Miransexual

The Miransexual flag

Miransexual flag by crayonpuppy.x

Miransexual is a micro-label for people on the asexual spectrum who experience visual sexual attraction but do not experience sexual desire. These asexuals experience a sexually-based visual-centered attraction to a specific person/other people (which can involve first person fantasies, sexual feelings, and other elements related to sexual attraction) but lack the intrinsic desire to commit sexual acts with that person/other people. Miransexuals are often sex-averse or sex-neutral. Miransexual also falls under the black stripe asexual umbrella.

This term is separate to aegosexual asexuals who experience sexual fantasies (often in the third person where they are not the object of desire) but may not experience visual sexual attraction, and is unrelated to the distinction of libidoist and non-libidoist.

Terminology

Sexual attraction itself is a contended term in the asexual community [1], with many different meanings, overlaps and conflations. Specifically, sexual attraction is defined as "(...) a form of physical attraction to a person based on a desire for sexual interaction (sexual intercourse, sexually touching/groping, etc.) with a particular person." This desire is intrinsic, as in belonging naturally to a person, or being innate to someone. This desire is not cognitive or decision-based but a form of attraction that occurs to allosexual individuals on an ongoing basis. It is not necessarily related to the sexual interest in physical attributes/a person's visual appearance.

Visual sexual attraction, however, contrary to its name is not a form of sexual attraction. It is not based on an intrinsic sexual desire, but a sexual appreciation/admiration of a person that incites sexual interest/sexual-related thoughts or feelings. Miransexuals can confuse visual sexual attraction with aesthetic attraction. Aesthetic attraction is often described as a similar feeling to admiring a nice painting or landscape, whereas visual sexual attraction is related to sexual appreciation and involves elements of the experience of sexual attraction. Miransexuals view people in a sexual way and are attracted to people in this way.

Sexual desire is related to sexual favourability (for instance, sex-neutrality, sex-repulsion, sex-ambivalence, sex-aversity and sex-favourability) and the wish to physically undergo sexual acts with other people. Usually this is related to sexual attraction, but for asexuals, sexual desire and sexual attraction are sometimes separate concepts.

Flag

The Miransexual flag is an altered version of the Asexual flag. It is the Asexual flag upside down, to represent community as the first and most primary stripe (purple), then aro-spec miransexuals (white), the blurred lines of aesthetic, platonic, visual sexual attraction and other physical attractions (grey), and asexuality (black). The two vertical stripes at the right-most side of the flag represent libidoist (pink) and non-libidoist (brown) miransexuals and their equal place in the community.

Etymology

The term miransexual is based on the latin name 'Miran' meaning 'worthy of admiration.'

History

This term was coined by SleuthArt in the Black Stripe Asexual Hangout Thread on the 23rd of July, 2021.[2]

Resources

https://www.asexuality.org/en/topic/69810-what-is-sexual-attraction/

https://www.asexuality.org/en/topic/216614-black-stripe-asexuals-hangout-thread/