Questionnaire
Aromantic Spectrum Awareness Week
Valentine Edelmina Stone
Murder at Homecoming NB!MC
- Does your character use any microlabels? Which ones?
Edelmina is demialterous. When there isn't any precision, demi means demiromantic demisexual, or demirose. Demi belongs to the secondary attraction. Alterous attraction belongs to the tertiary attraction. Both attractions put Edelmina on the aro spectrum.
~ What do their labels mean to them?
Demi means that they need to feel a strong connection with someone before maybe catching some feelings for them. Alterous is the strong urge to feel emotionally close to someone. It's not fully platonic, but not fully romantic either.
- When/how did they realize they were arospec?
They were wondering why they couldn't relate to others' experiences, so they researched and found these two terms. They were such an excellent fit that 16 years old Edelmina finally felt understood.
- Are they in a relationship of any kind? If so, how does their aromanticism impact their relationship?
Yes, they are in a relationship with Donovan Navarro. Their aromanticism impacts the relationship a lot. They aren't too much romantic gestures, but the emotional closeness is high and strong. There's a lot of conversations about what defines the relationship, since Donovan is alloromantic and always wants to understand better how Edelmina feels about their relationship.
I wrote a story about this, you can read it here.
- How do they feel about romance in general?
Absolutely overwhelming. They are not repulsed but romantic gestures are quickly overwhelming. Their threshold is low.
- What are their favorite and least favorite parts of being arospec?
Their favourite part is that they will not be falling in love at first sight. It makes no sense to them and they are glad it won't happen to them.
Their least favourite part is that being demi means being dismissed by people who will tell them that demi is the norm, that it's a common experience, which isn't true. And being alterous means being accused of trying to be a snowflake, that it's either romantic or platonic feelings, that it can't be anything else.
- Have they come out to anyone? If so who?
Edelmina came out to Donovan, quite obviously, as well as their friends Stevie Sun, Tyler Woods and Joanna Morgan.
They have been very supportive and have asked questions to understand better what it exactly meant. Edelmina and Donovan have regularly conversations about it, as it plays an important part in their relationship. He doesn't want to make them feel uncomfortable, but he will sometimes slightly and very gently poke to check how they feel about something. He does this only because Edelmina asked him to do so. Edelmina tries to determinate their threshold regarding how much romantic things they can bear. It's a learning experience for both.
- Do they know other arospec people/do they have any arospec friends?
Tyler Woods is arospec. More specifically, he is reciproromantic.