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An Ever Growing List of Sexualities & their Definitions

List of Sexualities and Definitions

The language around sexuality and gender is constantly changing, with new definitions evolving, and existing words being reclaimed by new generations.


We've compiled this list of sexualities and their definitions to act as an ever growing resource for the LGBTQ+ community and our allies, to give you the language to express your own sexuality, as well as the language to accurately represent those around you.


For the Gender Identities companion piece to this article, click here.

  

Abrosexual Definition | Abrosexual Pride Flag

Abrosexual


Abrosexual describes someone whose sexuality is fluid or changeable. For example one day they may identify as asexual, the next as lesbian, and the next as pansexual. Abrosexual people can fluctuate between all sexualities, or just a few. The timing between fluctuations can also vary.


Androphilic Pride Flag | Rainbow & Co


Androphilic / Androsexual


Androphilic, or androsexual, describes someone who is primarily attracted to masculinity, be this sexually, romantically, or aesthetically. These terms are particularly useful for people who identify outside of the gender binary as unlike terms like gay or lesbian, they refer only to the presentation of the person someone is attracted to and not the person themselves. 

For example, both heterosexual women and homosexual men can be referred to as androphilic or androsexual.


Aroace Flag | Aroace Definition | Rainbow & Co

Aroace


Aroace is short for Aromantic Asexual, which means someone who experiences little or no romantic and sexual attraction.


Aroflux Flag | Aroflux Definition | Rainbow & Co

Aroflux


An aroflux person is someone whose romantic orientation fluctuates but generally stays on the aromantic spectrum. They may feel strongly aromantic one day, and less so on another day.


Aromantic Definition | Aromantic Pride Flag


Aromantic


Aromantic refers to someone who does not experience romantic attraction. They may experience sexual and/or aesthetic attraction, but not romantic attraction.


Asexual Definition | Asexual Pride Flag


Asexual


An asexual person is someone who does not experience sexual attraction. They may experience romantic and/or aesthetic attraction, but not sexual attraction.


Bisexual Definition | Bisexual Pride Flag


Bisexual


Bisexuality refers to sexual attraction to more than one gender and is inclusive of ALL genders, therefore bi folk can be attracted to people from right across the gender spectrum.


Demisexual Definition | Demisexual Pride Flag


Demisexual


Demisexual refers to someone who only experiences sexual attraction to someone once they have created a romantic or platonic relationship with them.


Demiromantic Flag | Rainbow & Co


Demiromantic


Similarly to Demisexual, Demiromantic refers to someone who does not experience romantic attraction until they have formed a strong connection with a partner.


Finsexual Flag | Rainbow & Co


Finsexual


The exclusive attraction to those who are feminine in nature (FIN). This means finsexual people are attracted to women, feminine aligned and/or feminine presenting non-binary people, and potentially feminine men.

Gay Definition | Gay Pride Rainbow Flag


Gay / Homosexual


Someone who is attracted to the same gender as themselves. The rainbow flag is also used to represent the LGBTQIA+ community as a whole.


Gay Male Flag | Rainbow & Co

Gay Male / Vincian


Vincian is a term used to describe gay men or men-aligned people. Often used as the masculine equivalent of lesbian.


Greysexual Flag | Rainbow & Co

Greysexual


Greysexual refers to people who experience limited sexual attraction. They experience sexual attraction very rarely, or with very low intensity. Also known as gray-ace.


Gynephilic Flag | Rainbow & Co


Gynephilic / Gynesexual


Someone who is primarily romantically, sexually, or aesthetically attracted to femininity.

Lesbian Flag | Sexuality Definitions


Lesbian


Most often refers to women who are solely attracted to other women however some non binary people can also identify as lesbian.


Lithosexual Flag | Sexuality Definitions


Lithosexual


Lithosexual refers to a person who may experience sexual attraction but does not want it reciprocated. Also known as Akoisexual.

Lithromantic Flag | Sexuality Definitions


Lithromantic


A lithromantic person is someone who may experience romantic attraction but does not want it reciprocated. Also known as Akoiromantic.

Minsexual Flag | Sexuality Definitions


Minsexual


Minsexual refers to the exclusive attraction to those who are masculine in nature (MIN). This can include men, masculine aligned and/or masculine presenting non-binary people, and potentially masculine women.

Multisexual Flag | Sexuality Definitions


Multisexual


Multisexual is an umbrella term for any form of attraction to more than one gender. Also known as Plurisexuality.

Neptunic Flag | Sexuality Definitions


Neptunic


Neptunic refers to the attraction to women, feminine non-binary people, and neutral non-binary people. It can also be described as attraction to all except men and/or masculine-aligned non-binary people.

Ninsexual Flag | Sexuality Definitions


Ninsexual


Ninsexual refers to the exclusive attraction to those who are non-binary in nature (NIN). This includes people who are non-binary, neutrois, androgyne, agender, and anyone whose gender or presentation is androgynous.

Omnisexual Definition | Omnisexual Pride Flag


Omnisexual


Omnisexual refers to a person who is attracted to all genders or any gender, while still having a preference.


Pansexual Definition | Pansexual Pride Flag


Pansexual


Someone who is attracted to all genders, the pre-fix 'pan' meaning 'all' in Latin. Many Pansexual people also describe themselves as being attracted to others based on their personality, not gender.


Polyamorous Definition | Polyamory Pride Flag


Polyamorous


Someone who is, or desires to be in, a consensual relationship with multiple partners. Polyamory is the opposite of monogamy.


Polysexual Definition | Polysexual Pride Flag


Polysexual


Polysexual refers to someone who is attracted to multiple genders, but not all genders.


Queer Definition | Queer Pride Flag


Queer


An umbrella term for someone whose sexuality and/or gender is not heterosexual, cisgender and/or allosexual.


Queer has been used as a term of abuse against the LGBTQ+ community, but is now often used by members of the LGBTQ+ who have reclaimed it.


Sapphic Definition | Sapphic Pride Flag


Sapphic


Sapphic refers to a woman or woman-aligned person who is attracted to other women or woman-aligned people. Also known as woman loving woman (WLW).


Saturnic Definition | Saturnic Pride Flag


Saturnic


The attraction to androgynous-aligned non-binary people. Mostly used by non-binary people to describe their attraction without relying on the gender binary.

Uranic Definition | Uranic Pride Flag


Uranic


Uranic refers to the attraction to men, masculine non-binary people, and neutral non-binary people. Can also be described as attraction to all except women and/or feminine-aligned non-binary people.


As language evolves there are always new ways to describe different identities, if you feel we've missed something out that needs adding to this list of LGBTQ+ terms, be sure to let us know by emailing us on info@rainbowandco.uk or messaging us via our Facebook page.

Oliver, a trans, queer, and disabled person wearing a green hoodie sitting in their wheelchair.

Oliver

This article was written by Oliver, a trans, queer, and disabled person who lives in Manchester with his partner and dog.

89 comments

  • Well, i actually didn’t think i would get anything out of this site, i thought i was Greysexual, but after being exposed to this site, i have found out that i was Uranic

    Johan Emmanuel Nornes
  • Nice!

    Malak
  • i thought i was bi, but i found im omni thanks to this!

    hihi
  • from a young age i thought i was lesbian because i had a crush on almost every female cartoon character… now that im older and got curious, i’ve found out that im omnisexual and genderfluid!! 🏳‍🌈

    Milo/Lolo<3
  • so i thought i was bi but the more i read up o n them since io didnt know about these terms i have found mor of a relation to a mix of demi and androphillic

    dud3h3llo

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