What is symbiosexuality?

This is how a recent phenomena is altering how we perceive attraction.

“Symbiosexuality” is a term used by researchers at Seattle University to describe a novel type of sexual desire. This newfound sexuality is characterized by a preference for relationships over individuals and a strong attraction to the energy, multidimensionality, and power that are shared between partners. Experts are reevaluating conventional ideas about human attraction and desire in light of this event.

A study that was published in the Archives of Sexual Behavior claims that symbiosexuality is present across a wide range of gender identities, age groups, and racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. The study’s author, Dr. Sally Johnston, an adjunct professor of sociology and anthropology, thinks that people’s perceptions of human sexuality are incomplete.

“We need to rethink the nature of human attraction and desire as only one-to-one experiences,” stated Dr. Johnston.

Symbiosexuals: Who Are They?

According to the study, people who identify as symbiosexual are attracted to the dynamic and synergy of a couple. They want to fully immerse themselves in the relational energy of love because they feel a connection to that love. According to this perspective, symbiosexual attraction is a sincere desire that is concentrated on the “whole” connection, which is defined as “greater than the sum of its parts.”

“Symbiosexuals are often stigmatised in both monogamous and non-monogamous communities,” Johnston said. Literature has frequently called this attraction “unicorn,” but in non-monogamous circles, the term derogatorily describes people who are only interested in having sex and not involved in other areas of the relationship.

Johnston noted that in these situations, the third party frequently receives unfavorable treatment and is objectified and shunned, regardless of any possible sexual benefits.

She did, however, acknowledge that a “diverse population of people” experience symbiosexual desire.

145 reports from participants in the study indicated that people were more drawn to couples than to certain individuals inside the partnership. Most self-identified symbiosexuals, according to Johnston’s research, consider themselves to be extroverted, preferring proximity, nurturing, and attention, and are less likely to feel jealous of others.

“I hope that this work will reduce stigma in both monogamous and non-monogamous communities and expand conceptualizations of desire in sexuality studies,” Johnston stated.

What does the term “symbiosexual” mean?

Johnston also mentioned that a few participants who described themselves as sexually open and queer said that they were mostly drawn to non-heterosexual and queer partnerships. She intends to carry out more research on this changing sexual identity, concentrating on the effects it may have on relationships and mental health.

A deeper comprehension of symbiosexuality could potentially reduce stigma and expand the conceptualization of desire in sexuality studies.

As new understandings of symbiosexuality emerge, they challenge conventional paradigms and emphasize the importance of having inclusive conversations about sexuality. They also point toward a deeper, more complicated terrain of human attraction and desire.

This emerging topic of study serves as a reminder of the value of continuing research in order to comprehend the diversity and breadth of human sexual identities. It is hoped that this kind of work may lessen stigma and enhance public perceptions of many types of romantic and sexual attraction.