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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
Anonymous
January 20th, 2020 3:57pm
Hi everyone. Well, according to Medium, sexual attraction involves the desire for sexual contact with someone, while romantic attraction focuses more on the desire for a romantic relationship with someone, not purely related to sex. When I met my girlfriend the first thing that appeared between us was, of course, romantic attraction. We were over the moon, our relationships seemed to be so tender and unique. Then after some time especially when we found a nice forum about sexual life our relationships found a new side - sexual attraction. So in my opinion first comes romantic attraction and then sexual and there is a difference between them, but it's much better when these concepts come together.
Anonymous
January 18th, 2020 9:41pm
Hi everyone. Well, according to Medium, sexual attraction involves the desire for sexual contact with someone, while romantic attraction focuses more on the desire for a romantic relationship with someone, not purely related to sex. When I met my girlfriend the first thing that appeared between us was, of course, romantic attraction. We were over the moon, our relationships seemed to be so tender and unique. Then after some time especially when we found a nice forum https://elliquiy.com about sexual life our relationships found a new side - sexual attraction. So in my opinion first comes romantic attraction and then sexual and there is a difference between them, but it's much better when these concepts come together.
Aayla
- Expert in LGBTQ+ Issues
May 22nd, 2019 12:02am
Sexual attraction involves being attracted to a person in a physical way and having sexual desires about them. It's a purely physical dimension that only concerns the body. Romantic attraction involves being attracted to a person in an intellectual and/or emotional way, independently from sex and the physical dimension. The two attractions can coincide, you can feel both for the same person, but they don't necessarily go together. There are also people whose sexual and romantic orientations do not coincide, so they can feel, for example, romantic attraction towards one gender and sexual attraction towards more than one, or viceversa, or any other combination.
younity
December 3rd, 2018 1:23am
romantic interest develops through emotional connection with ones personality while sexual attraction is physical and develops through appearances and lust.
Clarisse29
October 2nd, 2018 9:30am
Romantic attraction is when you feel like taking care of someone and making them feel loved and giving them compliments. It is not solely based upon their looks. You just get the butterflies when you see them. Whereas sexual attraction is just when you’re attracted to their bodies and don’t really feel much for them. Romantic attraction also involves the feeling that you can look at or listen to them for hours on an end and you just wish to be with them and spend time with them. While romantics attraction takes awhile to fade. Sexual attraction may fade sooner.
KiaraTheBored
August 21st, 2018 12:44pm
Romantic attraction is when you are attracted to someone in way that you would date them, but not have sex or participate in any sexual activities with them. Sexual attraction is when you are attracted to someone in a way that you WOULD have sex with them. Types of attraction can differ depending on many things, such as gender, age and appearance. It is possible to feel both romantic and sexual attraction to someone. It is also possible to feel only sexually attracted to one gender and only romantically attracted to another. These are all completely normal things that are seen in multiple people.
Wioerli
June 11th, 2018 3:50pm
There is a very vague line between the two, but the way I see it sexual attraction is very physical, your body reacts to the thought of a certain person, and the primary focus is to be close to them in a sexual context, while romantic attraction is something you feel in your head and in your heart, another type of longing for an emotional bond.
Anonymous
June 2nd, 2018 11:06am
Sexual attraction is defined as an allure or a pull towards a person in which you would like to have sexual activities with them. Romantic attraction is defined as the same as sexual attraction, but instead of having sexual desires with them, you want more of a romantic date or feelings with them.
Anonymous
April 3rd, 2018 5:19pm
the easiest way to understand is to consider physical attraction compared to attraction to someone’s personality traits. Romantic attraction is when you’re attracted to a person because you like their personality and would like a non-sexual relationship. whereas sexual attraction is the attraction to someone physically, wanting a sexual relationship with them.
EndlesslyDreaming
November 21st, 2017 3:42pm
love and lust, I'm ace or I don't experience or like the idea of sex/sexual attraction but I really want to date someone! its like you want to have sex with the person verses you want to cuddle and love them! that's what I think.
Anonymous
November 20th, 2017 7:05pm
Romatic attractions :What your heart wants vs. Sexual attractions:What your gentiles want. Sometimes they never gel, sometimes they do.
Artemidesia
July 3rd, 2017 3:29am
The most simplistic way to explain it is that sexual attraction is just that: a natural desire to have sex with a specific person, it can be an immediate desire upon seeing them or a more gradual one that develops over time, but in the end the base desire is for sex with that person. Romantic attraction is a desire for whatever you perceive is a romantic relationship with a specific person, can also be immediate or more gradual.
TheLittleSnowCloud
June 13th, 2017 5:04pm
Romantic attraction is a love of a person's heart, their soul, the way they laugh, the warm feeling in your chest you get when they joke around with you or kiss your head. Sexual attraction is a love of their body. A need to have them, regardless of wether or not their heart is involved. It is purely physical.
Anonymous
January 24th, 2017 12:26pm
Being attracted to the person itself vs being attracted to the person's body. That is the difference.
RaCat
September 19th, 2016 7:31pm
Romantic attraction is when you feel romantic feelings toward person, like you want to hang out, touch them, kiss and do everything people are usually do in relationships. And sexual attraction means you want to have some sexual activity with that person. Like you are seeing yourself having sex with them in any moment in your life. It's usually comes together, but it's completely ok to feel only one kind of attraction or to feel different kind of attraction to different genders. Everyone of us are unique and amazing!
TotoMango
September 6th, 2016 8:30am
Attraction by itself is a part of a larger bond between two people. I have never felt sexual attraction against someone who I did not want to get romantically involved with. In the same way, I have always wished to have physical intimacy with someone I thought of as romantic. For me, sexual attraction is an important part of a romantic relationship. Sexual fantasy or obsession, however, is different and shallower.
spaceapricot02
August 22nd, 2016 4:42am
You should come out when and if you feel safe, and you feel it would make you happier. Don't come out if you believe it could create a bad environment, or if it would make you unhappy. You don't ever have to come out to friends or family if you don't want to.
SimplyBeing
July 12th, 2016 9:39am
Our sexuality exist along a number of dimensions. I found a great deal of peace in knowing that my identity is so much more complex that simply saying gay or straight. Some of the dimensions of our sexuality are romantic orientation, sexual practice, and sexual fantasy. We may be romantically attached to a male, have had sex only with females in our lives and fantasize about both. All of those things can be true at the same time. Speaking of time, where we fall on those dimensions may change as we age or the importance of one will outgrow another. I hope this helps. I wish you peace. ~J
Anonymous - Expert in LGBTQ+ Issues
June 14th, 2016 3:30am
Me and my best friend have been friends for 3 years... and recently we have been spending a lot more time texting and seeing each other... we have spent the night together twice which was great but he is not physically attractive to me but he is sweet... kind... really cares for me and i feel like he knows everything about me and me him which makes me really trust him. Can you spend the rest of your life with someone who u dont find them physically attractive?
JaketheTransguyFTM
June 9th, 2016 6:10pm
Sexual attraction is when you want to have sex with someone. Romantic attraction is when you love someone, not necessarily in a sexual way.
Anonymous
June 9th, 2016 2:12pm
Romantic attraction is when you feel more than just sexual with someone,you kind of need that person to be in your life,as for sexual attraction is someone you just want to have sexual stuff and no strings attached
Anonymous
June 8th, 2016 10:50am
Sexual attraction is when you want to do sexual stuff with them and you're attracted to them because the person is sexy (?) and romantic attraction is when you're attracted to the person because they're romantic and you want to do romantic things with them.
Anonymous
June 5th, 2016 10:51pm
Romantic Attraction: You love someone for who they are. Sexual attraction is physical pleasure......
Anonymous
June 5th, 2016 4:42am
Well, I feel that romantic attraction is based on you liking that one person for their personality and looks. Sexual attraction is more of you love just their body and you know... wanna have sex.
RileyTwiggs
May 24th, 2016 2:18am
Romantic attraction comes from the feelings you have for a person based on their personality, mannerisms, and social characteristics. Sexual attraction is based on your liking of a person's physical characteristics and outward appearance.
colourfulUnicorns83
May 13th, 2016 4:35pm
Sexual attraction means that you have a physical attraction to another person, whom you wish to have an intimate relationship or encounter with. A romantic attraction is someone who you wish to be in a committed relationship mostly because you love that person, in these types of relationships, sexual encounters do not matter 100% of the time.
TheBlackPanther
May 11th, 2016 11:02am
Romantic Attraction + Lust = Sexual Attraction
Khaxleesi
April 12th, 2016 2:18am
Romantic attraction is felt for long periods of time, consistently, while sexual attraction is usually superficial and short term.
beautiful5oul
April 1st, 2016 12:13am
In my opinion, this does not mean the right or say all be all opinion, romantic attraction involves only romantic interest and interaction with another individual. Sexual attraction involves sexual interest and interaction with another individual.
Anonymous
March 31st, 2016 2:46pm
In my personal experience, romantic attraction has meant a strong feeling of love, connection, and a longing to grow together. A desire for emotional intimacy. Sexual attraction for me is excitement, curiosity, a fun energy, freedom. I feel romantic attraction when I witness kindness, compassion, and humanity in a person. I feel sexually attracted when I witness that person feeling confident, having fun, or shining in their own element.