What's Going On: June 2020

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To celebrate our one year anniversary we are launching Aromantics Create Pride, an event to bring together aro creatives and get them the praise they deserve. If you’re interested in taking part, we’ll set you up with three works to enjoy and comment on. Your creation will be sent to three other aromantics who do the same for you. It is our hope that we can encourage vocal support and the connection growing within our community. We will be accepting any kind of work - art, writing, music, photography, whatever it is you pour your passion into. Submissions open on the 8th of June. For more information read the guidelines here.

It’s that time of year again: Pride! And along with it: #AggressivelyArospecWeek! For the fifth year in a row this event is giving you an opportunity to explore and boost your aromantic fancontent. Have you got an itching headcanon that needs to be fleshed out? A story that must be written or an emotional scene that must be draw? This is the event for you. From June 21 to June 27 head over #Aggressively Arospec on tumblr or twitter to see what your fellow aromantics are up to, and while you’re there why not boost your own content!

Each June aromantic-official posts a series of prompts that give you the opportunity to delve deep into your pride. If you’re looking to share a bit out yourself and get to know other aros like you, follow aromantic-offical. The first prompt has been posted and it asks: how do you show your aro pride?

As we’re all cooped up inside this year, The Ace and Aro Advocacy Project (TAAAP) is hosting a series of online pride chats. For the duration of this month, twice every weekend a discussion will be had about the topics your community voted for. Click here to register for the event and gain access to the Discord where everything will happen. And just what are you in for if you join?

  • June 6th - Ace and Aro Pride

  • June 7th - Representation in the Media

  • June 13th - Aro and Ace Identities

  • June 14th - Sex and Relationships (of all kinds!)

  • June 20th - Intersections with Other Identities

  • June 21st - Gender

  • June 27th - Issues Aces and Aros Face

  • June 28th - Activism and Community Building

Last month for Carnival of Aros we saw DIYs and this month we are on the topic of Most Precious. This month Mesotablar is asking you to remember and share the positive things about aromantic. Whatever memory or thought or joke relating to aromanticism that without fail makes you happy, that’s what is most precious. 

Carnival of Aros would also like us to remind you that they are always looking for future hosts! If you have an idea you’d like to explore alongside your community, here’s how you do it. 

And for all of you disappointed that Pride cannot be enjoyed this year in person, we can still do it vicariously! Global Pride 2020 is here to bring us together. On the 27th of June Pride organisations from across the world will stream 24 hours of beautiful content. We’ll see you there!

Aros in the media

Yasmin Benoit on aromantic asexuality education by the Bricks Teams
Meet Yasmin Benoit, the activist vocal on the visibility of asexuality, aromanticism, and of LGBTQ+ people of colour.

Moses Sumney, the beloved musician, has launched his second album: græ. His work is described as “next level... even by Moses Sumney-standards”. This theme of this album follows similarly to his first album Aromanticism. 

Bella DePaulo, expert on Singalism, has committed to supporting aromantics and asexuals alike as a part of her cause. In her article People Who Are Aromantic: Are They Targets of Bigotry? she recognises our need for representation and support. It is often said that community building is rooted in shared experiences and issues. TW: ableism. 

The Australian LGBTQIA publication Archer is keen to include more aromantic content. They're looking for a first-person writing and will pay for selected works. If you’re interested in talking about yourself, contact them here.  

Upcoming novel, Elatsoe, by author Dr. Darcie Little Badger is a story that follows the Lipan Apache teenager Ellie, who who can raise the spirits of animals, and does so as she investigates the murder of her cousin. The book is a contemporary YA fantasy with the added fun of a mystery. DLB has confirmed that the main character Ellie is aromantic and asexual. The novel is due to be published in August 2020.

Similarly the recently published novel, Goodbye from Nowhere, by author Sara Zarr is quoted to have a prominent side character, Emily, who is aromantic and asexual. This novel follows Kyle Baker and his coming of age story that is launched quite suddenly into action upon finding out his mother is having an affair with a married man.  

Aromantics Address

  • Last month an AroAllo subreddit was created on reddit: r/AroAllo. The community has been created to remind aroallo folks that they aren’t alone

  • A thread has been created to allow for updates on our aro themed Pride month, if you’re looking for somewhere to boost information this is the place

Papo Aromantic