Non-Sexual Intimacy Reference

[halmotors]

Get your mind out of the gutter! These references will help you shape intimate relationships between characters that may not be romantically entangled (brother/sister, parent/child, keeper/charge, etc.)

A very good read, well worth the few minutes it takes to get through it. There's so much more to intimacy than sex. To quote the opening statement of the person who wrote these references:

Many stories focus on sex and romance. Those are overwhelmingly the kinds of intimacy featured in fiction. Even outside the immediate sphere of erotic and romantic stories, they comprise major subplots in most genres and many stories. Attention to other types, expressions, and experiences of intimacy is rare. This largely ignores nonsexual family relationships such as siblings or parent/child. It shortchanges close professional relationships such as a cop's beat partner or a soldier's buddy. It tends to leave asexual people off the map altogether. Even for readers who like stories about sex and romance, this can get old -- especially if the writer doesn't pay any attention to the development of intimacy but just shoves the characters into bed as fast as possible.

Nonsexual forms of intimacy can add a great deal of depth and variety to fiction. On one end of the spectrum, they provide extra steps to support the journey from meeting a potential mate through romance, sex, and marriage. In the middle, they convey the import of family and professional connections, distinguishing those from more casual acquaintances. On the other end, they form much of the glue in primary relationships for people who don't base their ties on sexuality. Sex and romance are valuable, but they're not everything. Nonsexual intimacies are the "show don't tell" conveyance for the rest of the serious relationship field. Here are some examples and their story influence.

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5

[Synaxis]

Out of curiosity, what prompted you to share this?

[halmotors]

It's just really good reference for roleplaying. Helps you shape intimate relationships between characters that may not be romantically entangled (brother/sister, parent/child, keeper/charge, etc.)

[Synaxis]

Oh, okay. Just curious, because I know there are a lot of misconceptions out there about people that RP and people that ERP and people that don't know the difference.. Wasn't sure if you were trying to insinuate something.. :P

[halmotors]

No, not trying to insinuate anything at all. I do notice a lot of people who feel that in order for their characters to be intimate with one another, that it automatically has to be sexual, and that's not the case. I'd suggest reading through the references, as there's a lot of good material in there.

[The Madgod]

It's just really good reference for roleplaying. Helps you shape intimate relationships between characters that may not be romantically entangled (brother/sister, parent/child, keeper/charge, etc.)

No, not trying to insinuate anything at all. I do notice a lot of people who feel that in order for their characters to be intimate with one another, that it automatically has to be sexual, and that's not the case. I'd suggest reading through the references, as there's a lot of good material in there.

May want to say this in the OP then so that there's no confusion :P

Also, kinda offtopic, do you post in the Minecraft forums? You seem familiar.

[halmotors]

Edited my OP. And no, I don't post in the Minecraft subforum.

[The Madgod]

Hmm, must be the avatar then. At any rate, in a raid at the mo' but I may check these out after!

[halmotors]

OP has been edited with a clearer focus on what the thread and the references are about.