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Sexual attraction: What's the difference between romantic attraction and sexual attraction?

320 Answers
Last Updated: 01/20/2020 at 3:57pm
Sexual attraction: What's the difference between romantic attraction and sexual attraction?
★ This question about LGBTQ+ Issues was starred by a moderator on 5/12/2016.
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Top Rated Answers
3amthoughts
June 18th, 2015 9:21pm
Sexual attraction is purely physical. It's when you want someone only to fulfill your primary needs and feel satisfied. Romantic attraction, however, is a feeling where not only you feel physical attraction, but you seek comfort and belonging and you want to share your thoughts on unimportant subjects just so you could spend more time with other person. That being said, romantic attraction doesn't have to be followed by sexual, or other way around.
Anonymous
June 19th, 2015 3:03am
Romantic attraction is when you're attracted to them in every way, and just want to be near them. Sexual is when you crave sex with this person.
musicalForest17
January 21st, 2016 7:24pm
Romantic attraction is like having a crush, or really being infatuated by someone, or love. It's the feeling of wanting to date someone. Sexual attraction is the feeling of wanting to have sex with someone.
Anonymous
January 21st, 2016 10:22pm
Romantic attraction is where you want to hug/kiss the person, sexual attraction is... well, wanting more than that.
Anonymous
January 23rd, 2016 1:57pm
Sexual attraction and romantic attraction are both different depending on who you are. Typically sexual attraction is when you are attracted to a person sexually, meaning that you want to partake in sexual activities with them. Depending on who you are, a sexual activity may be having sex or it may be kissing. Romantic attraction is being attracted to somebody romantically, meaning you want to do romantic things with them (Once again, this varies from person to person, so you can make up your own definition of what "romantic things" are) Romantic things for some may be just going on dates to the movies or holding hands or cuddling. Sexual attraction and romantic attraction really vary from person to person so if you are in a relationship with a person who is ___romantic/sexual make sure you ask what they consider to be romantic/sexual so they are as comfortable as possible :)
SecretlyHigh
July 8th, 2015 5:34pm
Romantic attraction is when you know you love someone and you would like to sit down all the time with them talk to them and listen to them. You know you want to only spend your time including them. Sexual attraction is when you're just attracted to someone just for sex... Both can occur at the same time , but sexual attraction is usually the person is attracted to the pleasure and that's allxxxx
mountainPass10
January 28th, 2016 12:49am
Sexual attraction to put it simply is when you'd be interested in having sex with them. Romantic attraction is when you'd be interested in experiencing romantic interactions with them such as hold hands and/or kissing.
TobyBara
January 28th, 2016 4:02am
The different between sexual and romantic attraction is arousal. Being sexuallyt attracted to someone implies that you feel aroused towards them. You would want to sleep with them or have a sexual relationship. Romantic attraction is the opposite, You may not see them in a sexual manor but you may love them and want to be with them, go on dates. Sexual attraction is more physical, romantic attraction is emotional.
Supporter0498
December 31st, 2015 11:32pm
Romantic attraction is something that might last a life time, while sexual attraction might not. It just depends on your views!
Anonymous
March 19th, 2016 9:43pm
The most simplistic way to explain it is that sexual attraction is just that: a natural desire to have sex with a specific person, it can be an immediate desire upon seeing them or a more gradual one that develops over time, but in the end the base desire is for sex with that person. Romantic attraction is a desire for whatever you perceive is a romantic relationship with a specific person, can also be immediate or more gradual.
Anonymous
January 1st, 2016 1:46am
With a sexual attraction, you don't see yourself with them in the future. You don't see yourself marrying the person. All you want to do is be with them for a night then leave. Romantic is the opposite, you want to be with them as their girl/boyfriend and could see yourself having a future with them.
Anonymous
January 3rd, 2016 6:15pm
this is a cliche answer but when you feel comfortable with a person to the point where you can share your life moments with them and feel safe when they are around and want to make them smile ..that is romantic attraction . Sexual attraction is more visual . You see a cute person and think oh maybe i should go talk to them....its not based on the personality of the person , more on their looks .
somerandomer999
January 3rd, 2016 4:25pm
Romantic Attraction is who you love. Sexual attraction is who you go to bed with. For example you can love both men and women but only want to sleep with women.
brightForest58
July 18th, 2015 3:12am
There is a huge difference between sexual and romantic attraction. Sexual attraction can be an extremely visceral experience. You can be sexually attracted to someone who doesn't attract you emotionally. People can also be attracted to someone who they connect with emotional or intellectually but not physically. Romantic attraction happens when you feel the sexual attraction and the intellectual attraction. You look at a person and connect physically, emotionally, intellectually. You want to give them everything you have. Purr sexual attraction is only physical. It's about the touch. It's about pleasing someone visually and physically. Never goes beyond that physical touch. It's superficial. It doesn't last.
Anonymous
April 3rd, 2018 5:19pm
the easiest way to understand is to consider physical attraction compared to attraction to someone’s personality traits. Romantic attraction is when you’re attracted to a person because you like their personality and would like a non-sexual relationship. whereas sexual attraction is the attraction to someone physically, wanting a sexual relationship with them.
Anonymous
January 24th, 2017 12:26pm
Being attracted to the person itself vs being attracted to the person's body. That is the difference.
TotoMango
September 6th, 2016 8:30am
Attraction by itself is a part of a larger bond between two people. I have never felt sexual attraction against someone who I did not want to get romantically involved with. In the same way, I have always wished to have physical intimacy with someone I thought of as romantic. For me, sexual attraction is an important part of a romantic relationship. Sexual fantasy or obsession, however, is different and shallower.
spaceapricot02
August 22nd, 2016 4:42am
You should come out when and if you feel safe, and you feel it would make you happier. Don't come out if you believe it could create a bad environment, or if it would make you unhappy. You don't ever have to come out to friends or family if you don't want to.
SimplyBeing
July 12th, 2016 9:39am
Our sexuality exist along a number of dimensions. I found a great deal of peace in knowing that my identity is so much more complex that simply saying gay or straight. Some of the dimensions of our sexuality are romantic orientation, sexual practice, and sexual fantasy. We may be romantically attached to a male, have had sex only with females in our lives and fantasize about both. All of those things can be true at the same time. Speaking of time, where we fall on those dimensions may change as we age or the importance of one will outgrow another. I hope this helps. I wish you peace. ~J
Anonymous
June 24th, 2015 4:33pm
Romance is mainly those lovey-dovey feelings you experience. Sexual attraction accounts for the want to physical touch and things of that nature.
caringParadise45
June 25th, 2015 4:22am
Sexual attraction has more to do with the physical part of the relationship and the romantic attraction has more to do with the emotional part. If you can get those two together fireworks will start :)
Anonymous
December 17th, 2015 11:37am
Romantic attraction is maybe when you'd see yourself with someone holding hands or hugging and sexually attracted to someone is if you image the two of you alone it escalates quite quickly and you find yourself fantasizing about them and imagine yourself doing stuff sexually with them.
dieli3
June 26th, 2015 3:49am
Romantic attraction is when you feel emotionally attached to a person. You feel like you want to be close to that person or in a relationship with them. A sexual attraction is when you feel aroused by another person. You feel like you want to engage in sexual activity with that person. A sexual attraction doesn't necessarily always involve romantic attraction and vice versa.
PoeticWhisperer13
June 26th, 2015 3:40pm
Romantic attraction is about love, caring, and happiness of the other person. While sexual attraction is about lust and not genuinely caring for the other person, just yourself.
Anonymous
June 5th, 2016 4:42am
Well, I feel that romantic attraction is based on you liking that one person for their personality and looks. Sexual attraction is more of you love just their body and you know... wanna have sex.
redSpring6021
July 17th, 2015 9:59am
Romantic attraction is when you have deep seated feelings for another person that culminate in an adoring love. You want more than just being physically attracted or hooking up; you care about their health, happiness, and your future together. You willingly place their needs over your own and make sacrifices, but do not do so unhealthily. Often times, a sign of romantic attraction is making plans about the future together. Sexual attraction is often the first sign of a budding relationship. You find your partner attractive, but do not feel deep feelings toward them. You desire them, but are not willing to make sacrifices or work towards a cohesive future together. You are interested. As a result, sexual attraction may often be fleeting. However, it is possibly (and recommended) in a relationship to have both romantic and sexual attraction as this leading to a fresh, positive relationship that is build not only on the physical but the emotional. This dual facet allows for growth and happiness for both partners in their relationship and often brings about the phrase "falling in love over and over again."
Anonymous
January 1st, 2016 8:39pm
Romantic attraction is most commonly known as 'love', whilst sexual attraction is often deemed 'lust'. When one is romantically attracted to another, he, she, or it has emotional attachment to that person, but when he, she, or it is sexually attracted to another, there is no emotional attachment, but rather a desire for the other person based upon looks or what pleasure can be derived sexually from that person.
Anonymous
March 25th, 2016 6:44am
Romantic attraction is when you could see yourself actually being with that person, and falling in love with that person. Sexual attraction is when you can only see yourself having a sexual relationship with that person. The two can go hand-in-hand for some people, and for others the two can be very different. It just depends :)
jolybean
July 16th, 2015 12:53pm
Romantic attraction is when you feel that you love the person in a non-platonic way and you'd want to pursue a relationship with them, but not necessarily have sexual contact with them. Sexual attraction is when someone is sexually attractive to you, and you desire to have sexual contact with the person, but not necessarily pursue a romantic relationship.
carlier231
March 27th, 2016 1:33am
Well romantic attraction is liking their eyes, smile, and laugh. Sexual attraction is more of their body :)