Sexual attraction: What's the difference between romantic attraction and sexual attraction?
320 Answers
Last Updated: 01/20/2020 at 3:57pm
★ This question about LGBTQ+ Issues was starred by a moderator on 5/12/2016.
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Top Rated Answers
I think sexual attraction is more physical. You are attracted to the body of that person, not the person him/herself, you don't really feel the need to know that person beyond physical (if that makes sense) while romantic attraction is more the feeling in your stomach, you feel attracted to the PERSON, the personality and the physique comes second. I think in romantic attraction, you feel much, much more, you don't just want to connect with that someone on the physical level but on the emotional level too, you love them for their beauty of who they are as a person and now how beautiful their body is or is not. That's how I feel.
Well romantic attraction is liking their eyes, smile, and laugh. Sexual attraction is more of their body :)
I think of romantic attraction as an attraction to personality-to spending time with the person. I think of sexual attraction as a physical-to looks.
Anonymous
March 26th, 2016 3:20pm
Romantic attraction is a feeling that causes people to desire a romantic relationship with a specific other person. Sexual attraction is attraction on the basis of sexual desire or the quality of arousing such interest.
Anonymous
March 26th, 2016 4:19am
Romantic attraction is more of when someone is aesteciaclly pleaseing, like you would feel comfortable laying on a couch and having a relationship with someone. Sexual attraction is where you feel sexually attracted to someone in more then just or not at all in a dating way.
Anonymous
March 25th, 2016 6:44am
Romantic attraction is when you could see yourself actually being with that person, and falling in love with that person. Sexual attraction is when you can only see yourself having a sexual relationship with that person. The two can go hand-in-hand for some people, and for others the two can be very different. It just depends :)
When you are sexually attracted to someone that means that you wish to have sex with this person while if you are romantically attracted to someone you do not wish to have sex just cuddle and such.
Anonymous
March 25th, 2016 1:57am
Romantic attraction is the desire to partake in romantic activities with a specific person. These romantic activities can include dating, holding hands, kissing, and/or cuddling. These aren't the only romantic activities to do, it's just a short list of examples, and not everything applies to everyone. The romantic activities you may desire to partake in can be anything that comes to mind for you when you think of the word "romantic".
Sexual attraction is much like romantic desire except the activities are different. Sexual attraction is the desire to partake in sexual activities with a specific person. These activities can be anything of a sexual nature, and might make you think something along the lines of, "I want to have sex with them."
Anonymous
March 24th, 2016 6:33am
Romantic attraction refers to when you feel a romantic connection or appeal to someone. Sexual attraction is when that connection is sexual.
Romantic attraction is the feeling of wanting to date someone or be with them in a romantic, non-sexual scenario- like kissing, holding hands, having intimate conversations, enjoying eachothers' company. Essentially, any kind of attraction or desire not related to sex. Sexual attraction is the feeling of wanting to be with someone in a sexual way, fantasizing about them in a sexual context, and the like. Of course, these definitions vary for everyone and can be very complicated- you can have intercourse without feeling sexual attraction, and you can have sexual attraction without feeling compelled to engage in intercourse.
Anonymous
March 20th, 2016 6:05pm
I believe that the difference is that romantic attraction is wanting to just kiss a person or you like them and think that they are cute and sexual attraction is wanting to just see them with no clothes and just want to have sex with them immediately
Romantic is people you would date. (If someone is Aromantic, it means they don't feel romantic attraction.) Sexual is people you would have sexual intercourse with (asexual means you don't feel sexual attraction.) :)
Anonymous
March 19th, 2016 9:43pm
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.
Romantic attraction and sexual attraction are different things. While you feel romantic attraction when you want to date or build a romantic relationship with another person, sexual attraction exists when you want to have sex with another person. You can feel both of them towards one person, only one (no matter which one of them) or none. For example, an a asexual person may feel romantic attraction towards one person but not sexual attraction and an aromantic may feel sexual attraction but not romantic attraction.
The best description that I can provide for the difference between romantic and sexual attraction is that sexual attraction is the fire in your stomach and romantic attraction is the fire. Sexual attraction applies directly to the desire to be with someone's body while romantic attraction is the desire to be with the whole person involving more than a physical presence of the body.
Anonymous
March 19th, 2016 1:11am
Romantic attraction is understood to be non-physical - many plutonic relationships can be romantic, but not sexual. Sexual attraction is focused more on physical attraction and desires.
Anonymous
March 18th, 2016 6:14am
The difference between sexual and romantic attraction is that romantic attraction is the desire to go on dates with someone, be with them, be close with them, and sexual attraction is about being attracted to a person sexually, the desire for sex.
Romantic attraction is wanting to have a connection with someone, yearning to be "romantic" and be with them in a non-sexual way. Sexual attraction is wanting to engage in sexual activities
Romantic attraction is showing kind love and support for your partner. Sexual attraction is showing interest in your partners body.
Romantic attraction is the feeling of wanting to be in a romantic relationship with a certain gender. Romance could vary from just dates and hand holding to kissing. Sexual attraction is more wanting to have a sexual relationship with a certain gender. They do work together, and it is common for someone to identify as two separate ones. There is also a sexual/romantic orientation where you don't feel romantic/sexual attraction to anyone. For more specific examples, google it!
romantic attraction means you can imagine having a relationship with them, and commiting to it, while sexual attraction can mean that you just feel like having sex with them.
Romantic attraction is when you can imagine yourself with that person with the rest of your life, you feel like you can do everything for them, they attratc you but, is more than that, you can feel it, And sexual attraction is when you only see them in your bed, you can confuse these two very often, and sometimes you do it when it's late, The best way to reconize romantic attraction is to imagine the person doing things that you don't like, you will still be with them?... If you ony feel sexually atracted to them you will loose interest trough time.
Anonymous
February 10th, 2016 12:07am
For me, romantic attraction is thinking that you would like to romantic things with the person in question, such as hugging or kissing. Sexual attraction, I think, is more deeper and in depth, and on the basis of serious things, like building a romantic relationship with a person.
Romantic attraction is an emotional response that most people often feel that results in a desire for a romantic relationship with the person that the attraction is felt towards. Sexual attraction is attraction on the basis of sexual desire or the quality of arousing such interest
Anonymous
February 5th, 2016 11:37pm
With romantic attraction, you don't want to have sex with the other person. You might not be physically attracted to them at all. Sometimes it is purely the personality that you love. Romantic attraction doesn't have to be with the same sex you are sexually attracted to either.
Romantic attraction tends to mean you want to be in a romantic relationship with someone- the lovey-dovey kind, and it might involve things like cuddling and kissing but it might not. Sexual attraction, broadly speaking, means you desire a sexual relationship. This can come hand in hand with romantic attraction but not necessarily, and vice versa.
Anonymous
February 5th, 2016 12:24pm
Sexual attraction is the desire to have sex with someone, while romantic attraction is the desire to be in a romantic relationship with someone.
Romantic attractions means that you want a platonic relationship with someone, mostly just talking, compliments, holding hands etc. Sexual attraction is when you want kissing or sexual activity.
romantic attraction means you guys can netflix and chill together, do silly activities and share similar interests.
The difference to me is how you feel about the person. Sexual attraction may mean the person makes you aroused, and you feel you want to have sex with them, but romantic attraction to me means there is more there. Instead of just sex you want to be with that person and spend time with them outside of an intimate relationship.
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