All about 'Lithosexuality': When people don't want their feelings to be reciprocated

sexuality, romance, love, relationships

Lithosexuality is one of the lesser-known orientations, but its relevance is growing in conversations about identity and inclusion in 2024.

What Is Lithosexuality?
Lithosexuality, also known as akoiromantic or akoisexual, refers to a person who experiences romantic or sexual attraction but does not wish for those feelings to be reciprocated. They might enjoy the experience of attraction in theory but prefer not to act on it or have it acknowledged in real life. This identity is part of the asexual spectrum, though not all lithosexual individuals identify as asexual.

A lithromantic or lithosexual person might value personal boundaries and may not desire romantic involvement or labels typically associated with partnerships. Their feelings are valid and do not align with a fear of commitment or relational trauma; it is simply how they experience and process romantic attraction.

Their feelings might fade if the romantic interest becomes more concrete, distinguishing this identity from other forms of romantic attraction.

While terms like "pansexual" and "polyamorous" are increasingly mainstream, lithosexuality still flies under the radar.

Moreover, societal norms often pressure individuals to conform to traditional romantic or sexual relationships. This can lead to internalised stigma for lithosexual individuals who feel that their preferences are invalid.

Mental health professionals have also pointed out that people with such identities may face higher levels of stress due to societal expectations and a lack of understanding.

Other lesser-known sexualities

Demisexuality is a sexual orientation characterised by the need for an emotional connection before experiencing sexual attraction. Positioned on the asexual spectrum, it highlights the diversity of human sexual experiences and relationships. Unlike allosexual individuals, who may experience sexual attraction based on physical appearance or other immediate factors, demisexual people typically require a significant emotional bond to develop such attraction.

Abrosexuality is a sexual orientation defined by the fluidity of sexual attraction. For abrosexual individuals, their sexual attraction to different genders can shift over time—sometimes they may feel attraction toward one gender, while at other times, they may experience little or no attraction at all. This variability is what distinguishes abrosexuality from more fixed sexual orientations.

Symbiosexuality is defined as the attraction to people within an established relationship, where the appeal lies not only in the individual partners but also in the dynamic they create together. This concept differentiates symbiosexuality from other forms of attraction, such as plurisexuality or polyamory, where the focus is on multiple relationships or genders, rather than the specific dynamics of an existing relationship.