This is a pretty frequent topic of discussion within my friend group, actually!

The first thing that comes to mind is like... How romance is regarded in rel8ion to who has the *capacity* to experience certain forms of it. I know this was definitely discussed 8ut even though I just reread like a month ago I wasn't really focusing on shipping so I didn't really catch much of it, so I don't have any examples, I just want to throw that out there as like... A concept.

Through introducing another species with a different enough romance system to 8e odd and alien and incomprehensi8le 8ut with aspects similar enough to amatonormative romance that you can easily rel8 to it, it 8rings up a lot of questions a8out like. Are m8spritships and amatonormative rel8ionships really the same EMOTION, or do they just present the same? Does this distinction even really exist? (I would argue it doesn't: I see romance and attraction in general as too deeply personal to come to any real conclusions a8out what these things FEEL like across entire species and cultures.) Can humans experience TRUE pale attraction or are they physically incapa8le of producing the correct chemicals for it? Are chemicals and hormones what define attraction? (Again, I would say no.)

Two last things: Aro Jake is so fucking real, and also take these screenshots that I don't want to give my personal feelings on too in-depth 8ecause that's fucking scary 8ut if anyone else happens to have an analysis of them that may perhaps rel8 to the topic at hand 8e my guest...!