It is commonly believed that desire and attraction are directed towards individuals. However, the latest study conducted by Dr Sally W Johnston, an Adjunct Professor of Anthropology and Sociology at Seattle University, has revealed a far lesser-known phenomenon: Symbiosexuality. Symbiosexuality is when one realises about attraction towards the energy of an established couple. The study, published recently in the Archives of Sexual Behaviour journal, has made an attempt to explore the intriguing concept of symbiosexuality.
Dr Johnston and her co-researchers at Seattle University have described this new form of sexual attraction as an "attraction to the energy, multidimensionality and power shared between people in relationships". They have explained that a person identifying with this feeling connects to the energy shared between a pre-existing couple. Researchers have claimed that one can find this sort of sexuality in diverse age groups, racial groups, socio-economic classes and gender identities. Dr Johnston is of the opinion that there is more to sexuality than we know. "We need to rethink the nature of human attraction and desire as only one-to-one experiences," she stressed.
As per the study, a symbiosexual person finds the synergy of the partnership appealing and wants to be a part of this dynamic. Such a person falls in love with the love between the two people in the relationship and wants to immerse themselves in that love. Researchers have explained how it is a genuine desire towards the whole of the relationship, stating that this unique attraction can be described as "greater than the sum of its parts".
Meanwhile, researchers have admitted that symbiosexuals are often stigmatised in both monogamous and non-monogamous communities. According to Dr Johnston and her co-researchers, this new form of sexuality has been given the label of unicorn in literature. However, this term also has a negative connotation in non-monogamous communities, pointing to individuals who are willing to engage in sexual activity with a couple without participating in other aspects of the relationship!
Although the third party enjoys the sexual benefits in such relationships, s/he often receives poor treatment and becomes objectified and ostracised. Dr Johnston has stated that there is a "diverse population of people" who experience symbiosexual attraction, an attraction to the energy, multidimensionality and power shared between people in such relationships.
Dr Johnston has decided to study the dynamic of symbiosexual relationships further in order to get a better understanding of this evolving sexual identity, giving a special importance to mental health and relationship satisfaction. "I hope that this work will reduce stigma in both monogamous and non-monogamous communities and expand conceptualisations of desire in sexuality studies," she said. According to Dr Johnston, the lack of proper descriptors for this kind of attraction makes the symbiosexuals struggle to articulate their feelings in a proper manner and question the normal nature of such an attraction.
Human desire is quite complex, indeed. The concept of symbiosexuality shows human desire is not merely restricted to one-to-one attraction!
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