We don't really have a lexicon for asexual relationships yet. More words would be helpful. Lifefriend, maybe; a suggestion of permanence and affection that doesn't carry the same assumption of sex. Squishmate, perhaps; drawing on the asexual term 'squish' for a nonsexual kind of crush.
-
- Elizabeth Barrette (
ysabetwordsmith) wrote,
Elizabeth Barrette
ysabetwordsmith
- Mood:
busy
Vocabulary of Affection
We don't really have a lexicon for asexual relationships yet. More words would be helpful. Lifefriend, maybe; a suggestion of permanence and affection that doesn't carry the same assumption of sex. Squishmate, perhaps; drawing on the asexual term 'squish' for a nonsexual kind of crush.
-
Content notes for "The Little Shadow Across the Grass"
These are the content notes for " The Little Shadow Across the Grass." Read about the Grunge. The Ghost Dance was meant to " roll…
-
Setting notes for "The Little Shadow Across the Grass"
These are the setting notes for " The Little Shadow Across the Grass." Read about the Blackfeet Reservation. This map shows Glacier…
-
Character notes for "The Little Shadow Across the Grass"
These are the character notes for " The Little Shadow Across the Grass." Many of the character names came partly from Blackfeet…
-
Content notes for "The Little Shadow Across the Grass"
These are the content notes for " The Little Shadow Across the Grass." Read about the Grunge. The Ghost Dance was meant to " roll…
-
Setting notes for "The Little Shadow Across the Grass"
These are the setting notes for " The Little Shadow Across the Grass." Read about the Blackfeet Reservation. This map shows Glacier…
-
Character notes for "The Little Shadow Across the Grass"
These are the character notes for " The Little Shadow Across the Grass." Many of the character names came partly from Blackfeet…
April 25 2012, 09:36:08 UTC 9 years ago
Thoughts
April 26 2012, 02:51:16 UTC 9 years ago
Thank you! Use as desired.
>>But then, being in online fandom, I've gotten used to using "squish" as a term of affection (though I'd never realized it was an asexual thing, or used in the context of asexual relationships -- mostly I know it in a platonic sense).<<
It is platonic, in the sense of being nonsexual but significant. I'm not sure if the term "squish" for a nonsexual crush was invented by/for asexuals and spread from there, or if they picked it up from somewhere else.
April 26 2012, 04:19:06 UTC 9 years ago
Re: Thoughts
April 26 2012, 21:26:56 UTC 9 years ago
Re: Thoughts
April 26 2012, 21:42:50 UTC 9 years ago
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platonic_love
Huh, that reminds me of the old custom of courtly love, which was all about the romance and not about physical consummation. Perhaps romantic asexuals could find useful ideas and terms in that -- there was quite a lot written about it, as it was very popular for a long time.
April 25 2012, 11:08:27 UTC 9 years ago
Thank you!
April 25 2012, 19:57:50 UTC 9 years ago
Re: Thank you!
April 26 2012, 11:24:12 UTC 9 years ago
April 25 2012, 12:33:35 UTC 9 years ago
On one hand, casual acceptance of asexual partnerships might be easier with words that are more - I don't want to say "mainstream" but common. On the other, people ought to be able to define their words for themselves. So I don't know. "Lifefriend" seems more self-explanatory, where "squishmate" is a very inner-circle term that would have to be defined nearly every time it's used.
I'm not ace myself but I do have a "platonic romance" with one of my friends, and I know how hard it can be to define and describe to other people. I've settled on "sworn-brother" because, well, that's about as close as it gets.
April 25 2012, 20:57:42 UTC 9 years ago
I also hear "my main man" or "blood friend".