<
Someone who identifies as ceterosexual is a nonbinary person who experiences primary sexual attraction towards other individuals who also identify as nonbinary. Ceterosexuality is a sexual orientation that specifically applies to nonbinary individuals and their attraction to other nonbinary individuals.
The term ceterosexual can be found by at least 2013 on the online art community, DeviantArt.
While some early instances of ceterosexual use the term as a synonym for the older term skoliosexual, other early uses specifically note that the term is meant as a replacement for skoliosexual. The problems with skoliosexual are twofold.
First, skoliosexual has been used to describe attraction to nonbinary people, regardless of the gender identity of that person themselves. Some in the LGBTQ community feel that, because you cannot identify a nonbinary person without learning their gender identity, skoliosexuality stereotypes the presentation of nonbinary genders or fetishizes them. Second, the skolio- in skoliosexual is based on a Greek root meaning “bent” or “divergent,” which has negative connotations.[1]
Nonbinary refers to individuals who do not exclusively identify as male or female and may have a gender identity that falls outside the traditional binary understanding of gender. They may identify as genderqueer, genderfluid, agender, or any other nonbinary identity. Nonbinary people may express their gender in diverse ways and may experience a wide range of gender expressions and presentations.
Ceterosexuality acknowledges the unique experiences and attractions of nonbinary individuals, recognizing that their sexual attraction is primarily directed towards other nonbinary individuals. It highlights the importance of understanding and respecting the complexity and diversity within nonbinary identities and their specific forms of attraction.
It is essential to note that sexual orientation is a personal and subjective experience, and individuals may have diverse attractions and preferences within the broad spectrum of human sexuality. Ceterosexuality provides a specific framework for understanding the attraction patterns of nonbinary individuals, emphasizing their unique perspectives and relationships.
Etimology[]
The prefix "cetero-" is derived from the Latin word "ceterus," which means "other" or "different." In etymology, the prefix "cetero-" is used to indicate "other" or "different" in relation to a specific category or context. It is commonly used to describe identities or orientations that are distinct from or outside of the traditional binary norms.
In the case of ceterosexuality, the prefix "cetero-" is combined with "sexual" to create a term that specifically denotes a sexual orientation where nonbinary individuals are primarily attracted to other nonbinary individuals. The term "ceterosexual" thus highlights the distinctiveness of this sexual orientation in relation to the traditional understandings of sexual attraction based on binary genders (male and female).
The use of the prefix "cetero-" in this context serves to acknowledge and validate the diverse experiences and attractions of nonbinary individuals, emphasizing that their orientation differs from those based on the binary gender framework.