The problem is that the term ‘sexual’ indicates that you are sexually active, which is different from describing sexual attraction. There are asexual people who have sex and there are allosexual people who don’t have sex. So, it was important to develop a term to clearly identify the sexual orientation without implying sexual activity. Thus, the term ‘allosexual’ was born to differentiate between people who experience sexual attraction versus those who don’t.
Signs You’re an Allosexual
You can use the term ‘allosexual’ to describe a person who feels a sexual attraction to anyone, regardless of sexual orientation. Someone who identifies as allosexual may experience sexual attraction toward people in any capacity! The only group of people who aren’t allosexual are those who identify as asexual. And, even then, someone who identifies as asexual may find themselves sexually attracted to someone else at one point or another. Remember, it’s also possible for your sexuality to change and evolve over time as it can exist on a spectrum for many people. So, you might find that the term allosexual feels right for you now but, over time, you may find that another term feels more accurate. It’s also perfectly OK not to choose a label at all!
The Term ‘Allosexual’ Fosters Greater Inclusivity
Creating the term ‘allosexual’ was an exercise in inclusion. By developing a term for people who experience sexual attraction, we avoid excluding people who identify as asexual as abnormal.
Other Types of Sexuality
Allosexual and asexual are opposite extremes on the spectrum of sexuality. Some people don’t identify with either of these terms. There are two different types of sexuality that fall in the middle of the spectrum: graysexuality and demisexuality.
Graysexuality: People who identify as graysexual experience sexual attraction on rare occasions or at a lower intensity than allosexual people.Demisexuality: On the other hand, demisexual people only experience sexual attraction when they have an emotional connection with someone.
