After three decades of uncertainty about her sexuality, Emma Flint has recently identified as abrosexual. While Flint now embraces this aspect of her identity, her journey has not been without challenges, as some people in her life have struggled to understand or accept her revelation.
When Flint shared her discovery, one friend responded with skepticism, questioning the legitimacy of the term and admitting they had never heard of it before, though they still offered support. Abrosexuality describes a sexual orientation that is fluid, meaning a person’s romantic or sexual attractions can change over time or at different points in their life137. For instance, someone who is abrosexual may feel attracted to certain genders at one stage and experience little or no attraction at another137.
Flint first encountered the term ‘abrosexual’ at age 30, and it immediately resonated with her experiences. She explained in an interview that before learning about abrosexuality, she found it difficult to define her sexuality because her attractions shifted so frequently, making her feel that her sexuality was inherently fluid.
Forever an old lady. 🩷 pic.twitter.com/JGJ1XOvPjT
— Em (@LiterateElf) June 8, 2024
She acknowledges that not everyone will immediately understand what abrosexuality means-she herself only discovered it recently-but she emphasizes the importance of listening with respect. Flint is grateful that most of her friends and family have made an effort to support her and educate themselves about her identity.
Despite this support, Flint still faces dismissive remarks, such as being told she is simply confused or being advised to just call herself bisexual. She refuses to let others’ limited understanding define her, stressing that personal growth involves continually learning new things about oneself.
Ultimately, Flint hopes that abrosexuality will become recognized as a valid identity, rather than being dismissed as a passing trend. She concludes that she no longer feels anxious about her sexuality, as it now makes sense to her-and, in the end, that personal understanding is what truly matters.