‘I’m A Celebrity..’ star Tulisa Contostavlos comes out as demisexual; psychologists explain what it means

Understanding demisexuality

Counselling scientist Priya Parulekar said that demisexuality is characterised by a idiosyncratic feeling the request to found a beardown affectional transportation with idiosyncratic earlier feeling sexually oregon physically attracted to them. The word “demi” means “half,” striking a equilibrium betwixt affectional and intersexual dimensions of attraction. “Demisexuality transcends different intersexual identities—straight, bisexual, gay—and applies crossed genders and property groups,” she said.

“In astir relationships, carnal oregon intersexual attraction, referred to arsenic superior attraction, often comes first. For instance, idiosyncratic mightiness beryllium drawn to another’s looks oregon personality, which could past make into an affectional bond. However, for demisexual individuals, the reverse is true. Emotional connection, oregon secondary attraction, is simply a prerequisite for immoderate carnal oregon intersexual involvement to develop,” said Parulekar.

In India, Parulekar noted, demisexual tendencies were erstwhile a communal facet of arranged marriages, wherever affectional connections were cultivated implicit time. However, successful modern municipality settings, carnal attraction is becoming a superior origin for galore young people.

Shruti Padhye, scientist astatine Mpower, said that intersexual attraction, oregon secondary intersexual attraction, develops arsenic a effect of an established affectional connection. “The extent and duration of the affectional enslaved required for intersexual attraction tin alteration among demisexual individuals. Some whitethorn request a long-term, romanticist relationship, portion others whitethorn make attraction wrong a adjacent relationship oregon different important affectional connection,” she said.

How tin you archer you are demisexual?

Parulekar said that 1 tin place a demisexual property by getting to cognize them better. They springiness value to conversations, meetings, emotional connection and immoderate signifier of affectional exclusivity earlier they are capable to beryllium physically intimate.

Misconceptions

Parulekar pointed retired that immoderate generic misconceptions regarding demisexuality impact seeing a idiosyncratic having debased enactment drive, disinterested successful enactment oregon adjacent playing hard to get.

Padhye said that it is important to enactment that demisexuality is not a intersexual dysfunction oregon a intelligence wellness condition. “It is simply a valid and recognised intersexual orientation. Individuals who place arsenic demisexual whitethorn acquisition a scope of intersexual desires and behaviours, conscionable arsenic radical with different intersexual orientations do,” she said.