I struggled with amatonormativity for a LONG time, to the point of it affecting my mental health, because I didn't know what I was doing wrong to keep failing in my relationships.
Now? I'm living with four of my closest friends in a platonic/fwb polycule and I have never been happier.
yeah, the internet has been useful to realize thta there are more people out there who are some variety of aroace than society would have us believe
how many people went through life thinking of romance as an inconvenient ritual to get a family? how many weren't interested in pairing up at all but it was frowned upon (or made survival tougher, depending on the region and time) to stay alone?
how many "ugh, married life sucks" jokes and grousing was actually people being forced to live a life they wouldn't have chosen had they had the knowledge and opportunity not to?
Exactly!! After one failed marriage, two ended engagements, and a long term partnership ending in disaster, I was talking to one of the friends I now live with, and they said
"Have you considered that you might be aromantic or some variety thereof?"
Despite having known about aro folks for well over a decade, I didn't even really think about ME being some form of aro- it's confusing enough being asexual!!
It's why I am always trying to spread awareness, because you never know who might see it and realize "Oh shit, this might be me??"
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Re: OT Thread
(Anonymous) 2025-11-01 01:43 pm (UTC)(link)I struggled with amatonormativity for a LONG time, to the point of it affecting my mental health, because I didn't know what I was doing wrong to keep failing in my relationships.
Now? I'm living with four of my closest friends in a platonic/fwb polycule and I have never been happier.
Romance ain't for me, but platonic love is. ♥
Re: OT Thread
(Anonymous) 2025-11-01 02:31 pm (UTC)(link)how many people went through life thinking of romance as an inconvenient ritual to get a family? how many weren't interested in pairing up at all but it was frowned upon (or made survival tougher, depending on the region and time) to stay alone?
how many "ugh, married life sucks" jokes and grousing was actually people being forced to live a life they wouldn't have chosen had they had the knowledge and opportunity not to?
Re: OT Thread
(Anonymous) 2025-11-01 03:20 pm (UTC)(link)Exactly!! After one failed marriage, two ended engagements, and a long term partnership ending in disaster, I was talking to one of the friends I now live with, and they said
"Have you considered that you might be aromantic or some variety thereof?"
Despite having known about aro folks for well over a decade, I didn't even really think about ME being some form of aro- it's confusing enough being asexual!!
It's why I am always trying to spread awareness, because you never know who might see it and realize "Oh shit, this might be me??"