Thanks a lot for the replies, guys. I suppose I shouldn't be too shocked that others can't wrap their heads around it. Everyone is completely entitled to be attracted to what they like. I guess in that situation it was just the unfamiliarity and being oblivious that surprised me.

My roommate recently posed this question. I live with 2 girls and one guy, and none of them had even remotely encountered the term before. Even after I explained, they still didn't appear to get it, nor seemed to be able to wrap their heads around the concept of admiring such a person.

I suppose I'm just curious if anyone else has encountered people who also are completely oblivious to the FA world. Is the community perhaps so small (or unique) that the majority of people out there are simply unaware/disinterested?