'Finsexual' explained as number of people who are coming out is on the rise

A sexual orientation that has been around for more than a decade is gaining traction online, yet you've probably never heard of the term 'finsexual'.

Different sexualities have always been around, but more recently, the terminology has changed and there's a lot of different ways to describe your sexual orientation than just gay or straight.

Born out of Tumblr in 2014, describes an exclusive attraction to those who are feminine in nature [FIN] - that can mean people both assigned female at birth (AFAB) and those assigned male at birth (AMAB) who present themselves as feminine.

What does it mean to be 'finsexual?'

As one Reddit user put it plainly: "Finsexual is the exclusive attraction to those who are feminine in nature. This means finsexual people are attracted to women, feminine-aligned non-binary people, and potentially feminine men. It is the attraction to femininity."

That distinction - attraction to presentation rather than to a specific gender - is what has been tripping some people up.

On Facebook, one user asked: "Y’all starting to confuse me now. ‘Finsexual’ being attracted to feminine traits… doesn’t that just make you straight if you’re a dude? Or lesbian if you’re a chick? Isn’t a trans woman just a woman? [What] does this even mean, y’all?"

Finsexual describes an exclusive attraction to those who are feminine in nature (Getty stock)

Explaining what it means to be finsexual, one user replied: "I’m attracted to FIN individuals but have a preference for those with female genitalia… I am still attracted to people who are FIN and have male genitalia, just stating this in case anyone missed the keyword ‘preference.'"

Yes, he detailed how attraction can still include personal preferences while centring femininity as the primary factor.

Are there different types of finsexuals?

Finsexual often overlaps with terms like gynesexual - and many use them interchangeably - but some argue finsexual is its own specific tag focused on FIN.

Variants of the finsexual orientation have also since cropped up, with 'finromantic' for romantic attraction, and 'finflexible' for those whose attraction is mainly to femininity but occasionally broader, and the counterpart 'minsexual' for people attracted to masculinity.

The meaning behind the finsexual flag

One of the many 'finsexual' flags, dons a pink-orientated palette (Reddit)

Flags and symbols have emerged too, usually pink-orientated palettes meant to evoke femininity, though meanings vary between creators. The label is particularly common among non-binary communities, though anyone who recognises their experience in the definition is welcome to use it.

At the end of the day, whether you find the term clarifying or eye-roll-inducing, the rise of finsexual as an identity is part of a bigger social movement - people carving language that fits how they actually feel, not how existing boxes expect them to feel.

If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact the LGBT national hotline at 888-843-4564, available Monday to Friday 4pm-12am ET and 12pm-5pm ET on Saturdays.