Affectional orientation is when a person is in love with a person yet they are not physically attracted to them in a sexual way.  Still, they sometimes have sex but it's not a big priority of theres.  They're more about romance and an intimate, requited love.

What do you guys think about this?  I think that the two words are indeed different in a way, personally.  Just another way to look at sexual orientation in a proper environment.

Discuss.

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Death is the ultimate experience. The last thing to die is hope.

I guess I'm lucky being bisexual, the best of both worlds or some junk.

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Death is the ultimate experience. The last thing to die is hope.

I think it can be even more ambiguous than just dividing it that way though. I see sexual and "affectional" orientation as 2 dimensions that fluidly mix in any relationship. In any of the categories of "straight/gay/bi", there would be different a spectrum of different sexual/affectional feelings.

But I like how you've divided it as it allows me to make observations like "my affectional orientation is bi, while my sexual orientation is straight".

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I agree. I say I'm gay but there's no doubt that I could fall in love with a guy. I wouldn't want to sleep with him but it could totally happen. Feelings are complicated things. Boy, girl, whatever - they can happen with anybody.

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Agreed. I don't love men, I just have sex with them. I can't love a man, methinks, so thus a relationship isn't possible.

As for women, I am very emotionally attracted to them, almost to a fault. But again, a relationship isn't possible because I'm not physically attracted to them. Not just for sexual reasons, but that is a factor.

I'm doomed to the single life. Not that I'm very sad about it.

FP

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Come away, O human child!
To the waters and the wild
With a faery, hand in hand,
For the world's more full of weeping than you can understand.

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Quote: from meghank91 at 11:09 pm on July 7, 2008

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I agree. I say I'm gay but there's no doubt that I could fall in love with a guy. I wouldn't want to sleep with him but it could totally happen. Feelings are complicated things. Boy, girl, whatever - they can happen with anybody.

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Agreed. I don't love men, I just have sex with them. I can't love a man, methinks, so thus a relationship isn't possible.

As for women, I am very emotionally attracted to them, almost to a fault. But again, a relationship isn't possible because I'm not physically attracted to them. Not just for sexual reasons, but that is a factor.

I'm doomed to the single life. Not that I'm very sad about it.

FP

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Well maybe you'll find someone who is at the intersection.

I can't really imagine a purely emotional relationship that is without a hint of sexuality. I think sexuality (without dissecting away "affectional orientation" and whatnot) always includes some emotional aspects. But maybe that's just me.

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I think it can be even more ambiguous than just dividing it that way though. I see sexual and "affectional" orientation as 2 dimensions that fluidly mix in any relationship.

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So would you say that there could possibly be more dimensions in a relationship?  If there are I'm pretty interested in learning what they are, this is interesting; I like your look on things.

Quote: from FurryPanther at 10:15 pm on July 7, 2008

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I'm doomed to the single life. Not that I'm very sad about it.

FP

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Don't give up.  There may yet be someone there for you

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Death is the ultimate experience. The last thing to die is hope.

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So would you say that there could possibly be more dimensions in a relationship?  If there are I'm pretty interested in learning what they are, this is interesting; I like your look on things.

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I would think so. That is way too two-dimensional to fully cover the complexity of a relationship.

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Don't give up.  There may yet be someone there for you

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Eh, I'm not incredibly interested. People bore me too quickly.

FP

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Come away, O human child!
To the waters and the wild
With a faery, hand in hand,
For the world's more full of weeping than you can understand.

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Quote: from Avenue D at 9:27 am on July 8, 2008

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So would you say that there could possibly be more dimensions in a relationship? If there are I'm pretty interested in learning what they are, this is interesting; I like your look on things.

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I would think so. That is way too two-dimensional to fully cover the complexity of a relationship.

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Don't give up. There may yet be someone there for you

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Eh, I'm not incredibly interested. People bore me too quickly.

FP

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So you don't intend to have a lifetime partnership, either with a boy or a girl, ever?  A bachelor for life, in some sorts?  That's kind of sad, but if it makes you happy though, then go for it.

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Death is the ultimate experience. The last thing to die is hope.

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So you don't intend to have a lifetime partnership, either with a boy or a girl, ever?  A bachelor for life, in some sorts?  That's kind of sad, but if it makes you happy though, then go for it.

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Not at all. I'm not a relationship person.

FP

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Come away, O human child!
To the waters and the wild
With a faery, hand in hand,
For the world's more full of weeping than you can understand.

Personally, though I identify as gay in layman's terms, the truth is probably closer to the fact that I only attach emotionally to men, but am technically bisexual. I'd have no problem fucking a woman, but I could never fall in love with one, on the simple grounds that I can't love without trusting someone, and I can't trust women.

I don't think a person could have a truly fulfilling relationship with someone they don't have both attractions for. A person can be in love with a friend, but that's not a relationship.

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RIP my dear friends gone in '06 --like the angel

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If this deals with bi-sexuality, I think that many who claim they're bi-sexual are not truly bi. They lean to one gender but are affectionate to both, one side is stronger than the other.

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Wait, wouldn't that mean they are bisexual?  They may lean towards one gender in a sexual sense but also can lean towards another gender sexually.  Right?  Or did I not get what you were saying?

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Death is the ultimate experience. The last thing to die is hope.

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Quote: from runthespread at 5:09 pm on July 19, 2008

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If this deals with bi-sexuality, I think that many who claim they're bi-sexual are not truly bi. They lean to one gender but are affectionate to both, one side is stronger than the other.

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Wait, wouldn't that mean they are bisexual? They may lean towards one gender in a sexual sense but also can lean towards another gender sexually. Right? Or did I not get what you were saying?

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I'm not sure how to explain it too well, sorry.

I think that everyone is basically straight, they have a natural preference that is their default. I think some are more open to things with the other gender than others are, so it is more of being self-assured when they end up in those relationships. For example, I'm straight...but if I liked guys as well, it would be because I was open to them and enjoyed it to an extent. I think, however that I would feel more ultimately complete in the long run to stick to females.

So it's more of everyone's either straight or gay, but will act the other because they're more open to it.