Split Attraction Model (SAM): Difference between revisions

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[[File:Sam.png|thumb|220x220px|A visual representation of the SAM using a modified Kinsey scale. Someone can fall anywhere on the two scales. For some, their placement on the two scales is the same, for others they have two different placements.|link=https://lgbta.wikia.org/wiki/File:Sam.png]]The '''split attraction model''' or '''SAM''' is a model of attraction used by many [[Asexual Spectrum|ace-spec]] and [[Aromantic Spectrum|aro-spec]] people to describe their identity, although it can also be used by people who are not [[A-Spec|a-spec]]. The SAM states that for some people sexual attraction and romantic attraction are two different things. For example, an [[asexual]] person may feel romantic attraction, and an [[aromantic]] person may feel sexual attraction. In those cases the [[A-Spec|a-spec]] person may describe their identity using the SAM in order to express both aspects of their identity. Some people may also include their [[Tertiary Attraction|tertiary attraction]] in their use of SAM.

If someone's sexual and romantic orientation are the same they can simply use one word. For example, one would not have to say "pansexual and panromantic" as they could just say they're [[pansexual]]. The exception to this is [[aroace]], which is often said together because only saying one could imply that one is [[Alloromantic Asexual|alloromantic asexual]] or [[Aromantic Allosexual|allosexual aromantic]] or lead to other confusion. Someone whose sexual orientation and romantic orientation don't match might identity as [[varioriented]].

Not all a-spec people use the SAM, and one should not assume that another uses the SAM until the other people says so. Most notably are [[Non-SAM Aro|non-SAM aros]], but some people prefer more precise terms include "romantic orientation" (or "romantic orientation labeling," for the personal use of terms like aromantic) and "attraction types," "attraction subtyping," or "differentiating types of attraction." Not everyone who experiences different types of attraction necessarily has a distinct romantic orientation, and not everyone who has a romantic orientation necessarily experiences multiple types of attraction.<ref>[https://theacetheist.wordpress.com/2019/03/20/remodeling-on-the-reclamation-of-the-term-split-attraction-model/ Remodeling]</ref><ref>[https://theacetheist.wordpress.com/2019/05/16/three-narratives-of-non-rosol-identity-in-the-aro-community/ Three Narratives of Non-Rosol Identity in the Aro Community]</ref>

The specific term "split attraction model" being used to describe this concept originated on Tumblr in 2015. The original use of the term was from aphobes and [[Exclusionist|exclusionists]] talking about how the ace community supposedly required that everyone (including non-asexual people) split their orientation into multiple parts<ref>https://vanillil.tumblr.com/post/128042336475/the-split-attraction-model-is-homophobic</ref><ref>https://legislacerator.tumblr.com/post/124764170311/can-you-tell-me-what-split-attraction-model</ref><ref>https://morwinyon.tumblr.com/post/122370182643/could-you-elaborate-on-the-split-attractions</ref>. The argument had some grain of truth to it, as a-spec communities often take SAM to be the default, although this typically only considered the default within the community. The term “Split Attraction Model” was adopted by a-spec communities in order to talk about the issue.