What is Objectum?

Objectum is a label for people who feel relationship attachments to objects. People who label themselves objectum may align themselves with the OS/OR community - which stands for objectum-sexual/objectum-romantic. However, the objectum label can also apply to other kinds of relationships, such as objectum-familial (someone who sees objects as family) or objectum-platonic (someone who sees objects as friends).

Many people in the objectum community also identify with the POSIC+ community - they perceive the object they're attached to as being sentient. However, not everyone in the objectum community experiences object sentience.

Some members of the objectum community have "object partners" - objects they have a special relationship with. "Objects" in the objectum community don't have to be physical; some people are develop attachments to concepts as well (Conceptum).

The term was coined by Eija-Riitta Eklöf in the 1970s. In 1999, she created an internet group for objectum-sexuals, making her the first member of the online Objectùm-Sexuality Community. Together with two other objectum-sexuals, Oliver Arndt and Erika Eiffel, the three went on to form Objectùm-Sexuality Internationale in 2008.

The Flag

The Objectum pride flag
The Objectum pride flag, by the mods of os-positive on Tumblr

The objectum pride flag consists of five vertical stripes - light blue, light gray, white, yellow, and lavender. It has a white circle with a red outline in the middle. It was designed by the mods of os-positive on Tumblr in 2016 with input from other OS community members.

Meanings provided for colors and symbol:

  • Blue: Physical objects
  • Gray: Conceptual or non-tangible objects
  • White: Animism, inanimate energy, the soul/personality/essence of an object
  • Yellow: Public objects
  • Purple: Personal objects
  • Red circle: A nod to Objectum community history

Objectum vs. Objectophilia?

While used in the past by objectum-sexuals, by the late 2010s people in the objectum community generally reject the term "objectophilia", as paraphilia labels tend to have negative connotations. In addition, paraphilias explictly describe sexual fetishism; objectum is an orientation and can be non-sexual. The term "objectophilia" may imply to some people that the bond between an objectum person and the objects they are attracted to is unhealthy.

This website will only use the term "objectum", but keep in mind that media that depicts objectum experiences might differ.