#aro joy

[raavenb2619]

An ace friend of mine has been questioning if they're aro for a bit, and they recently sent me this:

I think I’m aro. But not because I’ve stared at myself and decided that that’s a perfect label that fits and describes me. I think I’m aro because even if I haven’t learned anything about myself, I’m slowly starting to realize that the label can mean a lot of things in a lot of ways, and it’s less a matter of fitting under an umbrella than it is enjoying the lack of rain. And I think I like using the term aromantic to describe myself. So, that’s it. I am aroace. Because I want to be. Not because I understand myself—because that’s an infinity away—but because whatever mess I am, it’s a mess that’s a little bit better with the term applied.

[chaotic-carnifex]

Aro joy is moving in with your best friend.

Alloaro joy is knowing the two of you will have sex in every corner of your new shared flat.

[knifearo]

everybody! quick! tell me what aro joy means to you <2

[aromanticofficial]

first, a scream:

AAAA I LOVE BEING ARO AAAAAAAAA

second, a post:

i told someone irl im aromantic and was about to explain it, but then they said "i already know, i recognised the flag from the pride pin on your jacket" :]

hell yeah

[toribookworm22]

Opened my birthday present from my parents that they told me to open specifically ON my birthday.

And I just...

It's aro goodies. Wrapped in aro colors.

It's stuff they specifically went out to find, including the bracelet from a small business, for my birthday and then my mom was so excited to wrap up in the three colors of tissue paper.

And like. Sure. They might not get it. Not fully.

But they support me not just wholly but joyously.

My parents always joked that none of my friends would be starving artists, because they'd take them in. I'm happy to say I think the same is true no matter what rainbow you are, too.

[neverquiteeden]

My Aro Friend-Grief post is doing the rounds again, so I want to change the tone a bit. This is a Positivity Post(TM).

Reblog with at least one experience you've had with your friends or being aro/aro-spec that has brought you genuine joy! Let's get some hope passed around here!

[bring-the-storm]

today I went through the most cathartic experience as an aspec person and I had to share it

I was hanging out with my sister and noticed one of her friends, a fourteen-year-old girl, kept clearly getting frustrated whenever anything sex or romance related was brought up in the conversation. Everyone else seemed to brush it off as her “being weird” and ignored it.

since I, an Aroace person myself, have a bit of experience with similar feelings, I eventually pulled her aside to talk.

I told her that I agreed with her, that a lot of the conversations around the topic seemed pointless to me and YEAH! People are really weird about romance and sex and it can be annoying.

I could see the relief on her face. I don’t think anyone had ever told her that it was okay to not understand and that she wasn’t falling behind.

I told her that it was okay to want a future without romance, sex or neither in it, and that no one had the right to demand either from her.

usually, when I tell people my Controversial Relationship Hot Takes like “you don’t need to get romantically married to be happy” and “sex is overrated anyway” they brush me off, but I could tell that she actually took it to heart.

anyway, the conversation made me realize that I have never had anyone I looked up to tell me that my hesitation surrounding romance an sex is okay. From the absolute relief in her face, I could tell it meant the world to her and I am honored to have played that part in her journey.

[heartless-aro]

the best thing about being aromantic is everything about being aromantic.

[space-ace-on-the-case]

thinking about aro joy and how great it is to have friends that make you feel seen and care how you feel

[asfarasicouldget]

i don’t know if this is because i’m aromantic, but i prefer to describe things with “joy” instead of “love”.

arophobes always try to have their gotcha moment questioning aros (specially loveless aros) about “oh but when you eat good food and spend time with your friends and hug your pet, you don’t call that love?” and the answer is: no. i don’t. personally, “joy” describes those experiences so much better. those are the little things that bring me joy and make me stay alive.

and all this is coming from a person who does feel love, by the way. no aros are trying to shame you for feeling love or describing those experiences as love. the problem is when you try to push your personal feelings towards us.

it’s also why i hate posts like “the whole point is about love” etc etc. your life is guided by love? great for you! just don’t make aromantics feel like they’re the worst people in the world just because we disagree with you.

i’m not sure where i was going with this but, i think my point is: as a aromantic person who does feel love, feeling joy is the most important thing to me and it will always be the better way to explain how i feel.

[our-queer-experience]

the best experience with my aromanticism that i’ve had is being home and having sweet alone time with no worry about pleasing someone else or pleasing their expectations. and every single time I am away from home, I don’t have to worry about bumping into a previous ex. No relationships, no ex! It really simplifies my life and I love being aro and ace

thank you for sharing, i love this!

[goondah]

Came out to one of my straight friends for the first time today and it went well!! :)

[knifearo]

MODS ARE ASLEEP POST AROMANTIC JOY ‼️

[huggythedictionary]

Aromantic:

Experiencing limited romantic attraction. Not to be accidentally conflated with asexual.

I think it's going to be okay. My friends are lovely and strange, just like me. I hope you find some lovely, strange people to be friends with, too. We don't have to know exactly what we want, or exactly why we don't feel that romance in the same way. We're going to be okay, you and I, though it doesn't always feel that way. Your bones will hold your joy, just like they hold your sorrow. May you find your peace, and maybe other ways to live a lovely life.

I believe in us.

[b-e-b-b-l-e]

I am aromantic and I have a partner. But my aromantic joy doesn't come from being in a 'traditional' relationship, or any relationship.

My aromantic joy comes from this community, from my very existence challenging societal norms, from the freedom my identity gives me to explore relationships, from not feeling trapped anymore, from finally having answers, from knowing I don't need a partner to be happy, from embracing relationship anarchy, from being able to explore other parts of my identity without fear, from learning about aromantic history, from learning about microlables and umbrella labels, from seeing us kick ass when people try to tell us we're not queer enough, from seeing the wider queer community come to support us from shitheads trying to say we're not queer enough, from all the community inside jokes.

I love aromantic joy!