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Sexual attraction: What's the difference between romantic attraction and sexual attraction?

320 Answers
Last Updated: 01/20/2020 at 3:57pm
Sexual attraction: What's the difference between romantic attraction and sexual attraction?
★ This question about LGBTQ+ Issues was starred by a moderator on 5/12/2016.
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Top Rated Answers
Greatlistener87
December 25th, 2015 4:04pm
Romantic Attraction is when you are romantically attracted to that person in ways like how they are as a person and what they do for you and the people you love and stuff like that. Sexual Attraction is when you like someone on how they look physically.
kindheartedKitty71
December 27th, 2015 8:58am
If you only imagen things like sleeping with that person and etc. then its sexual attraction. But if you imagen building a life and living with that person and not just having sex, then it’s romantic..
DragonEye
December 30th, 2015 7:24am
Love VS Lust. Whereas love is an intense feeling of deep affection, lust varies (being your sexual attraction) as being a very strong sexual desire. In one hand, love can have lust characteristics, but it deals with commitment and dedication to the person you feel this way towards. Sex can be involved, but you're equally happy with the person and with love you may never even need sex (depending, of course, on the person). Lust is different as you love the person for their body, and you'd only want to "get with them" per say. Hope this helps. :)
SaraMichelle
December 31st, 2015 8:56pm
I feel that romantic attraction is when you feel with your heart and you start thinking about the future with this person. While sexual attraction is when you only care about that persons body or your main goal is to get them into bed.
Supporter0498
December 31st, 2015 11:32pm
Romantic attraction is something that might last a life time, while sexual attraction might not. It just depends on your views!
Anonymous
January 1st, 2016 1:46am
With a sexual attraction, you don't see yourself with them in the future. You don't see yourself marrying the person. All you want to do is be with them for a night then leave. Romantic is the opposite, you want to be with them as their girl/boyfriend and could see yourself having a future with them.
Anonymous
January 1st, 2016 8:39pm
Romantic attraction is most commonly known as 'love', whilst sexual attraction is often deemed 'lust'. When one is romantically attracted to another, he, she, or it has emotional attachment to that person, but when he, she, or it is sexually attracted to another, there is no emotional attachment, but rather a desire for the other person based upon looks or what pleasure can be derived sexually from that person.
MrSpace
January 2nd, 2016 2:10pm
When you have a romantic attraction for someone, you tend to be flirty and tempted to strike a conversation with the person. You want to be affectionate and crave the cuddles! On the other hand, sexual attraction tends to be a deeper yearn or perhaps a crave. You want more intimacy and to be a little more hands on. There's less of the butterflies and more of a need than a want
arthurka
January 2nd, 2016 10:48pm
Romantic attraction is the way you feel romantically for a person and sexual attraction is how you feel sexually for a person. For example, you can have a romantic relationship without any sexual attraction.
listenerbarbie00
January 3rd, 2016 3:42am
The difference between romantic and sexual attraction, most notably, is that sexual attraction strictly has to do with just sexual activities, while romantic attraction may include sex for some people, it deals with developing a relationship with a significant other.
somerandomer999
January 3rd, 2016 4:25pm
Romantic Attraction is who you love. Sexual attraction is who you go to bed with. For example you can love both men and women but only want to sleep with women.
Anonymous
January 3rd, 2016 6:15pm
this is a cliche answer but when you feel comfortable with a person to the point where you can share your life moments with them and feel safe when they are around and want to make them smile ..that is romantic attraction . Sexual attraction is more visual . You see a cute person and think oh maybe i should go talk to them....its not based on the personality of the person , more on their looks .
Yourfairygodbro
January 3rd, 2016 9:41pm
Sexual attraction is when you want to have sex with someone, or touch them in a sexual way while romantic attraction is wanting to date and maybe marry a person.
Anonymous
January 4th, 2016 6:23pm
Romantic attraction is the desire to engage in romantic activities with another person, such as kissing and all that. Sexual attraction is the desire to engage in sexual activities with another person. It all gets a little complicated when you take into account sensual (touch based) attraction and platonic (friendly) attraction, but that's the basics.
chamomilewizard
January 6th, 2016 2:27am
Okay, so romantic attraction is when one wishes to partake in actions entailing romantic behaviors with another, such as dating. Sexual attraction, however, is the feeling of wishing to partake in sexual actions with another person. (A specific person, I might add!)
findthebeautythatsleft
January 6th, 2016 3:07am
Often people define the two as romantic attraction being who you could see yourself loving, and sexual attraction as who you could see yourself holding at night.
MyNameIsOlli99
January 7th, 2016 4:55am
Romantic attraction is the attraction to someone's personality, skills, morals, ect. Sexual attraction is the attraction to a person's body.
Anonymous
January 7th, 2016 12:47pm
Sexual attraction is about a desire for the physical sex action, or playful activities that leads to sex with another person. The romantic attraction is the desire for a social, intimate, connection involving personal feelings and trust with someone. Some people might feel sexual attraction for a specific gender, while having a romantic attraction for a different gender.
SupaMega
January 7th, 2016 3:28pm
Romantic attraction is the feeling of wanting to be with someone for a long time. Sexual is the feeling of wanting to be in bed with them and that's all.
Zer0Carter
January 7th, 2016 6:13pm
Romantic attraction seems to be when you genuinely love and care about someone, wanting only the best for them. Sexual attraction tends to revolve around the body, how people dress themselves and/or the things they do.
Anonymous
January 9th, 2016 1:49pm
Romantic attraction is when you like every piece of someone. Sexual attraction is when you only want the person's body.
Michelle0621
January 9th, 2016 2:04pm
Romantic attraction is about mental communication, sexual attraction is about physical communication.
CaseyC
January 9th, 2016 2:25pm
Romantic attractions are who you want to be romantic with, in terms of dating or hugging/kissing. Sexual attractions are people who you want to be involved with sexually.
devin00
January 9th, 2016 4:32pm
Romantic attraction has to do with an emotional attachment to one. for example their personality. Sexual attraction has to do with someone only wanting you for sex sometimes they just use one for that.
gentleBeauty65
January 9th, 2016 6:59pm
Romantic means you get butterflies when you see them or the things they do make you feel a certain way in your heart but sexual attraction means they turn you on and you have a sexual appeal towards them. Theres not a full connect with that person on a person level unless you have romantic attraction too.
LoyalLouie
January 9th, 2016 11:55pm
Sexual attraction is all about their appearance and whether they fit the traits by which you define 'attractive'. In contrast to romantic attraction you don't need any kind of emotional bond for it. Romantic attraction, on the other hand, is all about the feelings you have for a certain person. It's a strong emotional bond that makes you deeply caring about the other person, whereas you can be sexually attracted without actually caring about how the person is doing. However, they very often appear together or one leads to the other.
kindDreamer93
January 10th, 2016 1:49pm
The difference between sexual attraction is lusting for a person, Lust is where you have strong sexual desires for someone wanting to have sexual intercourse with them mostly, romantic attraction is when you find that person that you are attracted to that you want to do things with them like go on dates, go to movies ect.
allthelove99
January 13th, 2016 7:39pm
Romantic attraction is the emotional response to the desire to have a romantic relation with someone, It can usually be described as innocent compared to sexual attraction. You may not want a sexual relationship with someone just because you have a romantic relationship with them. Sexual attraction is the physical and mental response of the desire to have a sexual relationship with someone. You may not necessarily want a romantic relationship with someone just because you want a sexual relationship with them.
Crest
January 14th, 2016 3:11am
Basically, the difference between who/what you get hard/wet over versus what your heart melts over.
33kirstiechu33
January 14th, 2016 1:33pm
Romantic attraction is like "I want to hold hands with and go on dates with" and sexual attraction is more like "I want to sleep with"