as a fellow aromantic ive thought about aromanticism (and asexuality) in homestuck a LOT, but mostly just in relation to quadrants, i never really thought about how its actually portrayed in the comic. i think a big part of that is unfortunately that im just so used to aromanticism being brushed off and treated as a joke (or at best an afterthought) that it just. never even occured to me to examine that further. but what is actually there, written in the text, does kinda suck !!

the framing of callies aromanticism IS kinda wierd. personally i dont have that much of a problem with it but i do see how it could be harmful, and considering that its the One Singular at least somewhat serious mention of aromanticism in homestuck (AND its in post-canon)... it being directly connected to romance by including it only when mentioning how callie might be roxys girlfriend was a really good point - plus its through johns perspective who at that point in time admittedly didnt have the broadest view of non-allonormative relationships. it just doesnt look great.

kankris thing speaks for itself (haha) and jake... i have always interpreted jake as aroace, i think so much about him and his arc(s??) is more interesting when reading through an aromantic lens, but ughh the way its actually framed. its like something is wrong with him and hes messed up or SOMETHING i dont even know but hes sitting away from everybody else, only talking to the joke of a character that is tavrosprite, he doesnt even get that much screen time, NONE of it is taken very seriously at all so when he expresses the 'no romantic relationships' and everything, i cant take it seriously! and then its never touched on again. i dont think im articulating myself very well at all but its all just a mess, im not a fan of the way that was portrayed. and then his whole relationship with dirk, what a mess that was, carrying on into the way hes treated like shit in post-canon, mostly by dirk and jane. he is also portrayed as Stupid for not realizing or reciprocating when jane is flirting with him and everything that follows, which i DID notice and i REALLY dislike but thats a whole separate conversation.

overall, yeah, homestucks treatment of aromanticism is. pretty shitty. maaaybe SOMETHING will improve in the future as hsbc continues (looking at callie) but i dont have very high hopes lol