How I Want Aromantic Asexual Characters To Be Written

[@bmudangel]

How do you want or dont want aro and/or ace characters to be written?

[@sheechwan]

More relationships that isn't the heteronormative norm, that doesn't feel like they HAVE to be based on falling in love or wanting to do each other in bed. They don't have to be openly Aro or Ace, just normalising the fact that not everyone fall for each other the same way (or at all) and that's okay. As a Demi-Ace gal, I still love romantic stories, but when two characters that don't know each other for more than a year, it feels so weird to watch them want to be in bed or "in love" so quickly, especially since it's everywhere.

[@Batz-on-paws]

What I'd really love to see would be stories that show that aroace is a spectrum. People under the aomantic spectrum can still be in romantic relationships, same for asexual spectrum. BUT at the same time, acknowledge that there are also aroace people who don't want either. I'm so tired of seeing someone point out an aroace character and people instantly going "AcTuAlLy TheY CaN sTiLL DaTe!" Like. I KNOW. Some of us still want representation for those who don't. Yes I'm salty about how often aroace characters are still shipped romantically and sexually, especially when they argue with people who don't do that and want to represent the non-dating side of our community.

[@TexTheGuy]

more like sonic the fucking hedgehog he may not be canon aroace but he's aroace in my book

[@santinafigueroa4145]

Like Mirabelle and Siffrin from In Stars and Time!

[@VolleyTheBigBack]

Simple, Peridot from Steven Universe. Lilith from The Owl House.

[@EvilSourGummyWorms]

I also want more aroace characters to be extroverted, social, charming, and/or conventionally attractive. Maybe I'm not looking in the right places, but most of the aromantic and asexual rep I see is introverted, quiet characters, or goofy, nerdy, eccentric characters.

[@veravye]

That would be nice to see! I genuinely never even noticed that sort of stereotype for a hot minute because I *am* that quiet, introverted, nerdy aroace lmao. I was happy enough that they felt so close to who I am, until I thought about the trend it for a couple extra seconds and was like, you know, maybe we should have a broader spectrum of personality with the representation here lol

[@toasty_tonsty]

Exactly! That's why I love Jessica rabbit, because she's asexual, and attractive! Like YESS!!

[@goi316]

In hazbin hotel everyone is a little evil. But some are more powerful. Overthrowing ancient rulers with minimal tech. Thats sounds rather Sherlockholmes to me. (Just wish there were more pacifist Sherlockholmes like in the Mr Holmes movie)

[@Im_bor3d0]

That's literally the character I'm writing

[@Mag3.1415]

The radio demon. He’s aroace and a Tumblr sexyman.

[@billie-ve_in_yourself6464]

I enjoy Buddy Daddies, an anime where two male assassins try and raise their adopted kid. There’s no romantic or sexual attraction between them, and they are confident enough to say “that’s my kid” without even joking about “that’s my husband”. They are assassin partners, good friends, and a team in raising their daughter, without even a blush or a pretense of romance

[@Ichirou-P]

BUDDIES DADDIES MENTIONED HOLY FUCK! As an aroace it’s one of my favourite anime too. It’s like I got everything I wanted in an anime (relationship wise) almost.

[@Its-a-me_Z]

oh hey I’ve heard of that! is it good? I’ve wanted to watch it but brain go brr

[@Ichirou-P]

@@Its-a-me_Z its great take my word for it homie

[@ktostam35]

I love how their relationship isn't canonically romantic, because personally I see them more as a "Dad + grumpy teen + happy toddler" than the "gay dads with brown haired daughter" trope

[@Ichirou-P]

@@ktostam35 bro yeah I don't see them as gay tbh they're just partners in crime that ended up living together who also raise a kid. Together. Lmao.

[@TabbyDapperSir]

I'm writing a book with an autistic aro ace main character (I am aro ace and autistic, I'm writing from experience), and one of the things that I'm trying to do is show that the two things aren't inherently linked. I don't know how to explain it, but a lot of times neurotypical/allosexual writers will explain asexuality as a product of autism, which it isn't. They are two separate facets of a person that play off of each other, but aren't the same thing. I want to break do the stereotype damnit!!! Edit: For anyone interested, The story about the main character who discovers that his three roommates are an Angel, a Grim Reaper, and a Demon, who have to stop the apocalypse while dealing with various foes along the way (one of which has a crush on the Mc). Thank you all so much for your kind words, they really do mean a lot ❤️

[@thespectaclebear]

Dude that sounds so cool Hope to read it one day

[@TabbyDapperSir]

@@thespectaclebear this genuinely made my day tysm!!!

[@thespectaclebear]

@@TabbyDapperSir :) I don't know what age range you plan on writing but I'm always sad there's no rep for autistic aroace teenagers There's so much pressure to date and all that which I just don't get What do you think about this?

[@TabbyDapperSir]

@@thespectaclebear oh absolutely! I came up with it sometime in my sophomore year of high school, and even though I was out as aro/ace, I still struggled with not being romantically interested in anyone. The age range is teen/young adult I think, but honestly I'm writing for myself first and figuring out demographic later.

[@thespectaclebear]

@@TabbyDapperSir I get what you mean Also the "I'm writing for myself and working out the demographic later" is just perfect Don't want to sound patronising but it sounds like a good practice for self love, you know? Also if you publish it will feel more genuine and personal (in my mind)

[@fox.fie1d]

i really want aroace people in fiction to just be normal people. they can be lonely or cold, but they can also be friendly and sweet! they can be asocial or social they can be introverted or extroverted make them have a personality instead of being stereotypical!

[@fox.fie1d]

just stop tying their personalities to aroace stereotypes

[@AryTehCapricat]

I’d like to see more sex positive aces. So many people think we’re all averse to sex when that isn’t the case at all. Some of us still get urges but they’re not directed at anyone so we just prefer to take care of it ourselves.

[@billie-ve_in_yourself6464]

I enjoy smut fanfics but they aren’t sexual to me. Just interesting to read. I think I technically read all smut for the plot lol

[@dstmicpnk_]

Yes please! I’m a sex-positive ace, it’d honestly be so cool to see one in a show/movie. There’s obviously nothing wrong with being sex-repulsed, but it’d be nice to see us being talked about more often. There’s still so many people (even in our own community) who think being ace is about a lack of a want for sex instead of a lack of attraction. Like in my case, I think sex is cool and fun (in theory, I am a virgin), I think it’d be cool to have sex, I just don’t get turned on from seeing someone naked. That’s literally all asexuality is lol, a lack of sexual attraction

[@darkacadpresenceinblood]

​@@billie-ve_in_yourself6464this is so real i read smut as a fun little look into allosexuals' minds i'm like "huh that's well written af, also damn this is hot to y'all? that's cool" lmao😭

[@Kinokoumori]

Soooo you're saying that my two goofy goober aroace twins who just flirt with people "for fun" and just to troll and try to compete with each other to see who can fluster more people, but who immediately backtrack when their funsies get mistaken for serious advances and gave canonically pulled a Scott Pilgrim when their flirts come a calling are... actually an okay representation? Like they're being cheesy with the pickup lines on purpose just for shits and giggles, literally just messing around, until someone's like "Wanna go out with me?" and then they're like "Wut" and start to panic? That's okay? By which I mean... they're flirty and sensual but not because they're actually interested, it's just who they are, they find acting that way fun and enjoy the *idea* of it rather than actually engaging in it.

[@darkacadpresenceinblood]

@@Kinokoumori of course they're okay they sound like such a mood

[@totally.not.a.vampire]

As an ace (and maybe aro) person I find reading Lord of the Rings and Hobbit really comforting to my ace soul because even though the characters aren't canonically aro ace, they are very easy to headcanon to be. Both main characters, Frodo and Bilbo, never show any signs of romantic or s*xual attraction, never date and never marry. And they aren't even judged for it. No whining about "oh nooo you need a wife!" Like no. It's all about adventure, friendship, doing the right thing and finding happiness and peace of mind after returning home. They just live their little single lives and go on adventures. And I also like how the books show that friendships are extremely important. Nowadays it's common for platonic relationships to be way less developed and potrayed as less important than romantic relationships in books, movies and series. So I like how Tolkien just went "Friendships are important and strong and can get you through your worst and save the damn world! Oh right and the main characters are happily single forever". It just feels refreshing and sweet to me.

[@kailoros6738]

very much agree on this! i also like to imagine frodo and sams relationship towards the end as a qpr/ qpr like

[@kaif-tube1692]

But...Sam is shown to have a wife and children in the epilogue.

[@kailoros6738]

@@kaif-tube1692 definitly true, but that still doesn't negate the fact (to me) that he could be headcanoned as aroace and that lotr is comforting to read as someone who is aroace aroace people with partners and children do exist although im not sure i personally hc sam in particular as aroace, i agree with the general statement that the story can easily viewed through an aro/ace lense

[@yes_hi_there]

Same with Legolas and Gimli! In fact in there is melmë, which is LITERALLY just platonic strong bonds between elves (and in this case between an elf and a dwarf). I really see frodo & sam and legolas & gimli as QPR's. There's even a word in elvish for (platonic) love sisters melthedi, and for love brothers (can't remember the name lol).

[@emmasullivan5913]

I love how central friendship is in The Lord of the Rings as an ace person. It really is the soul of the series! I also hold to the hc that Frodo and Bilbo are aro/ace spec

[@XxGhost_pawsxX]

How to write Aroace characters! (For dummies) - Make a character with any characterization. It doesn't matter, but I would recommend avoiding stereotypes. - Give them no or very little interest in Romance, and uh... the devils tango. - Boom. DONE.

[@Sketchy_Corner]

I'm actually writing a story about an Aroace Vampire. He's a famous fashionista and is conventionally attractive. The second main character has a crush on him even (doesn't know it tho). He's very social, an absolute chatter box, unapologetically himself, dressed however he wants, including drag, hyperactive, super friendly and generous, is a massive picky eater, loves sweets, and the list could go on. And the story is mainly about someone always trying to frame him for murder and shit. There's actually a "misunderstanding episode" I wrote where the two MCs visit a Café they often go to. And there's this barista he seems to be "into". Human mc goes "How strange that every time this barista isn't here, he is upset like his whole day is ruined. Dude's got a crush." But really he just liked the guy because he makes the coffee "just right" And he even says "Yeah, romance doesn't really fit 💅my brand💅. But also... You DO realize I'm a walking dead corpse, right?" Edit: Holy! Didn't expect the interest. If anyone is curious, do feel free to follow me here. Though as of now I was planning to work on a bigger story, I might actually put this one first. It's a simpler one anyway

[@yourratnextdoor4185]

This really captured my interest, tell me when I can read please 🙏🙏

[@v1rzen]

that sounds really interesting, tell me when it comes out!

[@maymaecat5149]

Omg I also have a vampire who's sorta the same, mine is abit on the opposite yours to a degree. They like fashion but is a fan of natural flavors. Like natural fruits and kinda like the bitter taste of things. They are abit clingy too, so they can come off hella flirty without trying. When confronted with that though, they get abit uncomfortable. They def are a fan of fashion though, and isn't famous but known. I'm very interested in your vampire it's so interesting to see similarities and differences

[@Sketchy_Corner]

@@maymaecat5149 Oh that's so cool! I forgot to mention this, but mine also comes off as flirty with how he talks and he can be "clingy" to a degree with how touchy he is. He even calls ppl "✨honey✨" and "💅darling💅". And while the second mc has a crush on him, it's sort of just a celebrity crush. And he actually ends up with the barista guy he thought the vampire liked (who's asexual btw) And during the misunderstanding episode, he even comments that he never imagined the vampire dude as a romantic type and is actually surprised when he thinks that. But moves on just as fast like "Ah, Yeah. That makes sense." after the misunderstanding is cleared.

[@m1churr0]

i need to read!

[@hellohellotellmewhatyouwan3289]

Tbh I want unhinged aroace chars. Maybe that's just me projectiong but gawd pls give me unhinged aroace chars. They'd be so awesome fr

[@AstronomicalJelly]

SO REAL

[@Muffinn_Cakes]

I love your profile picture!!

[@chaosbean6320]

I really want a feral aroace action character. Just absolute chaos gremlin who refuses to be understandable by heteronormative lenses

[@lincolny2220]

Izutsumi!

[@binkiebrew]

​@lincolny2220 yes!

[@BananaDogFigFace]

as an aroace person, I would love to see two characters that one is aroace and just holds the others hand platonically and the other is straight and holds their hand platonically and everyone thinks they're a gay couple and when people say that the aroace one says: "well he's not gay and im a guy..." and then let them figure it out. (I know this is really specific but me and my friends do this all the time and i want to see it in media someday (also I'm making a show right now and one of the main characters is aroace :3))

[@sylviaisafoot6570]

What’s your show called and what’s it about? If you don’t mind. I really love hearing about other people’s stories

[@BananaDogFigFace]

@@sylviaisafoot6570 Its an object show, so idk if you would want to hear it. there isn't really a main plot yet.

[@sylviaisafoot6570]

@@BananaDogFigFace that’s okay, then. Thank you for the representation

[@BananaDogFigFace]

@@sylviaisafoot6570 your welcome :3

[@indigo_0]

that honestly feels important to show! in my little queer friend group, we hold hands and peck each other on the cheek and cuddle when we both know it’s okay, and a lot of people mistake it for us being together romantically or whatever, but they usually don’t wanna hear us explain that it doesn’t mean anything like that and it’s just the way we show affection. love manifests in unique ways and we all feel it a bit differently, and that’s an important message :)

[@luci3110]

TODD FROM BOJACK HORSEMAN!!! No idea if he's aro, but he's suuuch good ace rep. he's also just a really well-written character overall and his self discovery is so realistic (ooooh you wanna watch bojack sooo bad)

[@goi316]

Wow. Like yeah good point. We don't really know do we. I didn't even know I assumed that and even the horse from horsing around learned not to use labels when uncertain. (Get wrecked me!)

[@gratefulcranegames]

Hooray! Todd comment!

[@theownerofthisaccount2521]

Given Maude and Emily, I think he’s just Ace which is still cool to show not all Ace characters are Aro too. That’s a common misconception and I’m glad they had a scene talking about the different types of asexuality while not making it feel like a lecture

[@elliep6261]

"I guess we'd hang out together like we already do. And you'd be my favourite person like you already are. And when something good happend to me, like if I got a promotion at work, you'd be the first one I'd tell. And you'd smile and say 'that's my boyfriend!'" 🥺

[@procyonpaw]

Yes! I love Todd. I don't think he's aro (I remember him coming out as ace in the show, but he also had a partner towards the end), but such great ace representation!

[@Fazer_Blast]

I think Georgia from the book “Loveless” written by Alice Oseman has great representation! The book has three characters who are on the Aro/Ace spectrum. We have Georgia she is Aroace, she had a whole awakening (that’s what the story is about anyway) Then we have Sunil, He goes by He/They and is gay and asexual! (He’s a side character but you get to learn about them quite a bit.) Then I forgot her name but this character is aromantic and bisexual! She’s a side character as well but she’s friends with Sunil and they have a great friendship. And this is all just from the book of loveless! :D

[@Ashcatlover]

thats so cool! I bought the book a while ago since Im aroace myself and found it in a bookstore! havent read it yet but im planning to after I finish the book Im reading rn!

[@Kamrynidk]

I think her name was like Jess or something? Idk lmao

[@chyandinii]

@@Kamrynidk - oh I thought the OP was referring to Rooney, but Sunil DOES have an aro/bisexual friend. Pretty sure Jess was their name, my bad

[@viktoravarkonyi4570]

I kind of disliked it tho. Like she never thought to google the dammn thing before and she acts so stupid about it.

[@meumundosecreto7694]

​@@chyandiniiisn't "Jess" Georgia's aunt? I remember some family gathering and then Jess says "oh I don't feel romantic attraction only sexual, my fam don't always accept me but it's okay, I have a motorcycle! " and then Georgia is like " omg I had no ideia ". Maybe I'm remembering incorrectly, actually now in retrospect I think the aunt was some other character or Georgia just visited Jess family or something.

[@bdariamihaela]

We have Lilith from The Owl House. She is a nerd but a badass one

[@LeviathanxAngels]

RIGHT i ahte when people ship her ik aroace is a spectrum but she CLEARLY DOES NOT WANT ROMANCE!! LEAVE OUT COOL AUNT SLONEEE

[@Dumbo09]

It is quite unfortunate though that they had confirmed it only on other social media platforms rather than state it in someway in the show

[@VinniePspspspsps]

​@@Dumbo09It's always like, confirmed with indirect words by a actor or a random screenwriter of the show in an old DeviantArt post or something like that

[@CluelessBubbleEater]

I love her as a character in the first place but she gets a bucketload of brownie points for being aroace lol

[@khaliyahjefferson832]

@@LeviathanxAngels bro I literally saw a comic dub of her and eda getting "massages" and there were tentacles I was like l know I don't see what I'm seeing

[@Hallasammal]

One recent canonically(!!) aroace character i really love is Mirabelle from In Stars and Time (an indie rpg). She's not the main character, but one of the main party members so she still has a big role. She falls into some of the tropes here, as she's definitely socially anxious and struggles with her identity/orientation, but i think she's overall a really good and well rounded character who cannot be reduced to just her anxiety or aro struggles. She's also the "chosen one" of a fantasy story, fights with a sword (and has a cute magical girl asthetic lol) and a big part of her story actually comes from her feelings over the pressures of being the chosen one. She's also just really cute and charming, and i love her dynamics with the other party members. And she actually really loves romance, as long as it doesn't involve her - she loves romance books (and horror books) and gossiping lol. I just thought that was super cool, because in my experience many aro people do like romantic stuff like that. Anyway, huge recommendation for In Stars And Time! It's an amazing game, though it can get heavy especially with mental health stuff - check the content warnings if you're sensitive to stuff like that.

[@Geck810]

ISaT mentioned!!! You have excellent taste

[@Shwindu]

Ok I was literally gonna write this comment until I saw yours, hell yeah!!! I second everything on here, ISAT is a wonderful game and not only the aroace rep, but also all the trans and gender discussion in this game is INCREDIBLY interesting and enjoyable!

[@kailoros6738]

i was gonna mention her as well!! i also absolutely LOVE how isat explores her identity within the context of the worldbuilding and her faith. Also how trans people within it are easily accepted and even encouraged but aromanticism/ asexuality is not talked about and within this very amatonormative society implicitly discouraged (the earrings scene if u saw that one!!!) to me it felt like while partially exploring things that arent exactly uncommon to be talked about (espc in aroace communities) it does so in a fresh/ interessting light and in parts also shows stuff differently opposed to some stereotypes (like mirabelle loving romance as a concept) +the main character is also ace and i loved him relating to her in parts through this/ finding someone like-minded :) it really actively showed me (beyond like. my imagination i suppose) how much we‘re missing out in not exploring these themes within fantastical/ sci-fi settings where you‘re able to look at them from a slightly different angle opposed to just our regular world (also s/o in general to isat for making me care about the worldbuilding, thats not something i usually tend to focus on lol)

[@WooperSuper]

ISAT MENTION I found ISAT through a discord server about my favorite visual novel [Cool Kid Cody]. Cool Kid Cody also has an aroace character, GG/Game Girl/Gigi. The only scene I can really think of that shows the fact she's aroace is here: --- [Underneath the digital city is a voracious snake. Thorn peeks out from behind a neon building, eyeing the apple it chases.] Thorn: A shining apple, the object of my beloved GG's eyes. With a gift such as this, she'll HAVE to pay attention to me! Mini: Hmmm, so GG won't ignore a good apple, huh? [Announce Thorn's crush.] Mini: THORN HAS A CRUSH ON GG!! Thorn: AGHHH!! N-NO I DON'T!! That was mere deceit intended to bait you into the serpent's jaws! Game Girl: ... Hmm? Crush? Game Girl: I told you Thorn, I'm not interested in that kind of stuff. [Thorn clutches his heart as if it were about to burst.] Thorn: Good Gods, I've finally fallen from her grace. Thorn: The cool upon my raven hair but not within my eyes, my love foresaken, I am now made the fool once more. Wherefore art my darling lost GG. [Thorn sighs dramatically.] Thorn: Alas... Now I am the snake in her eyes. Thorn: I HOPE YOU'RE HAPPY!! --- There's also an asexual character named Juvie. They get a girlfriend, Mini, at the end of the series. Mini and Juvie's interactions are amazing,,,, like this is so siufhsushdjfghsd: --- Mini: I screwed up, it must've been my wording or something. People were supposed to change! Juvie: Give 'em time, I think saw a Cool Kid n' a Loser dancin' together somewhere. Mini: Really? Where?? Juvie pulls Mini in close. Mini: Oh. Mini: What happened to not being sappy? Juvie: Look, I have an idea. You remember what I said earlier? Mini: ... That everyone dies for a reason? Juvie: What?? Jeez, would people just forget I said that? Juvie: You're, y'know, loved enough that no matter what happens, you'll be okay. Mini: Oh, so like, loved in more of a general kind of way? Juvie: _I_ love you. Mini: That's more like it. --- Yeah, I have CHRONIC juvini brainrot... There's also a demisexual character, Peter, who starts dating the main character, Cody, but I don't really care about skatepizza enough for an infodump.

[@juliasouza2916]

A character that is not confirmed but very aroace coded is Luffy from One Piece! He's just a funny and happy guy who wants to live adventures as a pirate with his friends, the total opposite of the lonely and nerd stereotype. Than you put that with the fact that the autor doesn't want to write romance and you have a very good aroace representation in a protagonist (in my opinion)

[@nawalahmediman]

I AGREEEEEEE

[@platinumg.8614]

I hope he doesnt get with anyone. Like Oda can say that but Idk if it will be a situation where in the end he gets with Nami or Boa. I HOPE NO. Luffy would be the ultimate aroace king.

[@OhABEAR]

As someone with that accidental rizz I find I quite funny when such things happen in books or movies love your hair btw :0

[@aimia100]

to be honest, I’d like to see people touch on horror and romance as a combined genre in relation to aroace folk. I’m not the type of guy who goes for happy queer rep as my main source, I like interesting narratives over happy ones, and I like how the queer experience as a horror is dug into within the genre. gay and trans folk have already made a significant print conveying aspects of their lives through horror, I’d like to see aroace folk join the fray too. I think the juxtaposition of aromanticism and asexuality on top of deeply romantic and erotic tropes as a negative tension is a fun one to think about. love as destiny being a horror. the performance of the romantic and sexual love interest as a horror and facade that hurts the one wearing the mask, combined with the perception of the aroace experience being one of heartlessness and dehumanization, would be fun to tackle here. I like the idea of corrupting and deconstructing tropes like the femme fatale or the perfect first love for this kind of theme. feels hilariously cheeky. slightly unrelated, but I do love characters like OJ from ‘nope’ as possible contenders for protagonists that can be interpreted as aroace within said genre too, perversion of romance aside. fully fleshed out and interesting character who’s relationship focus gravitates around family and wildlife without need for romantic or sexual mentions. it’s really nice.

[@penguin_aly]

One aroace character I love is definently Alastor because he falls under some things u would love in a aroace character. And, for Hazbin Hotel, I actually wierdly liked the fact that his sexuality wasn't the main thing about him which normally happens in these shows. I find it quite funny that since he died in 1933 where these kinds of feelings weren't labelled, he doesn't understand why he's called an "ace in the hole". Great chracter defs one of my favs

[@kaseyford1490]

I would like it if they weren't mostly cartoon characters as people would probably assume that we're immature and babyish being only represented with cartoons. Also if they were openly Aroace so people can actually see that we exist too. All this erasure is doing my head in 😅

[@bmudangel]

That’s a rlly good point! I mean I still love it in cartoons and stuff cuz I like cartoons but we need more aroace rep in more mature style movies/shows. Like real life adults just trying to make it in the world like everyone else

[@goi316]

​@@bmudangelTeaching kids through mythology and whacky retelling in cartoons (Disney is 100 yeers old somehow) can be a truley wonderful start point. But I find with my dyslexia that if I mix my metaphors people assume too much or too little sometimes. Just gotta keep the show going. And perform it yourself when your old enough. How was norse mythology spread? =D

[@AstronomicalJelly]

that's valid but also cartoons aren't strictly or inherently for kids lol

[@VinniePspspspsps]

​​@@AstronomicalJelly My complaint is that some people say “Whoa!! That's such a representative Aroace character!!” And then it's Benny The Ball from Top Cat

[@awl5451]

i'm an aroace person and i am: - not lonely - quite happy actually - extroverted, social (tho i don't get social cues which can get awkward) - aware of the fact i was aroace since puberty, tho i went through a questioning phase a few years ago - okay with sex or romantic relationship, i just don't experience them the way non-aroace people do - super good looking (in my completely unbiased opinion) - a person with a rather high libido (which actually caused the questioning, until i realized i still don't feel sexual attraction despite that) on another note, i didn't consciously realize the problem of aroace characters not being that diverse i like the idea of romance alright, but it'd be nice to have more well-written aroace characters of different kinds, even if just so people are aware that not having romantic or sexual attraction/relationship is not "missing out" or whatever 🙄

[@camiomilla]

Hi, I really liked the video! One thing that I think is essential to aro and ace rep is actually mentioning in the show/book. The characters don't need to say explicitly "I am aro/ace/aroace", for example, if it is a historical fiction or a high fantasy, they could say that they never felt this way for anyone, that they don't feel the urge, that is more rare for them to feel it compared to other people, that they feel alienated from the concept of romance or sex or something like that. It is also true that most of the audience will think that they "didn't find the right one yet" or that they are "too young" (if the character is less than 30 years-old), but this can be disproven in the show/book as the storyline progress and what they said earlier is kept true. This shouldn't be something hard to do, characters talk about feelings in shows and books all the time. A show with aroace rep that I recommend is Koisenu Futari, a wholesome and fun show that focuses more on the aromantic side of things, I cried of happiness for finally seeing great aroace rep in a show.

[@rainbowbarfeverywhere]

I've only seen the first episode but I've heard good things about Konya Sukiyaki Dayo! It's admittedly harder to find than Koisenu Futari but it's adapted from a manga and I think it'll be easier to find that.

[@camiomilla]

@@rainbowbarfeverywhere Thank you for the recommendation ❤️

[@zillynfox]

Thank you for saying this!

[@calypsoriverstone]

I'm just gonna list a few characters that i like who are aro and/or ace (either canonically or it's the general consensus) - Lilith Clawthorne, aroace, The Owl House - Peridot, Steven Universe, implied to be aroace - Alastor, Hazbin Hotel, implied to be aroace - January Johnson, Ethics Town, aroace (he has a wife and daughter though) - Noah Morley, Ethics Town, implied to be aromantic and possibly asexual - Jonathan Sims, head Archivist of the Magnus Institute, London, The Magnus Archives, asexual - Reyna, Percy Jackson, asexual - Artemis, Percy Jackson, aroace Theres probably more but that's all i can think of

[@ticholopeluche]

Spongebob

[@unknown_brainrot_]

I, and a few other people hc Leo from Percy Jackson as aroace (even if he has a cannon gf :>)

[@AzuraDragona]

Luffy is ace 😊

[@khaliyahjefferson832]

Saiki K, Senku and Anzo from Romantic killers and some MHA characters, Elsa and Merida

[@clivehandforth3531]

I think what people don't get about good relationships is that natural chemistry and romance aren't that different. When youre aroace the intimacy of friendship is so important. I think romance falls flat a lot of the time in media because the friendship-chemistry is taken for granted and ignored. Instead it's replaced with generic romance things like "heated glances" and "staring longingly" and straight to being a couple, instead of doing the work to make them actually bounce off each other naturally

[@S0RNG]

Fellow Aroace here! I’d LOVE to see the “You just need to find ~The One~” trope completely and utterly subverted, as well as friendships/other types of relationships acknowledged to be just as fulfilling as romantic ones! Ex: An aroace character meets a new friend, and they start getting along *really* well. The main cast notices, and misinterprets this as a romantic relationship, with someone trying to play matchmaker. The two catch on and pull them aside to explain they really are “just” friends, but incredibly close ones, and that doesn’t make them lesser than if they had a romantic relationship.

[@MillyKKitty]

There is an aroace character in Bloom Into You, who just loves helping people and ends up helping the main character realize who they are! They don't openly say aroace but how they describe themselves is heavily aroace 🥰 I think Dougnuts Under a Crescent Moon is a very short manga about queerplatonic relationship? I though it was gonna be yuri but it is surprisingly different from what I expected.

[@-orczy-5111]

Bloom into you is so relatable, the protagonist and the guy you described are just so understandable to me, idk (haven't finished the series but I remember really liking it about 4 years ago)

[@MillyKKitty]

@@-orczy-5111 For real. A shame it got only 1 season, but the manga has already finished, so definitely worth checking out.

[@lifeisgood9889]

I'm writing an aroace character right now and this was really helpful, thanks. Especially knowing the name "Queerplatonic relationship" really helps.

[@lamplol7120]

my favorite type of aroace character is “super attractive and confident but still respectful and sweet” which is why the baron from the movie “the cat returns” is always aroace in my heart!! i want the MC to fall head over heels in love but get rejected and accept that rejection plssss!!!

[@Inky_101]

I also wanna see more representation of more identities under the aro ace umbrella like demisexual/romatic , that would be cool and some aromantic characters that aren’t displayed as cruel , uncaring and promiscuous like let us be aro unapologetically :))

[@cinthiagoch]

Yes! We need more aro representation that isn't also ace or a heartless monster.

[@m.r.b.e.a.r]

Omg yes! We need rep from multiple different identities under the umbrella, cause i feel like a lot of people just assume aroace people are all 100% no sex, no romance. It’s very stressful to tell people about me being aroace cause i have girlfriend lol.

[@gretchen0222]

I have a demi aroace character in my story and I’m always afraid people would think I’m just shying away from him being “fully aroace” as it’s been said, but being demi is just as real!! I’m hoping I can do it justice

[@ThenotoriousSWAG]

Ashton and Ashino Fell from the picture perfect boyfriend and picture perfect boyfriend: reboot games are demiaroace !! they are also canonically autistic (ashton being the obvious cat lover IT guy nerd one who doesn't masks and is loved by his friends, and ashino the gifted, very masking and arrogant one who wants to be perfect and worries a lot about expectations, funnily enough his friends find him a bit annoying) They some of my favorite characters ever i love them. There is also Vincent VonEislied, (who likes piano, painting and sometimes cosplay and cross dressing ) on both games who is AroAce!!

[@absolutely_ell4]

my favorite ace character by far is Ca$h from the reboot of Heartbreak High! he’s somewhere on the ace spectrum and is a complex and non-stereotypical character that isn’t the “perfect innocent angel” a lot of people seem to attribute ace people to being. that show is all around amazing for representation in several ways, and i do really recommend a watch. and i like Saiki from The Disastrous Life of Saiki K a lot as aroace rep (i’d say it’s pretty much canon even though the word isn’t used). also, im currently reading a manga series Our Dreams At Dusk which is only 3 volumes long and has amazing lgbtq+ rep. I heard it has an aroace character (and its author is also aroace)! highly recommend that series.

[@imdoingfine_]

I’m straight and trying to write one of the main characters in my book as aroace right now. Thank you for this video, it’ll be something I’ll be referencing a lot!

[@ElizabethPhillips-z8f]

Riz Gukgak from the actualplay show Dimension 20 is canonically ace, heavily implied to be aromantic, and is an INCREDIBLE character both in terms of aroace representation and on his own. He's a goblin rogue who goes from being an overenthusiastic nerdy detective to being a badass secret-agent type, he has a really compelling backstory about his father's death and how he throws himself into schoolwork and solving cases so he doesn't have to face that reality, and he DOES have an excellent storyline about being aroace. Admittedly, it does feature his fear of being alone, but it's not because he thinks he's wrong or broken for not being interested in sex or romance---it's because all of his friends, who he loves and cares for deeply, ARE interested in that, and he's deathly afraid of them all finding someone that matters more to them than him

[@OrangeStripedGekko]

Agreed with all your points! One thing I'd add is I'd like to see more multidimensional, morally grey aro-ace characters...I love dark and twisty rep to counteract the "oh you're so innocent!" BS I get irl. One of my fave books I've read so far this year has a wonderfully morally grey aro-ace main character, and also features world-building that is distinctly ace. It's called Lord of the Empty Isles by Jules Arbeaux, and it's a sci-fi/fantasy/dystopia novel where our aro-ace MC finds out he's fatebound (magically tethered in a soulmates kind of way) to the guy responsible for his brother's death. It's a hate to platonic love story, but also an all-round celebration of non-romantic/sexual relationships (family, found family, friendship etc)! Even side-characters who happen to be in romantic relationships have non-romantic tethers to other characters which are just as strong as their romantic ones. It's a super exciting story too, would recommend :)

[@Raynie_Enbie]

I watched this because I’m currently writing an aro/ace character and I want her to be written in a way that aro/ace people will like and see themselves in :)

[@camila1925]

I think the best aroace representation I’ve seen is Alice Oseman’s book Loveless, it does fall into the category of “aroace character discovering themselves and struggling to accept it” but it has a good ending and a powerful message. Also, Alice is aroace herself, so it kind of gives more authenticity to the story

[@Кэп-к6и]

One of my favorite aro-ace OC-s is Mitori: he used to be a lonely self-identified incel till he got hit by a truck and isekaid into the world of amazing super hot and cool magical girl-warriors. He realised that instead of wanting to be WITH them he desparetely wants to be THEM. After long years of fighting evil he fully transformed from a lonely nerdy misoginist into the friendliest ray of sunshine sparkling with rainbow glitter. His main defining trait is his desire for a deep connection with people around him. Despite his upbeat personality, he's not naive. He is, in fact, deeply fucked up. He lives and ages in anime-years, which means, despite only being 23, he's got ten times as much life expirience as his oldest team-member from a universe of a different janre. Mitori is somewhat aware of being a protagonist. He even figured out that he physically cannot die unless the reason isn't narratively satisfying, and he uses this loophole to do as much dumb shit as possible. He is in querrplatonic realationship with his wife, who is a lesbian. But since she found a romantic partner he struggles with lonelyness and feels like they're growing further apart. Sorry, just felt like infodumping)

[@seanluckycharm5492]

What is the anime name? :0

[@_Meowsers_]

Drop the anime pllssss

[@Managlyph]

The "wanting to be them instead of wanting to be with them" makes me feel seen. Your OC is super relatable.

[@Кэп-к6и]

@@Managlyph TYSM! It means a lot to me. You've made my evening :)

[@camochii]

Alastor from hazbin hotel is a pretty good aroace character since they’re not the stereotypical “shy”

[@mars_th3_p1an3t]

Agreed but he's only a confirmed asexual. Him being aro is not cannon, just a popular head cannon

[@camochii]

@@mars_th3_p1an3t oh righttt I thought the va confirmed him being both but maybe it was just a rumour

[@mars_th3_p1an3t]

@@camochii He came back on Twitter and said he misspoke. He did say aroace but he only meant to say ace ^^

[@scrappykoko4871]

It seems like the author wants him to be aroace but she doesn't make it canon so that the shippers wouldn't get angry

[@mars_th3_p1an3t]

@@scrappykoko4871 I get that but Viv has never called Alastor aroace. It was always other people who used to work on the show, and they don't work on the show anymore so we can't take their word for it. In old official art, Viv only used the ace flag for Alastor. And it wouldn't really matter because aro people can still date or feel romantic attraction, it's a spectrum

[@kailoros6738]

i really like nozaki from monthly girls nozaki-kun!(the anime, cant talk for the manga) Hes heavily implied or written to be aroace, as his whole deal is writing these romance manga, but being entirely oblivious and uninterested in romance in real life. A lot of the shows humour derives from moments where that becomes relevant and i feel the entire show does this in a very charming way. (a lot of the characters end up queercoded, as this is generally a loving parody of romance shojo, where making fun and breaking stereotypes kind of inevitably ends up with queercoding i feel) I dont think he was exactly intended to be written with the aroace identiy in mind but its very easy to read him as such and in general makes for a nice watch :)

[@kailoros6738]

it is to mention however that he does fit the stereotype of introverted and socially oblivious which may also partially be linked to his aroace coding but he also has the main character swooning for him and her actively trying to date him throughout the series (on that note i also appreciate that the series isnt making her the butt of the joke either, but rather the miscommunications between them)

[@mil0772]

A rlly good representation of aroace people and also qprs is a book/webtoon called Not Even Bones!! The story itself isn’t centered around the characters being aroace but it’s there regardless, the characters are written to be very morally grey and you’re not really supposed to be rooting for them the whole time, but anyways i thought that the way the representation was included was very nice and refreshing, i was a bit concerned at first that it would turn into a romance because of how the characters interact, but i was very pleasantly surprised!!

[@mil0772]

I should probably mention the characters names are Anita Sanchez and Kovit Sangwaraporn

[@ayyauyaayuaauuayayyaguccif3641]

YESSS YESSS NOT EVEN BONES MENTIONED RAAAA 🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅

[@jellii]

Oooh they don’t become romantic?! I stopped reading Not Even Bones years ago but now I want to continue it to see how their relationship progresses :0

[@ayyauyaayuaauuayayyaguccif3641]

@@jellii I stopped reading the webtoon when I found out that it's based on a book series and I began reading them instead. IDK how it's in the webtoon but in the books they think that they should be in a relationship, but after thinking about it and talking about it they realize that this is not for them, and they end up as really close friends. Personally I was so so pleasantly surprised when they weren't forced into a romance, it was so refreshing. I'd suggest reading the books instead of the webtoon tho, my personal agenda as books are always better, more detailed, etc etc

[@CalmKore]

YESSS I loved the webtoon so much. I wasnt a huge fan of the ending but i still really love it for everything else it did tbh, especially because it was one of the first times i had seen aroace rep anywhere.

[@kellabdjfoo]

I wish there were more aroace chatacters who are social and charming/attractive etc, and just happen to be aroace at the same time

[@vixxcelacea2778]

Especially since I've heard of plenty of ace persons who are interested in sex and sexuality, but don't feel attraction. I can totally imagine a aroace person who is fascinated by people fawning over them and having no real interest, but down to flirt, talk about both subjects with passion and detail, but retain no interest in pursuing. Like someone fascinated by a specific topic, but never wanting to actually engage in it. They could be a bad or good guy and still do the same thing, just the bad guy would use it to their advantage and the good one would just treat talking about it like a hobby of interest. And of course, they could also just be like anyone else regarding it, but I think it would be fun to have them be fascinated by something they are personally uninterested in engaging in.

[@ThyLocalBard]

Woah, this video completely boosted my self-confidence on how I write my aroace and aroallo characters - thanks!

[@user-hy8jd2mu2c]

MaoMao from Apothecary Diaries!! The main character in Romantic Killer!! And Frieren! They’re all also amazing girl MC’s. Apothecary Diaries especially, I love MaoMao.

[@nawalahmediman]

omg mao mao is so aroace to me too 😭😭 she is genuinely very uninterested in it

[@benjaminwolfe500]

An aroace matchmaker, everyone that gravitated to them tries, fails, and redirects their affections to others rejected similarly and our sweet social happy aroace is proud to be so good at finding hookups for their friends

[@queenkay2014]

I'm ace myself, and I have an aro-ace character who's an Owl House Archivist OC named Ophiuchus Serpens that very much breaks the stereotypes. They're extremely extroverted and outgoing, and confident in themself. They know they are aro-ace, and are proud about it. Ophi has loads of friends they hang out with, and are the life of any party they go to. The sound of other people's laughter is one of their favorite things, always telling jokes and taking friends on fun outings. They love fashion, experimenting with outfits from all sorts of niches and subcultures. A favorite activity of theirs is to take their friends thrifting and shopping, trying new styles. They love cooking, and most of their joy in cooking comes from making sure their family and friends always have something nice to eat. They play wingman for their friends, hyping their friend up to their crush using their own magnetic personality and then planning dates for the two. They can be a bit of a nerd when it comes to their interests (mostly about the lifeforms they collect as an archivist), but they're the cool and confident nerd who is proud to share fun facts. Most important to Ophi are their two adoptive little sisters, who'd they'd do anything for. Ophi lives for them, and they strive to give them lives that are full of joy and affection. As their little sisters' only caretaker, they care deeply about them and work hard to give them both better childhoods then they had growing up. Ophi's totally my comfort character: a sweet and fun-loving person who'd run over and give you a big pick-up hug every time they see you, and would help you become confident in yourself just like they are. I apologize for the ramble- I'm just glad the aro-ace character I made is probably one that other a-spec people like you want to see more of.

[@warriorcatkitty]

VERY GOOD OPINIONS. I really wanna see more aroace characters... I only know a few. And all of those characters' aroace identity seems to get brushed off and ignored by the fandoms which really kinda sucks. Plus that aspect of them is hardly explored at all. I'd love to see some QPR rep too (even tho QPRs aren't really for me lol). It's funny how I the character I consider to be the best aroace rep isn't even made to be aroace- yet she's literally the definition of aroace. the authors said they just think she's "young and confused" which is like... yeah they probably don't even know what *asexual* means. they somehow wrote a clearly aroace main character without even knowing it.

[@playdoh658]

Izutsumi from dungeon meshi is canon aromantic and she's the opposite of all the stereotypes, fav catgirl

[@EasterWitch]

There is a character in The Imperfects that is ace and ends up in a qpr, and she is one of the main characters! It is a really good show in general and I think more people should watch it!

[@fernfernfernfern329]

yess i love the imperfects

[@ysaurefulconis4826]

would also love to see people who did actually "become" aro/ace. it's not talked abut enough but there are people who lose desire after traumatic events or their sexualiyt just changes over time, and those people are also valid and beloved members of the community! also seeing characters who aren't aro or ace but decide to prioritize friendships and family over relationships, and even if they are in a relationship they don't treat their partner(s) as more important than their friends

[@regular_nova]

Seeing the character King Richard from the show Galavant really resonated with me and opened my eyes to how an aroace character COULD be written. He's the best character in the show! He's a funny, handsome, middle aged man who has chosen not to pursue sex despite being married, and he's seemingly married more because it was expected of him than anything else (and his relationship later in the show is basically forced on him lol). The problem is that the writers clearly did all this as a joke at the character's expense, like they wanted to show how weird and pathetic he is for not having sex rather than just having a guy who just isn't interested in it. Basically what I'm saying is I want a character like King Richard but as genuine representation not just as a joke lol. A badass, grown adult with a complex character arc who also aroace

[@chaosbean6320]

I honestly agree so hard. In general i think the community needs to get better at demanding good rep. I have several ideas of what rep i want to write, including several ace characters who do have sex, and aroace guy in a polycule that is very important to the polycule, and a story specifically about an aro guy. Im so glad to see a video like this, especially with calling out specific character trends

[@chaosbean6320]

Absolutely forgot to mention this, but also a pretty good book that sort of has a QPR is the family business, which is horror, and one of the characters is dead. Its especially interesting because the relationship is between two bisexual women and it's made explicitly clear that there was no romantic or sexual attraction on the part of the main character. I won't lie, it does bring tears to my eyes to know that a story like that exists

[@tired_moth]

Most likely unintentional, but there’s an anime called Buddy Daddies and it’s really good queerplatonic relationship rep (plus it’s found family so bonus points) :3

[@morecreaturethanhuman]

firstly, i want to be sappy and say how cool it is to watch you talk about this openly. if i could show this middle school me who was so worried about you i think it would make even their depressed ass smile ear-to-ear. ANYWaY some of my favorite ace rep is actually a character i had no idea i would even like: Ca$h from heartbreak high! the show does a really good job breaking a lot the ace tropes you talked about annnnd call me a bias grayaroace who loves romance, but the ship their involved in in the show in one of the cutest and most bearable

[@bmudangel]

Yknow I keep wanting to give heartbreak high a chance but now I’m convinced to give it a shot

[@planetofoxygen]

Cash is also my favorite ace character plus my fav character in that show in general! AND the ship is so cute (good nonbinary rep too)

[@kiaratoo]

I think my fav ace character is Jonathan Sims for The Magnus Archives Hes got the tism, hes got the accidental rizz, hes got the canon confirmation of being 'ace', and its not a massive or relevant part about him Sucks thats i cant think of any canon aroace characters tho :(

[@astrologia4968]

the magnus archives is a podcast distributed by rusty quill and licensed under a creative commons attribution non-commercial sharealike 4.0 international license ‼️‼️‼️

[@kiaratoo]

@astrologia4968 Yooo, that's so crazzyyy, kinda reminds me of Hello Jon. Apologies for the deception, but I wanted to make sure you started reading, so I thought it best not to announce myself. I’m assuming you’re alone; you always did prefer to read your statements in private-

[@song-feather1623]

⁠@@kiaratoooh that’s a good one, hey would you look at that- Look at the sky, Martin. It’s looking back.

[@averyfields8183]

​@@song-feather1623NO DO NOT HELLO JON ME

[@miusfroggo]

my aroace ass making a comic thats just has all the rep i want- anyways its not out yet still dont have a name but the main 4 in a qpr are so so silly and i love yhem

[@rainoftime37]

As a pansexual person, this made me realize something. Now, I love flirtatious pansexuals and shy/loner aroace characters--but I REALLY wanna see more of the other way around! Give us charming asexuals and shy pansexuals!

[@Armored_frog]

Jughead Jones from the 2015 (or 16?) comics is AMAZING aro rep! the comic changes writers quite often, but other than that its amazing. he goes through a lot of relatable situations and his identity is very clear, wich i love. the most realistic part of it is the fact that his friends dont fully believe him, auch. he has some amazing quoutes, including him saying sarcasticly: "and yet im the wierd one for not wanting to kiss people, right"

[@alexhutcheson1008]

What I mostly yearn for in aro-ace characters is to not feel as though their orientation could be retconned at any moment when the writer feels like adding in a romantic plot. Especially in settings where the character wouldn't use modern terminology to describe themselves so there's almost a sense of plausible deniability that they were ever aro at all.

[@catsrunonespresso]

Honestly this has made me feel so much better about my writing of my own aro/ace umbrella characters! The main character is ace/aro and she is actually more of an antagonist at the beginning and none of her exploits involve romance or sex. Another character has an ace queer and sex positive relationship that formed with a life time best friend turned partner. There’s an ace man who has a very wholesome romantic relationship as well in the story! Truthfully as an ace myself I wanted to make a lot of Rep through the main and secondary characters without the main plot being romance and lust I’m really glad people like yourself are talking about it because just because we have rep doesn’t mean we have to SETTLE!!!

[@bumblegummilk1274]

Okay, the thing I hate the most is when I feel like the aro/ace representation is pretty good but the fandom keeps shipping them with people anyways like “no they’re actually in love”. Bestie has repeatedly and explicitly stated that they weren’t interested in a relationship. Let people be single! It’s okay! 😭

[@bmudangel]

That actually is such a weird phenomenon with aro and/or ace characters. There would usually be plenty of shippable characters that they can choose out of too

[@seanluckycharm5492]

There are two cases in my opinion. "I ship because its fun, because its interesting, because I want them to suffer, look I went out of shipping material, those are my comfort characters" is a good reason, thats why I ship most characters, including an ace (likely aro aswell) character, I just need to find good fanfics for him.. "I ship because its just a phase, I ship because..." you know where Im going with this, that stuff is not okay.

[@maio0077]

As long as it's fanon I'm fine with it, I don't really mind people shipping an aro/ace character, even though I'm aroace. I just like to see people having fun

[@Clemaglorine]

This is literally saiki k loll

[@melasnexperience]

@@bmudangel It's so common that at this point, I just assume that anyone in fandom is hostile to aces (real or fictional) until proven otherwise.

[@ysaurefulconis4826]

although i don't love the whole "people discovering they're queer and struggling to accept it" thing in media (or at least how common it is), i wish we could see stories of adults discovering they're aro and/or ace spec, especially older adults and adults in relationships or who have been in serious relationships at some point. I'm imagining a teen coming out to said adult as aro-ace or queer in some way and the adult being super curious about it. then one day the teen mentions asexuality or aromanticism in passing, and we get to see the adult's whole journey in coming to terms with their oast, and at the end they come out to the teen.

[@bmudangel]

That actually would be very nice to see an adult discovery In that way!

[@persimmon0]

Have you heard of Koisenu Futari/Two people who can't fall in love?? It's a japanese show about 2 adult aro/ace people and is probably my favourite peace of aro/ace media!!

[@FelixirElixir]

My work partner and I are making a webtoon, and one of the 2 main characters is on the aroace spectrum and trans :) we are working to give him the best rep possible, as both of us are also on the aroace spectrum! I feel like people write these characters wrong because they haven't gone through the same experiences, and aren't aroace at all. ❤

[@Frog_Things]

I'm creating a story, and the main character is aroace. I myself am asexual, but not aromatic. I hope that I can do them justice in writing 😭

[@snoopdewhoops]

this is so important to me too!! i’m aroace as well and it just makes me so happy when i see genuine representation, and you can tell it had good intentions. i’m an artist, and in every oc world i make (i currently have 3) i always try to sprinkle a little of my sexuality in them. in one the main characters are in a qpr and one of them is aroace, and shes the more social one actually. in my second one i have a demiromantic lesbian who ends up in a relationship with the main character, and in my third one one of the minor main characters (if that makes any sense lol) is an aroace lesbian, and just finds women aesthetically attractive. she kiiiinda has a realization moment, but she’s pretty chill about it. she’s more into her found family dynamic than anything else lol. but anyways SORRY FOR THE RAMBLE LOL and great video :)

[@unknown_brainrot_]

Id also like characters who are on the aroace spectrum, like angled aroace ppl (ppl who are on both the aro and ace spectrum, but arent necessarily both (im one of these guys)) or oriented aroace ppl (ppl who experience tertiary attraction and often identify w/ another orientation in a nonsexual nonromantic way). Or demiaroaces (ppl who are both demiromantic and demisexual). We don't get enough love (tho i do understand that most ppl dont know we even exist).

[@spacebeweird4820]

An aroace character i LOVE is Jughead from the comics. While it was rlly sad to see roverdale erase that aspect of his charchter (though they probably wouldny have handled it well) But i dont think that should take away from comic jughead. Hes goofy, loves burgers, loves to joke, loves his freinds more than anything but can get a lil fed up with allo nonsense tm. I think hes such a well rounded charchter while also having his aroace-ness pretty integral to his character. In a way hes the comic relif because he can take a step back from all the teen romance drama and see it for what it is

[@spacebeweird4820]

Plus the issue where he accidentally ends up going on a date with sabrina the teenage witch because he just thinks it's a freind hangout only to panic when he realises what he agreed to is THE blue print for how, in my opinion, aroace identitys are perfect for comedies but had never been fully exploed. (Think saiki k and romance killer)

[@cabbagehoarder6852]

100% agreed!!!!

[@lexsharperson]

I am in college to add more diversity to media, so let me say this as an aspiring writer... Your voice matters! Hearing what people like YOU want to see in media is EXACTLY what I want to hear as a writer! It's important to know what diverse audience members wish for if I am to add it properly to my writing and art! So, thank you from the bottom of my heart!

[@bookworm_of_heaven]

this video makes me really happy because im currently working on a book where the protagonist is grey ace! hes literally the popular kid in school and everybody falls in love with him, but hes just like "uhh" bc most of the time he cant reciprocate the feeling. hes friends with *everybody* though lmao i also have another prot whos aroace, but its gonna be a loooong time before i tackle that story. the agony of being a writer

[@adelaidejustman3414]

my favorite aroace rep is riz gukgak from fantasy high! it's an actual-play d&d show, and the character's identity is sorta just baked into his character. in the most recent season it's implied that he had a glow-up, and the other characters are like "whoa you were hot this whole time?" and he's truly unbothered. love him!

[@doodleplayer4014]

I think that Senku from Dr. Stone is pretty good rep, even if he isn't confirmed in the text. (He is asked if he would ever be interested in dating, etc. and says no, but it's not in the main material and it's tacit). He's quite social, and has two best friends that he's known since childhood, so he isn't a loner. He's very confident socially and knows who he is and what he wants. And, while he appears to be unemotional, that's mostly just a confident facade he keeps up as a coping mechanism to suddenly waking up thousands of years in the future in a primitive world, so I think that's sort of justified Actually (not super huge spoilers or anything since it's an early arc) he accidentally ends up winning a competition to get a village priestess' hand in marriage at one point and then immediately divorces her because A) he doesn't feel that way abt her, B) it inconveniences him, and C) he's aware that her childhood friend (whom senku has also befriended and gotten to know) has been crushing on her for ages. So he's very mature and aware of people's feelings. Earlier in the series, a character called Kohaku also tells him they're "starting to like him" which he interprets as romantic and immediately shuts down, pretty nicely, so it's obvious that he isn't very interested in that sort of thing. He also has to kiss Kohaku later on for a ruse and shows absolutely no interest, which I am so glad for. Usually the character would have the kiss and be flustered, but he's just entirely unbothered, and the narrative doesn't force him into a romance. Sorry that this is really unfocused, I just wanted an excuse to infodump abt Dr. Stone.

[@bmudangel]

He does seem like a good possible aroace character!

[@clelixbelix]

Omg I’m glad someone already mentioned Senku, because if not, I was going to do it myself 🙏 you described him perfectly, really. Him and Dr. Stone in general should be more popular imo

[@OrcaBerry]

As an author, the best piece of advice I have for writing any sort of representation, including aro/ace stuff, is to include more than one character of that minority in your story. People are complicated, and no two people within a group are the same. This is an organic way to show that diversity, it allows your characters to contrast in interesting ways, and it avoids the pitfall of a single "token [insert minority] character." My other advice is of course work with a variety of people within that minority identity. First hand life experience is more helpful than most general research I've found

[@clarinhaau]

off the topic but your hair looks amazing omg

[@bmudangel]

Thanks sm!

[@CreatimationStudios]

I am here to learn bc I have a character who’s aroace and wish to do it right!

[@CreatimationStudios]

It appears that I’m on the right track however I shall do more research on QPR’s as I am yet to fully understand them

[@amupng]

As an aroace loser i love writing charismatic, charming, and extroverted aro and/or ace characters theyre like me- but better!, and i think qprs are tragically under valued in the found family trope, like that would be so perfect?

[@sylviaisafoot6570]

In It Looks Like Us by Alison Ames, the main character is ace, and it doesn’t affect the plot other than her warning the main love interest she’s asexual when she’s recovering from frost bite. It a decent story that I thought was better than I gave it credit for

[@alondraperez-ramirez8363]

I totally agree with you on how even among the fans there’s an ongoing representation struggle of characters in the aroace spectrum to this day. People don't want ace characters to take over the plot even in fan fiction, as evidenced by the fact the last time I cowrote with someone and wanted to do asexual Batman they ended up scrapping everything i wrote and made him trans instead for 'real queer rep' because apparently Batman can't be asexual and that's not real lgbtia representation.

[@ANXIETY_DEFENDERRR]

happy pride month to all the aroaces, aroace-specs, angled aroaces, and oriented aroaces, or WHOEVER ELSE!!! I love you all, and you're valid :}

[@maddstermind11037]

i'm ace (though not aro) and i definitely feel this!! when i was younger, i had a habit of headcanoning hyper-sexualized characters as asexual, i guess out of spite? i do want to see ace people who are sexually active/talk about sex and are just not Sexually Attracted To People. but i also want ace characters who are not sexually active, or are sex-repulsed! both sides exist and both are important. i think the key to representation is not to make it all the same for everyone of that identity. nothing is a monolith! some people align with sterotypes, but you cant have nothing But sterotypical depictions! sorry for the ramble lmao

[@booksoftheforest]

I think all of Samantha Shannon's fantasy books have characters on aro and/or ace spectrums! I love Tané from the Priory of the Orange Tree. It's a high fantasy book, so none of the identity labels are used and she's just living her life without any romantic entanglements. Shannon has confirmed that she was written as aroace. I've also heard great things about Darcie Little Badger books, Fallen Thorns by Harvey Oliver Baxter and Little Black Bird by Anna Kirchner

[@apersoncalledpup_]

I will 100% be taking note! I am a writer and am currently trying to put together a comic! Literally as soon as I saw this video I told my friends "Guys next character I make is gonna be a silly little aroace person who gets all the bitches but doesnt want the bitches" GUESS WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE A MAIN CHARACTER TOOOOO

[@comfehhh]

Y’all would love: In Stars and Time. An indie rpg with impeccable character writing. Siffrin is the humorous ace rouge, and Mirabelle is the aroace beloved savior. ITS REALLY GOOD, SPREADING THE ISAT AGENDA

[@theownerofthisaccount2521]

For Pride month I was drawing my cast for my book with their flags and realized half of the main six are some form of Ace and/or Aro, with a couple side characters also being that. The two main leads are a a quiet but intelligent demisexual that is constantly vague with his speeches or flustered when interrupted during his introspective time, and a sarcastic but blunt demiromantic that can take things personally but also being caring in his own way when he gets closer to someone. The third being an Aroace kid who initially wants nothing to do with the group(though that’s because all these characters are in a limbo like world and no one came from good routes) but as soon as he’s shown the other five are trustworthy, he becomes a kitten and one of the only things keeping this group from falling apart at the seams. He grows to see the group as his family, becomes a lot more open, and while not feeling sexual or romantic attraction does want companionship where loyalty and trust are the big factors. I do want some of the sexualities to be directly stated in the book in some form, I just got to find a way to that doesn’t feel forced

[@theownerofthisaccount2521]

I also 100% want a queerplatonic relationship since the moment I learned the term

[@anya-gg7ut]

OKAY so there is this person who has a webcomic on webtoon and their own website and also has a youtube channel named nyoomian and I love how they have the main characters in their webcomic Interpretation of Shadows have a queerplatonic relationship

[@bredstikx]

i am genuinely surprised there haven't been any mentions of kusuo saiki 😭 bro literally establishes in the first episode of the anime that he doesn't understand romance and ACTIVELY avoids relationships at all costs

[@leyna98]

Riz Gukgak is a great example of aroace representation for me. He’s from a dnd show called Fantasy High. His arc in season two is all about him feeling separate from his friends because he’s not experiencing romantic attraction and feels like he’s falling behind. And over the season he learns that his friends will always love him and he doesn’t need to have a partner to be loved. Riz is such a comfort character for me (he’s my profile pic 😭) and his story has impacted me so much and helped me so much as I was realizing I was aroace. He’s also canonically the hottest character out of the 6 which I think is so funny and cool of them.

[@leyna98]

anyways, Fantasy High is spectacular and has lots of other queer representation, but I am just so appreciative that the show explores aromanticism in an interesting and complex way, while avoiding many of the pitfalls that shows fall into when writing aspec characters. it’s incredible to me that two straight guys were able to write such an accurate and gut wrenching display of amatonormativity and aromanticism respectfully. Dimension 20 also has another season, A Court of Fey and Flowers, with an asexual (and maybe aromantic) character who gets in a QPR and who is played by an asexual actor! I highly recommend that season as well!

[@strawberrymochi118]

when i was a kid/teen most of my ocs were aro/ace by default since i (also aroace) just didn't consider the possibility of allo elements lol. except for like one character whose boyfriend existed solely to have a Dramatic Betrayal Scene where he turned out to be evil. my investment in him was basically "he wears all black i guess and it'll look really cool when my oc vows revenge against him with epic music playing in the background"

[@oofsoundeffect]

i agree with #3 so much!! if you haven’t heard of it before, there’s a manga called “i want to be a wall” where the fl is aroace & she’s in a qpr with a gay man. it starts after she already identifies as aroace & it gives her backstory on her discovery. it’s so cute and amazing & made me wanna cry 🥹

[@insectcat7057]

A comic on Tumblr (and other platforms I forgot) called "Pinepaw and the Forgotten World" has really good aroace rep and a QPR later in the story. It's also an amazing story that I totally recommend

[@Zzyned]

I'm posting a webtoon called "Loveproof" with an aroace protagonist and watching this video was really cool!! I agree with everything you said but I do have some of those overused tropes in my story lol

[@Nezukiitsunee]

For you webtoon readers: there’s a webtoon called Don’t Fall for Flint which revolves around a very social, popular, and friendly guy who doesn’t seem to like anyone the way they like him 💜

[@carbonn5998]

i checked it out but the author said they discontinued it 💔💔💔 at least they confirmed that flint was indeed aroace,,.,..

[@cowgremlin11]

I have an aroace character whos one of the mcs in my webcomic, so I'm glad for your video! I love hearing from voices like yours (trust me your opinion does matter!) and it really helps me double check my script to see how the representations coming across :) Especially since Rudy is one of my absolute favorite characters ive ever made and hes so important, i wanted to be sure he was written well

[@jdmoncada8205]

I'm glad I found your video! I have a story with two aro characters, and I don't want to fall into tired tropes with either one of them. 😃

[@ProbablyATree]

I really enjoyed this video! I have a handful of aroace characters so I used this as a check in of how many of them fell in and out of unwanted stereotypes :)

[@alice-m2r]

As a member of the aroace community, I 100% agree with this. But, there is this one game that I feel represents aroace with a great character. The game is called "In Stars and Time".

[@UnluckilyLvcky]

As someone in the aroace spectrum (currently aro/grey but questioning oriented aroace), Ive got quite a few ocs who are in the aroace spectrum and I've been trying to branch them out other than the usual aro/ace hcs! Example, I have a greyromantic oc who's a doctor. He might unfortunately fit into the asocial/maybe even loser turf but he's still very much an extrovert due to the nature of his job. I wrote him to be quite an important part of my story, and he also has a twin who might just be in the aroace spectrum as well (he's aroace) I've also got a few oriented aroace ocs and nonbinary aroace characters. One of which is in a QPR with a dude but I've been so skeptical of implementing this plotpoint even if they aren't supposed to be that big of a character, but I'm always happy to take suggestion! I love seeing aroace rep in media! As someone in the community myself, I hope to contribute a good amount with my silly stories!

[@loganplonski922]

My favorite aroace representation is actually Jughead from the short-lived Jughead reboot comic. There are a few storylines about how his experience of being aroace affects his relationships with his friends and other people (particularly a fantastic arc where he accidentally goes on a date with Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Hilarity Ensues). Plus it's just really funny.

[@troyfranklin1789]

i'm a writer and i had a reader ask to show aro/ace rep. i've been thinking about this topic ever since. your video is so inspiring, thank you for sharing the kind of representation you want to see :)

[@mushlii]

A an ace person I personally wish there not only was more of that rep but more platonic affection when it came down to those characters as well. I may not be someone who actively wants physical touch from others (and I get pretty awkward with it) but if it’s someone I’m close too and appreciate then I don’t mind. I think having platonic affection is a really good thing for any character but for ace people it shows “hey, most of us don’t like THIS intimacy but we do appreciate hugs and such :D”. Also I hate how it’s portrayed in media and even in life that being a virgin means you’re a loser, some people CAN pull they just don’t want to in that way. I’d love to see more characters who are proud of who they are and are confident.

[@AzmiAb]

Spooner from DC's Legends of Tomorrow is introduced in season 6 and has a whole character arc before she realized herself that she's asexual in the final season Person of color whose main fan shipping possibility before it was revealed is another woman of color, starts alone by choice for character reasons (paranoia), strong-willed and very much not shy 😂

[@arwynna.4715]

Sam from the many half lived lives of sam Sylvester is on the asexual spectrum, it's the first time I've seen representation of someone who was ace-spec but still experienced some sexual attraction. It's pretty casual representation, like their asexuality isn't talked about a whole lot, but I think that having representation like that is also good. It's important to have stories about asexuality and aromanticism but it's also important to have stories about asexual and aromantic people who just have other stuff to be worrying about

[@crushinganimek9470]

I'm working on an assassin man, who's demi-romantic but he doesn't know. He's a playboy that drinks and sleeps with every hot girl finds and is flirtatious. The reason he does that because he is trying to cope with the trauma from working in a deadly business. His friend was kidnapped and he's been searching for him ever since. His best friend is everything to him. Plus he finds romantic relationships as something that weighs you down. I have another assassin woman, who is a test tube baby of the best Assassin in the business. Since she was coded to never be sexually attracted to anybody she is placed on the Ace spectrum. She is built as a machine so she is heartless whenever she kills her targets. She has a goal and it's to find her "Father" to know her identity and feel normal like other human beings who were birthed to this world. Her partner is the male assassin I mentioned. Since the male assassin has experience and great social skills, he helps her here and there during their missions. Of course he hits on her every chance he has, but she ignores them. This leads to the male assassin betting on defeating the toughest target for at least a date with the female assassin, which leads to him getting his shit rocked every time. The male assassin helps her to have fun and live a little. He teaches her the importance of life and friendships. The woman helps him find better coping mechanisms and not view women as objects. He helps her to find her father and she helps him to find his best friend. I kind of want them to be a couple because of the Polar opposites trope and they make a great Badass couple. They learn from each other and balance each other out. Bonus: it'll be funny if their ship name is Aroace. They can work as friends, too, but I'm not sure.

[@bmudangel]

This is really cool! Maybe they don’t necessarily need to be together but they could have a qpr. It blurs the lines of a friendship but it’s platonic

[@yourratnextdoor4185]

Them having a QPR would work well I think. Aroace being the ship name is hilarious. It sounds like a great story