#i dont wanna get into like. the subcategories but i def know im on the aroace spectrum

[spoopdeedoop]

this might be personal, but how did you know you were aro? asking for a friend!!

also, got any tips for joining the lmk art fandom?

ah!

i realized i was aro bc i’ve been asked out three times by three seperate friends and i would always say yes with the mindset of “they’re my friend, it’ll be weird if i say no, and i want them to be happy” which was the first red flag — romantic relationships should be for the pleasure and benefit of BOTH people, not just one. it’s not a transaction; it’s supposed to be a mutual thing.

i kinda glossed over that because, again, they were my friends and i want to make them happy, and kind of tricked myself into thinking i liked them romantically because i liked being around them (there’s a difference between platonic love and romantic love that i didn’t know yet, but looking back, whatever i felt for them was definitely not romantic. just wanting to be around your friends because you like their company doesn’t have any romantic connotations, really).

i think at one point one of them kissed me and i did not like it. and that made me realize i didn’t like the relationship at all. and i had to sit with myself for a bit to realize why. im not gonna go into too many personal details but aromantic was the conclusion i came to. i wasn’t happy with it, but it fit. and eventually i’ve just come to accept that about myself :)

for joining the lmk art fandom? i’d just say draw what you like tbh. dont worry about appealing to people, your art is for you :)