Axiosexual is a sexual orientation in which an individual only expresses interest in or desire to engage in sexual activity with others if some kind of attraction (usually romantic or secondary or primary sexual attraction) is present. Axiosexuals are averse to and/or disinterested in sex with individuals they are not attracted to, but may engage if sexual and/or other attraction is present. Many axiosexuals are on the asexual spectrum (often also identifying as grayasexual or demisexual) but some allosexuals may also identify as axiosexual if they experience disinterest towards sexual activities with people they are not specifically attracted to.
The term is related to (but different than) omniasexual and apothisexual, wherein individuals are always disinterested in sexual activities and do not ever experience sexual attraction.
Etymology
From Greek "axiotheato", meaning attraction, and Greek "axios", meaning worthwhile/suitable.
History
Axiosexual was coined by wikia user StarTigerJLN, a grayace/genderfluid graduate student at the University of Kansas, on January 20th of 2021, during a discussion of sex interested vs sex averse asexuals / graysexuals in the Facebook AVEN forum.
Controversy
Debate quickly arose as to whether "axiosexuality" is equivalent to gray asexuality, especially "demisexuality". While axiosexual overlap with demisexuality is possible or common, the axiosexual identity does not involve a requirement that a "bond" or "connection" exists in order for an attraction to manifest. Axiosexuality furthermore specifically includes aversion under certain circumstances as part of the identity itself.