Have you ever heard the term “Throuple” before? When there is a relationship between three people? Well, researchers at Seattle University have identified a novel form of sexual attraction they’ve termed “symbiosexuality.” This newly recognized orientation centers on attraction to the dynamic energy, multifaceted nature, and shared power within a relationship, rather than individual physical attributes. This discovery has prompted experts to re-evaluate conventional understandings of human attraction and desire.
Symbiosexuality is a relatively new term describing a sexual orientation where individuals are attracted to the energy, multidimensionality, and power shared between people in relationships, rather than being attracted to individuals themselves.
Will you offer us a hand? Every gift, regardless of size, fuels our future.
Your critical contribution enables us to maintain our independence from shareholders or wealthy owners, allowing us to keep up reporting without bias. It means we can continue to make Jewish Business News available to everyone.
You can support us for as little as $1 via PayPal at office@jewishbusinessnews.com.
Thank you.
Symbiosexuals are drawn to the dynamic and synergy of a partnership. They are interested in the “whole” relationship, considering it greater than the sum of its parts. Beyond individuals: Their attraction is not primarily to the individuals involved but to the connection and energy they share.
The study indicates that individuals identifying as symbiosexual are captivated by the synergy and dynamic of a partnership. They feel a profound connection to the love shared between two people and yearn to fully immerse themselves in this relational energy. Symbiosexual attraction is viewed as a genuine desire centered on the “whole” relationship, which they perceive as “greater than the sum of its parts.”
“What if a person’s primary attractions are not oriented toward individuals?” asked Dr. Sally Johnston, an adjunct professor of Anthropology and Sociology who led the study.
“As part of the polyamorous community, I have heard people talk openly about experiencing attraction to established couples,” she told PsyPost adding that she was, “most surprised by the large and diverse population of people that reported experiencing this attraction.”
“There is a diverse population of people who experience symbiosexual attraction, an attraction to the energy, multidimensionality, and power shared between people in relationships,” Johnston said. “Therefore, we need to rethink the nature of human attraction and desire as only one-to-one experiences. We also need to challenge the stigma and discrimination against this attraction within the polyamorous community.”
In this study, Dr. Johnston utilized data from The Pleasure Study, a survey that explored participants’ sexual and gender identities. Among the 373 respondents, 145 indicated having experienced a feeling of attraction to both individuals and their relationship as a whole.
