Non romantic partnerships

Non romantic partnerships

Non-romantic partnerships

Not everyone wants a romantic partner

Society has an underlying assumption that everyone is looking for the one a single romantic partner with whom they may spend the rest of their lives. This is not always the case though. Many people including aro people are uninterested in traditional lifelong love partnerships. Some people look for different kinds of relationships while others want to be single all the time.

Non-romantic partnerships

An aro person may choose to be in a committed relationship that is completely nonromantic in character on occasion. Commitment could mean raising children together, sharing living expenses or living together for a long time in these relationships. An aro person may specifically seek out an aro partner with similar relationship expectations but aro people may also build nonromantic relationships with people who do not identify as aro.

Polyamory can also exist in non-romantic relationships. A group of three friends for example might opt to live in the same house and raise their children as a family and they might consider themselves polyamorous.

Despite the fact that these connections contravene the expectations of what constitutes a friendship some people regard their nonromantic partners to be friends. Others believe nonromantic relationships to be a distinct form of relationship and a nonromantic partnership may resemble nothing like what most people envision when they hear the word friendship.

Queerplatonic relationships are a term used to describe these types of committed relationships. The term queerplatonic was coined to characterize relationships that did not fit neatly into the friendship or romance categories. It is beneficial to have this specialized word since it dispels the myth that friendships are always inferior to love partnerships.

The role of attraction

Some people have an interest in certain persons and desire to befriend them or learn more about them. These feelings are sometimes regarded a sort of attraction termed platonic attraction in ace and aro societies and this attraction may play a factor in who people choose to partner with. Regardless of whether or not they are attracted on an emotional level some people may start nonromantic relationships because they are attracted to their partner physically. This could involve the following:

Sexual attraction

The sensation of being captivated to someone physical attractiveness is known as aesthetic attraction.

The sensation of being drawn to engage in nonsexual touch with another person is known as sensual attraction.

Some people form relationships for reasons other than sexual attraction.

Benefits of QPRs and other non-romantic partnerships

For some people the prospect of living alone for the remainder of their lives is frightening. They may desire someone with whom they can share their lives who can care for them when they are ill and with whom they can share life pleasant moments. These collaborations can also help with practical issues. An aro person may still have life goals like as living alone purchasing a home or starting a family. Without a partner some of these objectives may be impossible to achieve. Some aro persons look for a nonromantic partner who shares their goals and needs in order to assist them in creating the life they desire. Overall a non-romantic relationship can provide a higher sense of security.

Not everyone wants a partner

While some people are looking for a mate others are completely indifferent. The term non-partnering refers to someone who is not looking for a long term partnership. Non-partnered people may be pleased with their current familial and interpersonal relationships or they may relish the independence that comes with being single. Because of their romanticism many aro persons are not willing to partner. Aces who are not aro may also be non-partnering for example they may prefer to live a happy life alone than try to work things out with a non ace partner who may not fully understand their orientation.