Aegosexual or Anegosexual[1], also known as Autochorissexual, is a microlabel on the asexual spectrum that describes individuals who experience a disconnect between themselves and the subject of arousal. Aegosexuals may experience sexual fantasies, enjoy porn and other sexual content, or masturbate, but they generally feel little to no sexual attraction and typically do not desire to involve themselves in sex with another individual.
Some common aegosexual experiences include:
- Enjoying sexual content, masturbating, or fantasizing about sex, but being indifferent towards or repulsed by the idea of being in a real-life sexual relationship.
- Fantasizing about sex, but:
- the aegosexual individual is not involved. They may only be a disembodied observer viewing it from a third-individual perspective rather than from the first-individual.
- envisioning only other individuals, such as celebrities, fictional characters, or even friends.
- it involves generic, faceless individuals, not specific individuals.
- it is seen through the perspective of another individual rather than as one's actual self.
- only imagining oneself, and no other individuals.
- it is idealized and unrealistic. Adding realistic elements to the fantasy makes the idea of sex less appealing or even repulsive.
- Perceiving someone as "hot" or recognizing someone as sexually attractive, yet not seeing the appeal of having sex with the individual in real life. The aegosexual individual may instead prefer to fantasize about them or admire them (miransexual).
- Enjoying erotic content but getting turned on by the situation or relationship dynamics in story lines rather than by one's attraction to the individuals.
Aegosexual may be similar to pseudosexual, which describes an individual who experiences a non-sexual attraction which mimics sexual attraction, often by causing arousal or a libido spike.
Aegosexual individuals may exist anywhere on the asexual spectrum. It is for example possible for someone to be demisexual and aegosexual at the same time, meaning that they are aegosexual until they have formed an emotional bond with someone, at which they will start experiencing sexual attraction to that individual in real life. Most aegosexuals are however considered to be black stripe asexuals as they do not experience any sexual attraction at all. This is possible since aegosexuality has to do with a pattern of arousal and not actual sexual attraction.
The romantic equivalent is Aegoromantic.
History
The term "autochorissexualism" (or "'identity-less' sexuality") was coined by Dr. Anthony Bogaert, a psychologist who specialized in human sexuality, in 2012[2]. It was originally classified as a paraphilia due to Asexuality being considered a psychological disorder at the time.
This classification caused controversy regarding the Autochori- prefix. Some individuals who identified with the term did not care about the negative association, others chose to reclaim the word, and still others chose to identify with the alternative label of "Aegosexual".
Aegosexual was coined by Tumblr user Sugar-And-Spite, in November 2014. The alternative term is meant to have the same meaning as Autochorisexual, but is formulated to make the word easier to pronounce and discard the orientation's original classification as a paraphilia.[3]
Additionally, some Aegosexuals were uncomfortable with Bogaert's definition of "autochorissexualism", which remained the widely used definition after the coining of Aegosexual. Other definitions were coined as a result, with varying takes on whether or not Aegosexuals experience sexual attraction. Some of these definitions are as follows:
- Liking the idea of sex, and/or enjoying sexual content, but not actually experiencing attraction or wanting to have sex with anybody.[4]
- An individual who enjoys the idea of sexual relationships but does not wish to have one. (Associated with a disconnect between the individual and a sexual target/fantasy)[5]
- Feeling sexual attraction and desire only for situations that do not involve one's self.[6]
- Someone who feels sexual attraction, but does not want to participate in sex.[7]
Flags and Symbols
The original Autochorissexual flag was made by tumblr user hunterinabrowncoat on July 23rd, 2014. The triangle represents a "reverse" or "inversion" of asexuality, as aegosexuals may experience arousal and/or sexual attraction, but are disconnected from the subject of said arousal and do not desire engagement or participation in sexual activities. The color associations remain the same as with the Asexual flag.[8][9]
An alternate flag was designed by an unnamed "member of the aegosexual community" on or before August 4, 2020. The color meanings are as follows:
- Purple represents community, likely coming from the asexual community;
- Gray represents the entire spectrum of asexuality;
- Teal represents a disconnection between the self and attraction;
- Black represents asexuality.
An alternate version was created on August 8, 2020, by xeno-aligned[10] which kept the triangle symbolism but used the colors of the alternate flag.
The fourth flag was coined by Cryptocrew on February 22nd of 2021. The shades of purple represent sexuality while the black triangles represents a wall in between ones sexuality and themself. The grey X represents the greyasexual spectrum.
The aegosexual symbol was created by Tumblr user satyrradio on July 19th, 2024.[11]
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An alternate aegosexual flag. -
An alternate aegosexual flag by xeno-aligned. -
An alternate aegosexual flag by CryptoCrew. -
An alternate aegosexual flag by Pringles ketchup the second. -
An alternate aegosexual flag by sleeping_cosmos. -
An alternate aegosexual flag by ALDA.
Etymology
Dr. Bogaert derived the term from the phase "autochoris", meaning "sexuality without identity".
Aego- is derived from Latin words with the prefix "a-" meaning "without" and "ego" meaning "myself", making the whole word translate to "sexual without myself".
Anego- is more etymologically correct, using "an-", which comes before terms starting with vowel sounds, instead of "a-".[12]
Resources
- ↑ https://archive.today/2022.02.15-085945/https://www.kinkly.com/definition/17639/aegosexuality
- ↑ https://archive.today/2022.02.15-090130/https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22576251/
- ↑ https://archive.today/2020.11.15-160220/https://sugar-and-spite.tumblr.com/post/101478696189/autochoris-is-a-bit-of-a-mouthful
- ↑ https://archive.today/2022.02.15-090258/https://kyethekoolguy.tumblr.com/post/161589828686/sexual-and-romantic-orientation-masterpost
- ↑ https://archive.today/2022.02.15-090451/https://invincible-asexual.tumblr.com/post/118611718367/a-few-more-terms
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20150905123406/https://pride-flags-for-us.tumblr.com/post/128023708253/is-there-an-autochrissexual-flag/
- ↑ https://archive.today/2022.02.15-090258/https://kyethekoolguy.tumblr.com/post/161589828686/sexual-and-romantic-orientation-masterpost
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20150706034943/https://hunterinabrowncoat.tumblr.com/post/92665703641/id-like-to-humbly-put-forward-this-flag-as-a
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20160701041331/https://hunterinabrowncoat.tumblr.com/post/101042536506/autochorissexual-pride
- ↑ https://archive.today/2022.02.15-090619/https://xeno-aligned.tumblr.com/post/625867415855808513/a-member-of-the-aegosexual-community-helped
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20240723160733/https://www.tumblr.com/satyrradio/756448698066780160/aegosexual-symbol-aegoromantic-symbol-aegorose?source=share
- ↑ https://archive.today/2022.02.15-090744/https://lgbta.fandom.com/wiki/Aegosexual?commentId=4400000000000227303&replyId=4400000000000785170