Ceterocurious refers to people who are curious about whether they might be attracted to non-binary individuals. Traditionally, they may have felt attraction to people who fit into the binary categories of male or female. Now, however, they are beginning to wonder if their attraction could include individuals who don’t fit into those conventional gender categories. Ceterocurious people are in the process of exploring whether their understanding of attraction could expand beyond traditional binary gender norms. It involves reflecting on how they feel toward people with gender expressions that fall outside of typical male or female labels and being open to exploring a broader range of gender identities.
Picture someone who has spent their life feeling attracted to people they identify as men or women. They have always thought of their attraction as being linked to the binary idea of gender; either male or female. Then one day, they meet someone who doesn’t fit neatly into those categories. Maybe it’s a person who identifies as non-binary, someone whose gender is fluid or doesn’t align with typical male or female labels. As they get to know this person, they begin to feel an unexpected attraction. This attraction leads them to wonder: “Could I be attracted to non-binary people too?” It’s like discovering a new genre of music. Imagine they’ve always loved rock and pop, but now they’re hearing jazz for the first time. Suddenly, they realize there’s a whole new style of music they never explored, and they’re curious to see if they enjoy it as much as the music they’ve always known. For someone ceterocurious, their experience is similar. It’s not about discarding their previous attractions to men or women but about expanding their understanding of who they might find attractive. This curiosity opens the door to exploring non-binary identities and seeing whether their feelings might stretch beyond the usual male-female binary. By being ceterocurious, they allow themselves the freedom to question and explore without needing immediate answers. It’s a journey of discovery that helps them learn more about who they are and how they experience attraction. They’re not in a rush to label anything; they’re just enjoying the process of understanding themselves better.