Meaning
What does Androsexual mean?
A person who is androsexual experiences attraction towards a masculine person.
It does not exclusively mean attraction to cis-men – men who are born male – but attraction towards people who turn towards the masculine side of the scale.
An “androsexual” person may be attracted to cis-men, trans-men, or any other person that shows off masculine traits. The person doesn’t have to identify as a man, but they can still be masculine.
To put it simply: “Androsexuals” are not singularly attracted to men, they are attracted to masculinity.
There are various definitions of the term, but the one explained above is the one most seem to agree with.
Origin
What's the origin of Androsexual?
The term is of Greek origin. The prefix “andro-” means “man” or “of male origin”.
It’s unclear exactly when the term was created, but it was much needed for the genderqueer and non-binary community, to be able to describe their preferences in a non man/woman aspect.
Spread & Usage
How did Androsexual spread?
The first appearance of the word online was in a 1997 Usenet post written by a trans-woman still exploring her sexuality.
Many use the term interchangeably with “androphilic”, but some consider it to be slight differences between the terms. While “androsexual” refers to the attraction towards masculinity, “androphilic” turns towards genital preferences.
It was first defined online in 2014, but due to its rather small community it is not used significantly.
External resources
- Cosmopolitan – What Does It Mean to Be Androsexual?
- Women’s Health – Are You Androsexual Or Gynesexual? Here’s How To Tell