With or without identity labels? Maria and I talk about navigating life as part of the A+ (aro & ace) in the LGBTQIA+ community -- an under represented population in the Philippines!! We believe that this is an important episode for those who have been curious about their own identity journey. We hope that you also learn a lot about yourselves through our experiences identifying as aromantic (me) and demisexual (Maria). Enjoy!

Note: This is a Taglish episode

This episode covers:

- Kinds of attraction (physical, sexual, romantic, aesthetic, sensual

- Split attraction model

- Defining aromanticism

- Anna's romantic relationship experiences that led up to aro realization

- "Hindi naman pala mabigat magmahal for me"

- Improved relationship with the concept of love with aro realization

- Love is everywhere

- Anna's pansexual realization

- Grieving that comes with aro realization

- Maria's demisexual identity

- Defining asexuality

- Ace being "turned on" in other ways

- Paradox of being a sex-centered world yet sex being taboo

- Ace frustrations false notions "you just didn't find your person yet"

- Sensual vs sexual attraction

- Jungkook as ace-coded

- Sensual attraction + being sensually attuned examples

- Sensually starved society

- Dating world for aromantic and demisexual folks

- Being left out if people learn that you're aro or ace

- Superpower as a demisexual person

- Concept of sex as can be defined by you alone

- Expanded connotation of sex as a demi/ace person

- Expanded connotation of love as an aromantic person

- Understanding the romantic nature of other people through aromanticism "that's how their love moves"

- Dissolved judgement on how love moves within me / within other people

- Notions that the lack of a certain kind of attraction = you're missing out

- What if being aro and/or ace also frees you?

- What queer is, beyond what is conventionally known as queer "queering" your way into the world

- Queer is a position - "out of the norm"

- Queer is disassembling assumptions

- Wider definition of "queer"

- Identifying the self with label or without label

About our episode guest

Maria Mison (she/they) is also! a host of the podcast Integrated Awakenings which focuses on accessible spiritual transmissions with a good dose of play. Also a long time collaborator of Anna, they enjoy multiple artistic mediums and it’s natural potential to better know the Selves.

Connect with Maria:

Instagram: @mariamison__

Website: mariamison.io

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Connect with Anna

https://www.instagram.com/artbyannadominiquesantos/

https://facebook.com/artbyannadominiquesantos

https://artbyannadominiquesantos.com/