A woman came out as “abrosexual” after trying to come to terms with her sexuality for 30 years.
Trying to explain something that stands against social norms can be difficult, but for Emma Flint, it was essential for her to try and live her life as authentically as possible.
And that involves being open about her sexuality.
While she is seemingly confident in who she is – proclaiming to the world that she is “abrosexual” after thirty years of trying to figure it out – it seems as though not everyone was supportive about her journey to acceptance.
“When did you decide this? Is this even a label – I’ve never heard of it. I support you, obviously, but this doesn’t sound real,” were the words a friend texted her when she decided to come out.
For those of you who may not be aware, abrosexuality is having different levels of sexual or romantic attraction throughout your life.
According to an article on WebMD, reviewed by health practitioner Gabriela Pichardo, a person who identifies as abrosexual may experience changes in their sexual orientation over time.
For instance, an abrosexual individual might be attracted to men at one point and then find themselves not attracted to anyone weeks later. The intensity of their attraction can also vary, shifting between different levels of interest in whomever they desire.
The term “abrosexual” has Greek origins, with “abro” meaning “delicate” or “graceful,” reflecting the fluid and ever-changing nature of those who identify with this label.
For Emma, discovering this sexuality allowed her to embrace a significant part of herself without feeling pressured to conform to the traditional labels imposed by society.
“I didn’t discover abrosexuality until two years ago, when I was 30. Before that, I struggled to identify my sexuality because it changed so frequently,” she shared in a personal piece for Metro.
She described how, one day, she would “feel like a lesbian,” only for that feeling to quickly shift to bisexuality, until she finally realized, “My sexuality is fluid.”
However, after coming to this conclusion, she found it challenging to explain her feelings to others who didn’t fully understand, often leaving her feeling somewhat unfulfilled.
Although people weren’t intentionally trying to be hurtful, she often encountered “blank” expressions and follow-up questions—which she didn’t mind, as long as they were asked with “respect.”
“I’m not expecting everyone to know what it means – hell, I didn’t until two years ago – but you should always listen with respect,” she wrote. “I’m happy to say that the rest of my friends and family have been very supportive of my identity, and have strived to learn more.”
But even with all this support, sometimes she stumbles across people who aren’t so accepting.
“…It’s still hard to hear things like ‘mate, you’re just confused’ or ‘just say you’re bisexual and be done with it’. I refuse to be boxed in by someone else’s limited knowledge,” Emma explained. “We’re all learning new things about ourselves all the time – that’s what growth and development is about.”
As for the future, she hopes that abrosexuality will be seen as “normal.”
“Eventually, I hope that abrosexuality will be seen as normal, just another identity that someone might have, and not regarded as a way to be ‘on trend’, as some of the hurtful comments I’ve received suggest,” she continued.
“I’m no longer nervous about my sexuality because it makes sense to me, and in the end, that’s all that really matters,” she added.