A recent study conducted by researchers at Seattle University in the US has unveiled a new sexuality called "symbiosexual". According to the research published in the Archives of Sexual Behaviour, this new form of sexual attraction has been described as an "attraction to the energy, multidimensionality and power shared between people in relationships". In simpler words, this means a person identifying with this feeling connects to the energy shared between a pre-existing couple. This type of sexuality can be found in diverse age groups, racial groups, socio-economic classes, and gender identities.
According to the New York Post, Dr Sally Johnston, an adjunct professor of anthropology and sociology who conducted the study, believes there's more to sexuality than we know. "We need to rethink the nature of human attraction and desire as only one-to-one experiences," she said.
The study explained that a person who identifies as a symbiosexual finds the synergy of the partnership appealing and they want to be a part of this dynamic. They are in "love" with the love between the two people in the relationship and want to immerse themselves in that love. The study author explained how it's a genuine desire towards the "whole" of the relationship. The unique attraction can be described as "greater than the sum of its parts".
Symbiosexuals are often stigmatised in both monogamous and non-monogamous communities. This new form of sexuality is given the label of "unicorn" in literature. However, this same term has a negative connotation in non-monogamous communities, which points to individuals who are willing to engage in sexual activity with the couple but do not participate in other aspects of the relationship.
In the study, Ms Johnston said that despite the sexual benefits, the third party in such relationships receive poor treatment and becomes objectified and ostracised. However, she added that there is a "diverse population of people" who experience symbiosexual attraction, an attraction to the energy, multidimensionality, and power shared between people in relationships.
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According to the Post, she found that there were 145 reports of participants expressing they've had a feeling of attraction to couples rather than the individuals in the relationship. She also found that most people who identify as symbiosexuals consider themselves extroverted, desire lots of intimacy, care and attention, and are less likely to experience jealousy. Some participants, who consider themselves queer and sexually open, reported being mainly attracted to queer and non-heterosexual couples, the study said.
Now, as research continues to develop, Ms Johnston plans to study the relationship dynamic more for the general public to get a better understanding of this evolving sexual identity regarding mental health and relationship satisfaction. "I hope that this work will reduce stigma in both monogamous and non-monogamous communities and expand conceptualizations of desire in sexuality studies," she said.
