{{Sexual orientation}}
{{Refimprove|date=December 2007}}
'''Affectional orientation''' is an alternative term for [[sexual orientation]]. It is based on the perspective that one's orientation is not limited to [[human sexuality|sexuality]] but also to one's affectionality. To holders of this view, one's orientation is defined by whom one is predisposed to fall [[limerence|in love]] with, sexual attraction being only a part of a larger dynamic.

The term is also used by some who consider themselves [[asexuality|asexual]] and only feel emotional attraction to describe the [[gender]] or genders to which they are romantically attracted. The terms used for different affectional orientations are typically the same as those which are used for [[sexual orientation]]s: [[homosexuality|homosexual]], [[bisexuality|bisexual]], [[heterosexuality|heterosexual]], or [[asexuality|asexual]] (though "homoromantic", "biromantic," "heteroromantic," and "aromantic" are not unknown, if uncommon).

Lately, the aforementioned terms are considered to reduce a whole category of desires and emotions, power and connection, to sex.

There are also those who hold the view that their orientation is defined by whom one has affection towards and that their '''sexual''' attraction is based on affection for another human being's personal qualities rather than their gender or appearance, sex and gender playing no part in the attraction. This does not necessarily require either person to fall in love but is still based on a personal affection.

One might now consider the phrase, "conditional sexual attraction" for asexuals, as opposed to "primary sexual attraction" used by all "sexual" people, though not all would agree with this terminology, as some asexuals may be attracted to physical characteristics as well as or instead of non physical ones.

==References==
*Wells, J. W. (1989). "Teaching about Gay and Lesbian Sexual and Affectional Orientation Using Explicit Films to Reduce Homophobia". ''Journal of Humanistic Education and Development'', 28(1),18-34.

[[Category:Non-sexuality]]
[[Category:Sexual orientation and identity]]

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