genuinely think everyone would benefit from learning about aromanticism and relationship anarchy. even straight, allosexual, alloromantics. because amatonormativity affects everyone, and learning about relationship anarchy and redefining how you think about relationships is so freeing. youcan do whatever you want 4ever.
Hot take but I think relationship anarchy should be more widely know in the aro community (and everywhere but baby steps) and should be at the forefront of our discussions surrounding relationships
The idea that only the people involved in the relationship determine what is/isn’t romantic for them feels like it should be common sense, TBH. Relationship anarchy just feels right.
I would just like to add to what you've because whilst it isn't incorrect, relationship anarchy isn't just about romantic relationships. It's about relationships in general and deconstructs the idea the categorisation of relationships into neat little boxes which then also form a hierarchy of inherent importance.
This is explained in more depth in other posts but a large issue with the way qprs are treated within (and outside) of the community is their treatment as THE aro relationship and one which is inherently closer than "regular" platonic ones. An example of this is the defense of qprs as "not just best friends" is "friends wouldn't do [insert activity usually associated with romantic relationships]". Another example of this is the wider adoption of "queerplatonic attraction" being the desire to be in a qpr with someone which has largely frozen what it means to be in a qpr. The very creation of the concept of qprs was an attempt to break free from this rigidity of specific relationships and that has been largely lost now.
This isn't a critique of people engaging with qprs on a personal level, but of the treatment of qprs (and relationships in general) in the wider aro community. I believe that a wider awareness of relationship anarchy would go quite a way to solving these issues and this is what I meant when I originally made my post.
Hot take but I think relationship anarchy should be more widely know in the aro community (and everywhere but baby steps) and should be at the forefront of our discussions surrounding relationships
The idea that only the people involved in the relationship determine what is/isn’t romantic for them feels like it should be common sense, TBH. Relationship anarchy just feels right.
I would just like to add to what you've because whilst it isn't incorrect, relationship anarchy isn't just about romantic relationships. It's about relationships in general and deconstructs the idea the categorisation of relationships into neat little boxes which then also form a hierarchy of inherent importance.
This is explained in more depth in other posts but a large issue with the way qprs are treated within (and outside) of the community is their treatment as THE aro relationship and one which is inherently closer than "regular" platonic ones. An example of this is the defense of qprs as "not just best friends" is "friends wouldn't do [insert activity usually associated with romantic relationships]". Another example of this is the wider adoption of "queerplatonic attraction" being the desire to be in a qpr with someone which has largely frozen what it means to be in a qpr. The very creation of the concept of qprs was an attempt to break free from this rigidity of specific relationships and that has been largely lost now.
This isn't a critique of people engaging with qprs on a personal level, but of the treatment of qprs (and relationships in general) in the wider aro community. I believe that a wider awareness of relationship anarchy would go quite a way to solving these issues and this is what I meant when I originally made my post.
[Image description: Tweet from MonaGee @TheMonaGee that reads, “Relationship Anarchy is not freedom from commitment. It’s the freedom to build commitments that work for you and the people you care about, regardless of societal expectations or norms.” End ID]
Honestly, aromanticism and the aro community has changed my life so much for the better. I am so glad that I get to identify as aro. Being aro is a radically liberating and compassionate state of existence and I am 100% here for it.
Here are some of my favourite things about being aro (please feel free to add your own):
Aromantics are amazing and deserve to be celebrated.
I love you QPRs, I love you polyamory, I love you relationship anarchy, I love you aromantics with partners, I love you people who don’t want relationships, I love you I admire you loveless community, I love you ignoring amatonormativity <3
