Polyromantic

[mort paradis]

I've come across two different definitions for polyromantic. I used to think that it simply was taken from polyamorous, but then more recently I've come across definitions where it was taken from polysexual. So which one do you use or like more? Which one do you think works better? Why?

Wikipedia article on polyamory.

Wikipedia article on polysexuality.

[Born of Star Dust]

I thought polyromantic= being attracted to multiple people (like polyamorous)

and panromantic= being attracted to multiple genders (like pansexual)

I have a friend who is both in a polyamorous relationship (with many people) and she is pansexual (attracted to many genders). :)

I have not heard the term polysexual, only pansexual/romantic and polyamorous, so my assumption is that the "pan" prefix is used to refer to all genders, all encompasing and the "poly" refers to an amount of people, many people. Maybe the distinction could be made even further that polysexuals are attracted to more than two genders, but not as many as pansexuals who are attracted to all genders?

[StoryWitch]

While I tend to equate 'polyromantic' with 'polysexual', I've also found it quite confusing. The way I understand it, the technical definitions are...

Heterosexual = Attracted to the opposite gender

Homosexual = Attracted to the same gender

Bisexual = Attracted to both males and females

Polysexual = Attracted to more than two genders, but not ALL genders (i.e. males, females, and transmen, but not transwomen--yes, I know transwomen are female too, but this is how I've heard the term used, so...)

Pansexual = Attracted to all possible genders

Polyamorous = Preferring relationships that include more than two people. Opposite of 'monogamous.' Doesn't specify the gender(s) of preferred partner(s), so it's more of a relational orientation than a sexual orientation.

So I would think that, for us aces, the same definitions would apply for heteroromantic, homoromantic, biromantic, polyromantic, and panromantic (except that they specify non-sexual romantic attraction, obviously). And 'polyamorous' would remain the same, since 'amorous' just refers to love and isn't reserved for sexual relationships.

The confusion, I think, comes from the fact that 'polysexual' and 'polyromantic' are hardly ever used. I think that most people who are attracted to more than two genders just go with the 'pan' prefix (not feeling the need to specify that there might be one or two gender identities they're not attracted to). And 'polyamorous' is used much more commonly, so when people hear 'polysexual' or 'polyromantic', they tend to incorrectly interpret them to mean 'polyamorous.'

Sorry for the crazy long-windedness. :redface: I have a thing for words.