush.[3]
Sensual attraction can often be confused with sensual drive, or its especially intense counterpart, touch-starvation.[4] Sensual drive and touch-starvation may cause someone to desire sensual interaction in general, but it is not directed towards a particular individual. Sensual attraction is a desire for sensual interaction with another individual in particular.
Due to the tactical nature of sensual attraction, it is also often misinterpreted as sexual attraction, and many individuals presume that relationships involving cuddling will inevitably lead to sex. Thus the defining of sensual attraction helps many individuals to mark the lines of their boundaries and levels of intimacy.[5]
History
Sensual attraction appeared initially on the The AVEN forums in 2009 by user Ender. Ender explained it as a way of describing why some asexual individuals in romantic relationships aren't simply platonic friends with their partners. Ender defined sensual attraction officially as having a desire to engage in sensual acts with a certain individual (kissing, cuddling, hugging, hand holding, etc).[6]
Flags and Symbols
The first flag was coined by Tumblr user arya-fae on or before 3 Sep, 2015. The flag was based on the asexual flag. The multiple shades of purple represent different elements of sensual attraction such as sight, touch, hugs, caresses, kisses, and similar physical senses.[7]
Resources
- ↑ "ASEXUALITY, ATTRACTION, AND ROMANTIC ORIENTATION". LGBT Center, https://lgbtq.unc.edu/resources/exploring-identities/asexuality-attraction-and-romantic-orientation/#:~:text=Sensual%20attraction%3A%20the%20desire%20to,personality%20instead%20of%20their%20physicality.. Accessed on 10 May, 2023.
- ↑ Kunde, Roma. "What Are the Types of Attraction?". WebMD, 7 Nov, 2022, https://www.webmd.com/sex-relationships/what-types-attraction.
- ↑ life-of-an-asexual. "Desires for relations based on types of attraction". A-spectacular Life, 16 Nov, 2014, https://life-of-an-asexual.tumblr.com/post/102762643654/desires-for-relations-based-on-types-of-attraction.
- ↑ Brognano, Andrea. "What Does It Mean to Be Touch Starved?". Choosing Therapy, 6 Feb, 2023, https://www.choosingtherapy.com/touch-starved/#:~:text=A%20person%20may%20become%20touch,or%20experience%20symptoms%20of%20depression..
- ↑ Paramo, Michael. "On Sensual Attraction: Yes, sometimes people do "just want to cuddle."". ' 19 Aug, 2018, https://azejournal.com/article/2018/8/15/on-sensual-attraction-and-intimacy-yes-sometimes-people-really-do-just-want-to-cuddle.
- ↑ Ender. "Sensual Attraction". The AVEN, 6 Dec, 2009, https://www.asexuality.org/en/topic/46584-sensual-attraction/.
- ↑ pride-color-schemes. "Sensual". Tumblr, 8 Jul, 2016, https://pride-color-schemes.tumblr.com/post/147083424165/sensual.
