Grayromantic

Grayromantic, also spelled greyromantic and sometimes shortened to grey aro or gray aro, describes a romantic orientation on the aromantic spectrum. Grayromantic people experience romantic attraction rarely, only occasionally, weakly or only under certain circumstances. The term therefore sits between alloromantic, meaning regularly experiencing romantic attraction, and aromantic, meaning experiencing little or no romantic attraction.

Grayromantic can be both a specific romantic orientation and an umbrella term for different experiences on the aromantic spectrum. Some grayromantic people feel romantic attraction only after a long period of emotional closeness, in certain relationship constellations or in very rare exceptional cases. Others use the term because their romantic feelings are variable, difficult to define or not clearly alloromantic.

Romantic orientation is not the same as sexual orientation. A grayromantic person may have any sexual orientation and may or may not want sex, intimacy, partnership or BDSM. In dating, relationships and BDSM, it is important to discuss romantic expectations, desires for commitment, boundaries and terminology openly, rather than making assumptions about relationship capacity, sexuality or commitment based on someone being grayromantic.