Exploring Aromanticism Through an Online Qualitative Investigation With the Aromantic Community: "Freeing, Alienating, and Utterly Fantastic".

Objective: To explore what aromanticism is, common misconceptions about this identity, and the experiences people have connecting with an aromantic identity. Methods: An online, international open-ended survey with a convenience sample of aromantic individuals (N = 1642) analyzed with thematic analysis. Results: To identify as aromantic involves a spectrum of experiences with romance commonly tied to experiencing stigma. Connecting with an aromantic identity allows for a greater understanding of the self and a connection to a community. Conclusions: Future research is needed to explore the experiences and perspectives of this community to gather better understanding of their needs and how to prevent/limit stigmatizing experiences.