Cartosexual is a fictosexuality in which one is exclusive or near-exclusively attracted to cartoon or comic characters. One who is cartosexual find that they are more commonly attracted to cartoon and/or comic characters more than real people. It coresponds with being a-spec, and is considered an a-spec identity.
History
The term cartosexual was coined by a user going by Anderson on November 29th, 2020 in order to describe the experiences of those who don’t necessarily fit into animatesexual.
Flags
The cartosexual and cartoromantic flag was created by user rosewatera on November 29th, 2020. Black represents TV screens; Purple represents fiction and non-reality, and red represents sexual attraction. Pink is for romantic attraction.
The alternate cartosexual and cartoromantic flags were coined by a user going by Artemis on January 24th of 2021.
On the alternate cartosexual flags, red represents attraction, pink represents feminine characters, purple represents androgynous/neutral characters, blue represents masculine characters, turqoise represents otherkin-like/kingender-like characters, yellow represents xenic-like characters, white represents fluid characters, black represents fiction, dark grey represents alternate worlds, and grey represents genderless/agender-like characters.
The two designs represents TV/Cartoons and comics.
Cartosexuality vs paraphillia
Cartosexuality is often confused with a paraphillia, however, this is by definition an incorrect case. Paraphillias are known as sexual disorders and harmful desires, often leading to the distress of the person experiencing them and/or those around them.
Cartosexuality, however, does not usually cause harm, as it does not influence or promote any harmful or dangerous acts, and is simply a desire/attraction to one who does not exist outside of cartoons/comics. In some cases, one who is cartosexual may feel levels of distress due to being unable to have sexual feelings for people in reality, however this does not mean that everyone who is cartosexual feels this way, nor does it mean cartosexuality is bad.
Cartosexuality does not include attraction to harmful fictional tropes and those with harmful attractions are not the target group for cartosexuals.
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Cartoromantic flag.
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Alternate cartoromantic flag (comic version.)
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Alternate cartoromantic flag (cartoon version.)
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Cartosexual flag.
