Familial attraction is a type of emotional attraction where one desires familial interactions with someone else. It’s a feeling of attachment, protection, and loyalty that mirrors the connections found within a family. This attraction can form between close friends, creating bonds that feel like family, even if there’s no blood relation. Familial attraction focuses on care, trust, and the stability of a lifelong connection.This can involve activities such as living together, sharing affirming sentiments, doing favors, going out together, participating in reunions or regular gatherings, sharing time, belongings, and experiences, mutual protection, and providing emotional, financial, or physical support. Often referred to as brotherly or sisterly love, or simply family bonds, familial attraction is commonly felt between blood relatives but does not have to be. Non-related individuals may also share this type of bond, which is frequently described as a chosen family. Familial attraction is closely related to parental attraction.
Jamie feels familial attraction toward their friend Taylor, someone they’ve known for years. They feel a strong sense of loyalty and attachment, much like a sibling bond. When Taylor went through a tough time, Jamie stepped in, offering support and protection as if Taylor were family. They share inside jokes, help each other with everyday tasks, and make time for each other, celebrating holidays together even if they have other family commitments. Jamie knows they can rely on Taylor for support, just as Taylor relies on them, and this bond brings them a unique sense of stability. For Jamie, familial attraction means creating a chosen family with people who feel irreplaceable, sharing a love that doesn’t depend on romance or friendship but on a deep, unconditional connection. This attraction gives Jamie a lifelong bond that feels secure and comforting.
A person’s pattern of familial attraction toward certain genders can form what is known as their familial orientation, identified with the “-familial” suffix, such as “heterofamilial” or “bifamilial.” Individuals who regularly experience familial attraction may be referred to as allofamilial, whereas those who do not may identify as afamilial.
In the context of queer terminology, familial attraction should not be confused with genetic sexual attraction, a phenomenon involving an intense and unexpected sexual attraction between close blood relatives meeting for the first time as adults. In contrast, familial attraction as a queer term is strictly non-sexual and not limited to blood relatives.
Sources
- agendergenderqueermasculenbyguy. “I’m going to rant about platonic relationships, tertiary attraction and found family real quick,” Tumblr, May 20, 2022. Link
- Arocalypse Forum Users. “Any afamilial people here?” Arocalypse, January 11, 2024. Link
- beyond-mogai-pride-flags. “Attraction Terminology,” Tumblr, January 30, 2019. Link
- Cryptocrew. “Familial Attraction,” LGBTQIA+ Wiki, December 22, 2020. Link
- Hermes Astrology. “Familial Attraction,” Medium, April 17, 2024. Link
- shades-of-grayro. “Familial Attraction,” Tumblr. Accessed May 15, 2023. Link
- Snotdrips. “Familial Attraction,” LGBTQIA+ Wiki, January 17, 2022. Link
Source
https://new.lgbtqia.wiki/wiki/familial_attraction_and_orientation