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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
Anonymous
August 7th, 2015 2:47pm
The difference between romantic and sexual attraction is that you feel romantic feelings toward someone as in lovey and sweet. Sexual is feeling that you would have sexual relations with that person and you can see them like that.
Profile: Jenniferroseh98
Jenniferroseh98
August 7th, 2015 6:23pm
Romantic is where you want to build a relationship with them that is like Hugs,kisses,long walks and talking. Where as sexual is just for the purpose of having sexual relations with them
Anonymous
August 8th, 2015 4:45pm
To put it easily: Romantic attraction: I would want a relationship with that Sexual attraction: I would have intercourse with that They can both be different. You could for example be biromantic heterosexual. This would mean you feel sexual attraction to the opposite gender, while feeling romantic attraction to both.
Profile: Sammy01
Sammy01
August 8th, 2015 10:15pm
Sexual attraction is purely physical, it's just to do with wanting to take part in sexual activity with another person. Romantic attraction is harder to explain, it's more like being friends with somebody except more extreme, you want to care for them and help them when they feel down etc. Some people experience one without the other, some people experience neither. Any of that is perfectly valid, and don't let anybody else tell you otherwise.
Profile: lesbianlibra
lesbianlibra
August 9th, 2015 8:06am
Romantic attraction is being attracted to a person In way that you would take them out on dates and sexual attraction is like a one night stand , its based on looks.
Profile: Supergirl94
Supergirl94
August 12th, 2015 4:45am
Romantic attraction is wanting to have a relationship with them, to talk to them everyday about everything. To want to be with them, do things with them and share your life with them. To start with a basic date and work your way up, moving in together, getting married, growing old together. You have goals to do things with them and to love them fully, just the two of you. Sexual attraction is when you aren't interested in a relationship or growing old with them. You love how they look physically and crave their bodies but may not feel the need to form an emotional bond with them, to share everything with them or talk to them everyday, to not make goals between each other or anything really personal and indepth. You may just want the surface things, more like friends with benefits or just the benefit with that person.
Profile: sleepypoett
sleepypoett
August 12th, 2015 9:52am
For some, they are one in the same. For others, the attractions can be quite different, where romantic attraction involves your emotional feelings for a person, and sexual attraction involves your physical desire towards a person.
Anonymous
August 13th, 2015 12:26am
Romantic attraction: you are in love with the person Sexual attraction: you just want that person for just sex
Profile: Rift
Rift
August 13th, 2015 3:06am
Romantic attraction is in regard to falling in love. You could fall in love with men, women, both or neither for example. Sexual attraction is more about your sexuality rather than love. For example, you could have sexual feelings towards men, women, both or neither. And it is perfectly possible for romantic attraction and sexual attraction to not be the same! For example, you could fall in love with both men and women (romantic attraction) but only ever have sexual feelings towards one of the two (sexual attraction).
Anonymous
August 13th, 2015 2:06pm
The person would want to spend more and more time with their crush, whereas if it's a sexual attraction it's purely physical.
Anonymous
August 13th, 2015 10:55pm
The sexual attraction is specific to the way another person looks or moves. Therefore you can be sexual attracted by a certain gender or hair color for example. The romantic attraction on the other hand is limited to the personality of another person. That means you are only attracted towards the person because of the personality. This is what is broadly defined as love.
Anonymous
August 14th, 2015 10:00am
I think someone you are romantically attracted to is more someone you would go on a date with, like going out to the movies, holding hands, cuddling, maybe kissing. Sexual attraction is someone you would have sex with..
Anonymous
August 14th, 2015 9:52pm
Romantic attraction is where you wanna date them, hold hands, cuddle, get married, go on dates, all that fun stuff. Sexual attraction is where you basically just wanna have sex with them.
Profile: OpenSpace84
OpenSpace84
August 15th, 2015 9:05pm
A romantic attraction is a desire to share an emotional connection with someone, where a physical attraction is a desire to share physical closeness.
Profile: hxlfbloodprincess
hxlfbloodprincess
August 16th, 2015 5:42am
Romantic attraction is feelings based on a desire to enter an emotional relationship. Sexual attraction is feelings based on a desire to enter a physical relationship
Profile: Avi001
Avi001
September 21st, 2015 11:10am
I think the difference is in romantic attraction you are attracted to the other person emotionally, on the other hand, in sexual attraction you are attracted to the person sexually.
Profile: ThatPersonSkylar
ThatPersonSkylar
October 25th, 2015 1:55pm
Romantic attraction is where you mainly just love the person for who they are and you'll hug them and like kiss them, have a nice romantic relationship, just most of the time there isn't sex in these relationships. Asexuals feel this attraction. Sexual attraction is where you want to partake in sexual activities with the person.
Profile: DoseOfEuphoriaMaybe
DoseOfEuphoriaMaybe
November 9th, 2015 1:38am
Romantic attraction is attraction to the sum total of a person, while Sexual attraction is the attraction to the physical qualities of a being.
Profile: fairmindedMap1086
fairmindedMap1086
December 4th, 2015 6:34pm
Both are just the worse. getting attracted proposing, proceeding and then all ends up in beak up. A real relationship is supposed to happen automatically. Of course there are exceptions. I see there is no difference between them both but on the other end i think an unconditional attraction would be the ideal one.
Profile: BethanyRuth
BethanyRuth
December 11th, 2015 11:17pm
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
December 12th, 2015 12:49am
Romantic attraction is being attracted to the way someone acts, the way they talk to you or how safe you feel with them. Sexual attraction encompasses that but is to the persons body instead of their actions
Anonymous
December 12th, 2015 11:23pm
Romantic: wants to date them, kiss them, cuddle with them, hang out with them, etc, Sexual: wants to have sex with them and that's all
Profile: oliverjayy
oliverjayy
December 16th, 2015 1:48am
Sexual attraction is only wanting anything physical and sexual. Romantic attraction, in my personal opinion, is something more than just the physical and sexual aspects. Of course, it includes the sexual attractions, but also involves the little things, like just being able to spend time together, without saying anything, and just being in each other's presence. Romantic attraction is a very special thing, and it's important to hold onto something like that if you can find it :)
Profile: ashbradbury42
ashbradbury42
December 17th, 2015 11:15pm
Romantic attraction is when you are purely attracted to someone on an emotional level. Sexual attraction involves the physical side of a relationship.
Profile: birdwatcher444
birdwatcher444
December 18th, 2015 12:42am
Romantic attraction is the desire to just be with someone. It is the love of the other person's personality and feeling content with that person. Sexual attraction is the desire to have sexual relations with someone else. Often times sexual attraction goes hand in hand with romantic attraction. However, some people don't feel sexual attraction at all. That is called asexual, but it doesn't mean they don't want a romantic relationship.
Profile: miamaiamaya
miamaiamaya
December 18th, 2015 11:33am
Sexual attraction is "attraction on the basis of sexual desire or the quality of arousing such interest." Romantic attraction is 'an emotional response that most people often feel that results in a desire for a romantic relationship with the person that the attraction is felt towards." Sexual attraction is the sexual desire for someone, whereas romantic attraction is the desire to be in a relationship with someone.
Profile: SockMonkey25
SockMonkey25
December 19th, 2015 6:10pm
Sexual attraction is fueled by physical desires. It can have romantic attraction involved, but not necessarily. Romantic attraction is more personal, not physically or chemically driven.
Profile: Herequeerandcheering
Herequeerandcheering
December 20th, 2015 2:32am
For romantic attraction you feel the want for a romantic relationship with a person. For sexual attraction you may have interest in doing sexual things with that person. They don't necessarily happen at the same time to some. Some feel only romantic attraction, some feel only sexual attraction, some feel neither, some feel both
Profile: Hopeorhug
Hopeorhug
December 20th, 2015 7:21pm
Sexual attraction is just based on your human instinct. Romantic attraction takes on 3 things, mind, heart,and instict. So the difference is that sexual attraction is pretty simple, its a brain reaction that needs to be fed, tamed, or stopped sometimes. Romantic attraction is a thing you cant stop nor tame nor start that easily.
Profile: SpookyBlue
SpookyBlue
December 23rd, 2015 7:55pm
Romantic attraction is when you feel the need to be romantic with someone; meaning you want to do things that are considered romantic with them, like holding hands, cuddling, going on dates, and more. Sexual attraction is when you find a person appealing physically and would like to be sexually intimate with them. Romantic and sexual attraction can be separate from one another or they can operate hand in hand.