How do you define a romantic relationship, apart from sexual intimacy?

10 comments

1. When they are your safe space and you crave their presence at the end of a day. And your heart skips when you think about them

2. Someone who believes in you.

3. In the world we live in, being able to not overthink, self doubt when you are with that person.

   The feeling of safe, the feeling of just pure content with him/her.

4. Sexual intimacy and romance are separate anyways.

   It’s all about being comfortable around each other being able to tell each other anything and having fun together, being goofy.

5. I have no idea. I fall in love with so many people. I don’t differentiate between romantic and platonic love, since I feel romantic love for anyone who is remotely cool. The only love that feels different to me is familial vs non-familial.

6. My brain, soul & heart are all aligned in that I want to spend every moment I can with that man. They’re the best friend that you want to do everything with.

7. Romantic relationships are not defined by sexual intimacy to begin with. There are lots of people, especially ace folks, in romantic relationships that do not include sex.

   My romantic relationships are defined by me choosing to spend time with someone I have romantic feelings for. That’s it.

8. Taking sex out, romantic love is when the person is on your mind all the time, when you think of them when you hear love songs or see love scenes, when you get the warm tingly butterflies feeling when you picture them, when you can’t wait to be near them again even if you only saw them an hour ago, when you find yourself writing love poetry or songs for them or doodling pictures of them if that’s more your scene, when you stare at pictures of them and think how beautiful they are, when you try out the sound of their last name with your first name, when you plan a future with the person, when you start thinking about your wedding, etc etc…

   I don’t experience any of the above with people I am just friends with.

9. Sexual intimacy has nothing to do with romantic relationships.

   In a healthy romantic relationship you’re important to each other. You have common interests, you can talk about everything, and it’s fun to spend time together. Ideally you also love each other – dream of your partner when they’re not around, think of them during the day, care for them. You can be fully yourself with them, and you feel loved and accepted as you are.

10. Romance is sexual intimacy plus I want to tell him random thoughts that pop into my head throughout the day.