Autosexual: What it means to be sexually attracted to yourself

They say it’s important to love yourself… but some people do so more than others.

In fact, there are people who actually say they are in love with themselves, being turned on by their own feel and appearance.

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone as it’s a sexual orientation known as autosexual (or autoromantic). It means that you have an emotional and sexual attraction to yourself.

So, to be autosexual, you have a sexual desire for yourself, being erotically aroused by your own physical being.

One Medium user Ghia Vitale wrote a piece about her own journey as an autosexual and her intimate relationship with herself.

The author’s profile described herself as a “poet, relationship anarchist, polyamorous witch, and feminist punk.”

‘I’m Autosexual, Autoromantic, And In A Relationship With Myself’

The piece read: “Autoromanticism and autosexuality have been omnipresent in my interior landscape from as early as 13 years old. I can remember having just gotten out of the shower; I was looking at myself in the mirror, and getting very attracted to the sight.”

The writer went on to say, “My sexual and romantic orientations turn just about any mundane activity into a full-blown date. For me, a walk through a graveyard is more than a relaxing stroll through a death sanctuary. I alternate between admiring the tombstones and admiring myself.

“Something as simple as lotioning my body can turn into a sensual, sexual moment.”

—Ghia Vitale, who identifies as autosexual and autoromantic

“I take myself out for coffee, go on walks in nature, dress in lingerie and cuddle up to myself, or simply sit in the darkness and bask in my own presence. Sometimes, I light candles and do sensual dances for my own entertainment.”

She added: “When I’m feeling especially positive about life, I do a lot of things to romance myself. I’ve learned how to create dates with myself out of thin air. Something as simple as lotioning my body can turn into a sensual, sexual moment, sometimes voluntarily and other times on its own.”

She concluded her essay by reiterating that while the sexual orientation may not be considered “normal”, “autosexuality and autoromanticism do exist.”

Autosexual definition

The writer suggested that to be autosexual, you simply have to have a sexual desire for yourself but you don’t necessarily have to have a monogamous relationship alone.

However, according to the Urban Dictionary, an autosexual is a “person who doesn’t experience sexual attraction to others. People who identify as autosexual prefer being intimate with themselves eg: masturbating instead of being intimate with a partner.”

The Medical Dictionary defines autosexual simply as an “adjective characterised by sexual physical self-contact (e.g., masturbation, erotic fantasies or rituals).”

It seems that autosexual is a currently flexible label that you may use if you do have a sexual desire for yourself and perhaps enjoy self-masturbation ahead of other sexual activities with other people.