Somedays when I come across new made-up words, I wonder if it’s because it’s part of a conspiracy to make all of us over 40 to feel ancient, or maybe finally the lunatics have taken over the asylum?.  Today I was hit with 3 new words, and I challenge you to confess that you know what they mean BEFORE reading any further.  They are demi-sexual, Banksying, and throning,

Although I thought I was au fait with all the new descriptions of gender and sexuality but I had never come across DEMI-SEXUAL. My immediate thought was that it described a person who was only half interested in having sex.  Of course, I was wrong.  It turns out that demisexuality is a sexual orientation where someone only experiences sexual attraction after forming a strong emotional connection with another person. It’s not about a lack of attraction, but rather a specific type of attraction that develops through emotional intimacy. Demisexuals may or may not experience other forms of attraction (like romantic attraction) and can be of any gender identity or sexual orientation.  Hmmm.

Just when i thought I had gotten my head around GHOSTING  for when a person you have been dating cuts off all contact and disappears.  Now evidently there is THRONING when someone dates you purely for social or financial clout.  Plus, the latest one is BANKSYING  (yes, named after the British street artist) and its whereby one of the partners in a relationship is blindsided by a sudden and unexpected dumping that’s been planned by the other partner for weeks or even months, often using AI and online communities for advice on how to execute this. While the banksy-er is left relieved – and their feelings insulated by all their pre-planning and processing – their victim is left cold and confused.

The only bright spot here (!) is that our own research shows these have not been adopted by the LGBTQA+ community.  Maybe because they are not tough enough?  LOL