Platonic vs Sensual vs Sexual. I want your opinion

[nothinbuttrouble]

When does platonic physical contact because sensual physical contact?

When does the sensual become sexual?

Where do you think kink fits in this? Is kink inherently sexual? Or can it be only sensual, or even platonic?

Is it possible to be sensual without physical contact?

Is it possible to be sexual without physical contact?

[Lichley]

That's a lot of questions, but I'll try my best.

Platonic and sensual do cross link, platonic is caring for someone platonically, and sensual is wanting to hug/kiss/make physical contact.

A lot of people have different borders for the sensual-sexual thing, but for me if the parts come out of the clothing your crossing that line. Or putting parts together (to cover "clothes on sex")

A kink can be either sensual, sexual or both depending on the person. It is not inherently sexual, you just need to derive some sort of pleasure from the act. 

It can definitely be sensual, but platonic is how you feel towards a person and not how you act towards them. Sensual is touching, platonic is "this is mine". 

It probably is possible, like the ghost of a hand almost touching ,but not quite,being able to elicit a response. 

It is possible to be sexual without physical contact, but you probably would find it hard to have sex unless there is an auditory kink, or the ghosting hands thing.  

[Snao Cone]

When does platonic physical contact because sensual physical contact?

When it's done for the reason of enjoying touch instead of just courtesy displays of platonic bonds.

 

When does the sensual become sexual?

This is tricky, but I would say if it involves interactive nudity, groping or kissing of breasts, or stimulation of genitalia I would say it's become indistinguishable from sexual foreplay.

 

Where do you think kink fits in this? Is kink inherently sexual? Or can it be only sensual, or even platonic?

Most kink is sexual to some degree. Some might be sensual, if it doesn't turn the person on but perhaps just relaxes them or helps them express emotion without involving sexual body parts or libido.

 

Is it possible to be sensual without physical contact?

Hmm, I think so, but more like how sexual fantasies are still sexual. Closing your eyes and thinking of how great a massage would be is a sensual thought.

 

Is it possible to be sexual without physical contact?

Yes. People do it all the time.

[Tos]

When does platonic physical contact because sensual physical contact?

i can, of course, only speak for myself. however, for me, platonic physical contact and sensual physical contact are easily discernable by a) desire and b) duration. for example, i am all for physical contact with my friends. however, i don't think "man, i really want to hug them/touch their hair/hold their hand/etc" about people i'm not sensually attracted to. in addition, contact with people i'm not sensually attracted to usually only lasts a short time.

 

When does the sensual become sexual?

i have neither experiences sexual attraction nor been in a sexual situation, but from what i can observe in others, sensual contact becomes sexual when the goal of the interaction shifts. i could say that contact becomes sexual when it moves to certain parts of the body, but the only instance that would be completely true would be when it involves contact with genitalia, i think. it is (in my personal opinion) completely possible to have purely sensual contact when interacting with any other location on the body, clothed or not.

 

Where do you think kink fits in this? Is kink inherently sexual? Or can it be only sensual, or even platonic?

i don't know anything about kink, so i won't comment on it.

 

Is it possible to be sensual without physical contact?

i primarily conceptualize sensual attraction as physical, but i suppose it could possible to have a sensual interaction  without physical contact. after all, touch (and taste) are not the only senses humans have. attraction to someone's voice could be percieved as sensual, and singing together, for example, might then be called sensual contact. however, i think this might just be the gray area between aesthetic attraction (which i conceptualize as mainly visual) and sensual attraction. perhaps the real difference between sensual and aesthetic attraction is a desire for interaction, rather than just observation?

 

Is it possible to be sexual without physical contact?

it's definitely possible to have a sexual interaction without actual physical contact, though, considering the existence of sexting and other media-based sexual interactions, or practices like mutual masturbation that don't involve actually touching the other party.

[NerotheReaper]

Moved from Romantic and Aromantic Orientations, to Questions about Asexuality