Glossary

Someone is allosexual (allo) when they experience sexual attraction towards others, i.e. are not asexual. Allosexual people can be aromantic or alloromantic.

Someone is alloromantic (allo) when they experience romantic attraction towards others, i.e. are not aromantic. Alloromantic people can be asexual or allosexual.

Amatonormativity refers to the social norms and practices around the belief that everyone should pursue and prioritize an (exclusive), long-term sexual-romantic relationship in their life as the ultimate goal.

[singular] Aromanticism in the singular form is a sexual orientation and identity. Someone is aromantic (aro) when they experience no romantic attraction towards others, or do so to a lesser or varying degree (see: aromantic spectrum). Aromantic people can be asexual or allosexual.

[plural] Aromanticisms in the plural form include the plurality of aromantic subjectivities outside of the dominant white, Western understanding of sexual orientation.

[singular] Asexuality in the singular form is a sexual orientation and identity. Someone is asexual (ace) when they experience no sexual attraction towards others, or do so to a lesser or varying degree (see: asexual spectrum). It should be noted that sexual attraction is not the same as desire or libido. Asexual people can be aromantic or alloromantic.

[plural] Asexualities in the plural form include the plurality of asexual subjectivities outside of the dominant white, Western understanding of sexual orientation.

Asexuality and aromanticism are not concrete categories; they each describe an asexual and/or aromantic spectrum (together, the aspectrum) that covers experiencing attraction very rarely, only under specific circumstances, or with very low intensity. 

For example, this includes microlabels such as graysexual/romantic (experiencing attraction rarely or weakly), demisexual/romantic (experiencing attraction only after forming strong emotional bonds), and aegosexual/romantic (experiencing attraction that is disconnected from the self).

Compulsory sexuality (from compulsory heterosexuality) refers to the social norms and practices around the belief that sexuality and sexual attraction are a universal and necessary part of human existence, i.e. that everyone is and should be allosexual.

The Split Attraction Model (SAM) distinguishes different forms of attraction, i.e. sexual, romantic, sensual, emotional, aesthetic attraction etc. It recognizes that what we usually refer to as sexual attraction is not the same as romantic attraction, and an individual's sexual orientation may differ from their romantic orientation.