Affectional orientation is an alternative term for
sexual orientation. Those people who prefer to argue that one's orientation is not limited to
sexuality. To holders of this view, one's orientation is defined by whom one is predisposed to fall
in love with, sexual attraction being only a part of a larger dynamic.
The term is also used by some who consider themselves
asexual and only feel emotional attraction to describe the
gender or genders they are romantically attracted to. The terms used for different affectional orientations are typically the same as are used for
sexual orientations:
homosexual,
bisexual or
heterosexual.