What's Going On: December 2019
Written by the AUREA Team
Word count: 676
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
Are you online?
Introducing Anti-Cupid Studios! This group of aromantics are set on tackling the lack of representation in media by making their own. Their content ranges from comics and stories, to podcasts and songs. Through their work they hope to show aros that we aren’t alone. If you’d like to get in on this crusade Anti-Cupid Studios take submissions and are looking to expand their team.
Speaking of representation, sofia bu or Holmbo set to work making a community inspired fanvid of Aromantic moments. This video is full of familiar and foreign faces aros headcanon as aromantic. The tone of these clips range from heartwarming to heartbreaking, and there’s even some humour thrown into the mix. If you’re interested in seeing more, Holmbo she can see a volume two being made in the future.
The Asexual Agenda has offered to promote aromantic content and discussion as a part of their mission to facilitate insightful commentary. If you are interested in broadening the reach of an interest of yours here is how you can do that.
Out and about?
Are you interested in starting an aro group of your own? Aces and Aros has put together a community outreach program in America. They intend to give aros the support and tools needed to get more community groups up and running. If you’re interested in signing up for or donating to this program visit Aces and Aros for more information.
For those of you in Victoria, British Columbia, there a group aptly named Victoria Asexual and Aromantic Meetup has arrived. This group hopes to connect aces and aros to one another and see if together they can’t organise some community events. They have two upcoming events for the 11th and 18th of December.
As usual the NW England/Liverpool group will be meeting on the 14th of December at the Egg Cafe in Liverpool. RSVPing is recommended.
Usually we like to report future events in this section, but some things simply must be discussed! On the 18th of November, Illinois State University’s Culturally Responsive Campus Community held a workshop on Asexuality and Aromanticism. The meetup was delightfully named Your Students Care and So Should You. While we don’t tend to mention aro college groups, they are beginning to pop up all over the place.
We’ve got words!
Thelo aroace - describes a person on the aromantic and/or asexual spectra who experiences a form of attraction that is neither romantic nor sexual, but is significant enough to warrant a place alongside their aroace orientation. Said attraction fluctuates in intensity and/or is not very strong.
Coined by: thelo-aroace
Priori aro - describes an aromantic person who prioritizes their aro(spec) orientation over their sexual (or other) orientation(s). It can be combined with any arospec label(s) (priori demiromantic, priori quoiromantic, priori aroflux, etc.).
Coined by: allo-aro-alphonse
Aros in the media
Ace and Aro: Expanding what relationships can mean by Ian Edwards
“People become set in their ideas of the world as they perceive the world … it is hard for people to see that you aren’t lacking something essentially human.”
This a short and sweet piece written to show just what aces and aros can bring to the world and the LGBTQI+ community.
Holding Onto Day by E.H. Timms
“[My parents] never got on well.”
“Were they friends?”
“No, just in love, as far as I know.”
A newly released novel about two aros who are learning to reconnect after their break-up while a dash of fantasy monsters thrown into the mix.
When Quiver Meets Quill by K. A. Cook
A collection of twelve aromatic short stories set in fantasy and modern worlds that discuss amatonormativity, friendship and connection. These aros cover a spectrum of sexuality’s, genders, neurodivergencies, and there’s also a dragon.