Quiz: Am I Aroace?

Have you ever wondered why everyone around seems so obsessed with romance and sex? Why are they willing to go through so much effort, turmoil, and even humiliation for it? If all of this strikes you as strange rather than desirable, you might belong to a group of people called aroaces. Don’t brush it off too quickly – we invite you to take a quiz that could completely flip your understanding of yourself and your identity.

What is an Aroace?

An aroace is someone who identifies as both aromantic (not experiencing romantic attraction) and asexual (not experiencing sexual attraction) at the same time. This term first emerged in LGBTQ online communities around the 2010s as a way to combine the two separate identities. 

It’s important to understand that being aroace is not the same as celibacy or a choice of singlehood. It’s an identity that describes an innate orientation and lack of romantic/sexual desires, rather than a conscious choice to abstain from relationships.

History and Origin of the Term

While the exact origin of the term “aroace” is hard to trace, it seems to have emerged from the asexual community in the 2010s on forums like AVEN. At first, the separate terms “aromantic” and “asexual” were used, but then people who fell into both categories started using “aroace” as a convenient shorthand.

Some researchers note that isolated mentions of people who could be considered aroace have existed throughout history. For example, some historians believe the medieval nun Hildegard of Bingen adhered to an aroace identity.

5 Signs You Might Be Aroace in the Quiz

The quiz outlines five key signs that may indicate an aroace identity, from lack of romantic and sexual attraction to not understanding romantic gestures. Let’s look at each of these in more detail:

Lack of Romantic Fantasies

One key sign is a complete or near-complete lack of romantic fantasies about other people. Aroaces don’t imagine romantic scenarios, daydream about dates, or experience feelings of romantic attraction.

No Sexual Attraction or Fantasies

Aroaces also don’t tend to have sexual fantasies, desire for sexual contact with others, or preoccupation with the subject of sex in general. This distinguishes them from people who may be asexual but still experience romantic feelings.

Comfort with Solitude and Independence

Many aroaces feel quite comfortable being alone and don’t experience a “lack” from not having a romantic partner. They value their independence and don’t see a need for romantic coupledom.

Not Understanding Romantic Culture

Aroaces often don’t understand romantic gestures and traditions like Valentine’s Day, dating, giving flowers, etc. It seems strange or unnecessary to them because they don’t experience those romantic feelings.

No Need for a Romantic Partner

While many people aspire to romantic relationships and marriage, aroaces don’t feel this is a need or important life goal. They can feel fulfilled through other close bonds like friendships or family ties.

Why Acknowledging the Aroace Identity Matters

Openly recognizing and embracing the aroace identity matters for several reasons:

1. It gives people language to describe their lived experience and makes it more legitimate, rather than just an “aberration from the norm.”
2. The aroace community helps combat stereotypes that a lack of romantic/sexual desires must be problematic or trauma-induced.
3. Acknowledging aroace identity expands societal notions of what’s normal in the realm of romantic and sexual relationships. 
4. It allows aroaces to openly live according to their identity without pressure or rejection from society.

So the “Am I Aroace?” quiz and information serve not just self-understanding, but raise awareness in society about the diversity of human experiences with relationships.

Conclusion

Aroace is a relatively new term, but it represents a rich diversity of human experience that has existed throughout history. Understanding and embracing aroace identity is important for deepening our collective awareness of the spectrum of romantic and sexual orientations.  

The “Am I Aroace?” quiz serves not just as a tool for self-reflection, but opens the door to contemplating what it means to be aroace in modern society. It reminds us that the norm is not the only way, and that the diversity of sexual and romantic identities deserves respect and understanding.