Aroace

A combined identity descriptor for people who are both aromantic and asexual - experiencing little to no romantic attraction and little to no sexual attraction.

Definition

A combined identity descriptor for people who are both aromantic and asexual - experiencing little to no romantic attraction and little to no sexual attraction. Aroace is not simply the co-occurrence of two separate identities but is often experienced as a unified orientation with its own distinct character, community, and culture.

Flag

Aroace flag · Designer: Community consensus · 2020-2021

Five horizontal stripes.

Stripe	HEX	RGB	CMYK	Pantone	Meaning
1	`#E38D00`	227,141,0	C:0 M:38 Y:100 K:11	n/a	Sexuality spectrum (from outside the asexual spectrum)
2	`#E7C601`	231,198,1	C:0 M:14 Y:100 K:9	n/a	Asexual spectrum
3	`#FFFFFF`	255,255,255	C:0 M:0 Y:0 K:0	n/a	Community and relationships
4	`#5FAAD7`	95,170,215	C:56 M:21 Y:0 K:16	n/a	Aromantic spectrum
5	`#1F3554`	31,53,84	C:63 M:37 Y:0 K:67	n/a	Romance spectrum (from outside the aromantic spectrum)

Full flag history →

Etymology

Aro (aromantic) + ace (asexual). Emerged from AVEN and aromantic community spaces online in the 2000s–2010s.

History

As aromantic and asexual communities developed separately in the 2000s, people who identified with both began forming their own community space. The aroace identity crystallized as distinct from either aromantic-only or asexual-only experiences - aroace people often note that their simultaneous experience of both is qualitatively different from the sum of two parts. The aroace flag was designed to give this community its own distinct visual identity separate from both the aro and ace flags.

Common myths

"Aroace people are robots / emotionless." Aroace people have rich emotional lives, form deep bonds, and experience love in non-romantic and non-sexual forms.
"Aroace people can't want relationships." Many aroace people have deeply fulfilling relationships - they simply don't involve romance or sex as defining features.