Familial Orientation and Attraction
Familial Attraction is a form of emotional attraction where one may desire familial interactions with a particular individual.[1][2][3][4] This may include actions such as:
- living together
- sharing affirming sentiments
- performing favors for someone
- going out together
- taking part in reunions or repeated gatherings
- sharing time, belongings, and experiences
- mutual protection
- providing emotional, financial, and physical support
Familial attraction is more commonly referred to as brotherly/sisterly love, or family bonds. This attraction is commonly felt between blood relatives but do not have to be.[4] Non-related individuals may also feel familial attraction to one another, often described as a chosen family.[2] Familial attraction is closely associated with parental attraction.
One's pattern of familial attraction towards certain genders typically (but not always) forms that individual's familial orientation. Familial orientations are often identified by the usage of the -familial suffix, such as heterofamilial, or bifamilial.
An individual who regularly experiences familial attraction may be called allofamilial. Someone who does not regularly experience familial attraction may be called afamilial.[4]
Familial attraction in the context of queer terminology is not to be confused with the phenomenon genetic sexual attraction, which is sometimes referred to as familial attraction. Genetic sexual attraction describes an intense and unexpected sexual attraction to close blood relatives who meet for the first time as adults.[5] In comparison, familial attraction as a queer term is strictly non-sexual, and is not exclusive to blood relatives.
Flags and Symbols
The first familial attraction flag was created by LGBTQIA+ wiki user Alex on the 21st of December, 2020. The black represents familial attraction unrelated to oneself, light blue representing compassion, medium blue representing loyalty, greyish-blue representing kindness, and dark blue representing memories. The raindrop shape is a play on the quote "blood is thicker than water"; however, the rainbow inside it represents diversity and how family is based on more than just DNA. The rainbow also represents familial bonds within the LGBTQIA+ community.[6]
The second flag was created by LGBTQIA+ wiki user Snotdrips on the 17th of January, 2022. The colors represent the same meanings as the original flag, with the white replacing the rainbow to represent a mix of all the colors of the rainbow.[7]
Familial Attraction (Snotdrips)
Resources
- ↑ shades-of-grayro. "Familial Attraction". Tumblr, https://www.tumblr.com/shades-of-grayro/132821410985/familial-attraction. Accessed on 15 May. 2023.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 agendergenderqueermasculenbyguy. "I’m going to rant about platonic relationships, tertiary attraction and found family real quick". Tumblr, 20 May. 2022, https://www.tumblr.com/agendergenderqueermasculenbyguy/684699952692199424/im-going-to-rant-about-platonic-relationships?source=share.
- ↑ beyond-mogai-pride-flags. "Attraction Terminology". Tumblr, 30 Jan. 2019, https://archive.md/Irbiv. Archived on 15 Apr. 2019.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Arocalypse Forum Users. "Any afamilial people here?". Arocalypse, 11 Jan, 2024, https://www.arocalypse.com/topic/6598-any-afamilial-people-here/.
- ↑ Hermes Astrology. "Familial Attraction". Medium, 17 Apr, 2024, https://medium.com/@HermesAstrology/familial-attraction-d66b8cc17284.
- ↑ Cryptocrew. "Familial Attraction". LGBTQIA+ Wiki, 22 Dec, 2020, https://lgbtqia.wiki/wiki/Familial_Attraction.
- ↑ Snotdrips. "Familial Attraction". LGBTQIA+ Wiki, 17 Jan, 2022, https://lgbtqia.wiki/wiki/Familial_Attraction.
