Symbiosuality: The Attraction to Connection Itself—and Why More People Are Identifying with It
It sounds like a word born from a Tumblr thread or a niche online subculture—but for a growing number of people, symbiosuality isn’t a meme or trend. It’s an identity. One that finally gives language to an unusual yet deeply felt kind of desire: being drawn not to individuals, but to the emotional energy that flows between them.
If you’ve ever caught yourself fixated on the electricity between a couple—intrigued more by their bond than by either person on their own—you’re not alone. And now, that experience has a name: symbiosual.
Attraction Reimagined: When the Relationship Is the Allure
Symbiosuality is a newly emerging identity gaining traction particularly within LGBTQ+ and non-monogamous communities. Unlike traditional s*xual orientations focused on gender or physical traits, symbiosuality describes attraction to the connection, emotional rhythm, and relational chemistry between people who are already bonded—romantically, s*xually, or otherwise.
In other words, the allure isn’t him or her—it’s them. Together.
From Observers to Feelers: What Symbiosuals Experience
Those who identify as symbiosual often say they’re drawn to the dynamic of a relationship more than either person involved. It’s the interplay, the mutual affection, the quiet glances and synchronized gestures that pull them in. Many describe themselves as emotionally attuned, socially open, and less prone to jealousy than others.
The desire isn’t about intrusion or conquest—it’s about witnessing or connecting with the unique energy two people co-create. For some, it’s a desire to be welcomed into that energy. For others, it’s about admiration or emotional resonance, even from the outside.
One participant in a recent study described the feeling as, “being intoxicated by the current between them—their intimacy draws you in like gravity.”
A Name with Academic Roots
This isn’t just an internet identity without substance. Dr. Sally W. Johnston, a researcher in s*xual and relational behavior, introduced the term in a recent paper published in the Archives of s*xual Behavior. Her findings emerged from the 2023 Pleasure Study, which surveyed nearly 400 participants on how they experience attraction.
Among those surveyed, 145 individuals identified a clear pattern: they were more interested in couples as a unit than in any single person. Their reasons varied—from emotional safety to a craving for affirmation—but the theme was consistent: it’s the bond, not the bodies.
Dr. Johnston emphasizes that symbiosuality is distinct from bis*xuality, pans*xuality, or simply being polyamorous. “This isn’t about the number of people or gender,” she explains. “It’s about the emotional architecture between people already in connection.”
Real People, Real Identity
Take Eden, for example—one of the study’s participants—who shared that witnessing the closeness between couples gave them a sense of emotional grounding. “There’s something validating about their connection,” they said. “It reflects the kind of intimacy I want to experience.”
This emotional nuance is what sets symbiosuality apart from voyeurism or curiosity. It isn’t about watching—it’s about feeling. It’s a relational orientation, not just a preference.
Recognition and Representation
In the wake of the study, symbiosuality has begun to gain visibility—with its own Orientation Wiki entry, flag design, and increasing online discourse.
For many, discovering the label feels like a long-overdue acknowledgment of an experience they couldn’t previously explain.
Much like the growing visibility of other lesser-known identities, such as trigender—a term recently shared by TikTok creator Emily Skvarch, who identifies as simultaneously male, female, and nonbinary—symbiosuality offers clarity for those whose experience of desire doesn’t fit within mainstream categories.
Why It Matters
As society continues to explore the fluid, layered nature of identity, terms like symbiosual remind us that human attraction is often more complex than who we’re drawn to. It can also be how and why we’re drawn in.
Attraction is no longer just about orientation in the classic sense—it’s also about energy, intention, and emotional context. And for symbiosual individuals, that context is everything.
Conclusion: More Than a Label—A Language for Connection
In a time where identity and attraction are being redefined by nuance, symbiosuality offers a fresh lens for understanding human connection. It affirms that being drawn to emotional energy—not just individuals—is valid, real, and worthy of recognition.
As the conversation around s*xuality and identity continues to evolve, so too does our vocabulary. And for many, discovering they are symbiosual isn’t just about finding a label—it’s about finally feeling seen in a world that often focuses on the who, but rarely on the what that pulls us closer.