Perhaps the most intriguing thing about sapiosexual, something that might strike us as modern and open-minded, is that it removes gender identity as well as looks from the equation of romantic attraction: The fact that wisdom and knowledge can themselves be attractive qualities for a romantic partner is expressed in the use of sapiosexual, a word that means “sexually attracted to highly intelligent people.” This term is showing up with increasing frequency in personal ads, advice columns, and even on t-shirts used by those who choose to describe themselves and their romantic interests in a way that contrasts sharply with the often superficial, looks-oriented criteria traditionally associated with the beginnings of romance. That doesn't mean that the phenomenon it describes is new.īut romance and wisdom need not be opposites.
'Sapiosexual', a term that means “sexually attracted to highly intelligent people," is becoming increasingly popular.