Disclosed is a sulfonated polymer having excellent workability and excellent methanol resistance. More specifically, disclosed is an aromatic compound represented by the general formula (1): (1) wherein A, D and E independently represent at least one structure selected from the group consisting of a direct bond, -O-, -S-, -CO-, -SO 2 -, -SO-, -CONH-, -COO-, -(CF 2 ) f - [wherein f represents an integer ranging from 1 to 10], -(CH 2 ) h - [wherein h represents an integer ranging from 1 to 10], -CR' 2 - [wherein R' represents an aliphatic hydrocarbon group, an aromatic hydrocarbon group or a halogenated hydrocarbon group], a cyclohexylidene group, and a fluorenylidene group; B's independently represent an oxygen atom or a sulfur atom; X represents an atom or group selected from a halogen atom other than a fluorine atom, -OSO 2 CH 3 and -OSO 2 CF 3 ; R 1 to R 28 independently represent at least one atom or group selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, a fluorine atom, an alkyl group, a partially or entirely halogenated alkyl group, an allyl group, an aryl group, a nitro group and a nitryl group; l and o independently represent an integer ranging from 0 to 4; m represents an integer ranging from 1 to 4; q represents an integer equal to or greater than 2; and n and p independently represent a compositional ratio of each unit, independently have a value ranting from 0 to 1, and satisfy the following equation: n+p = 1, provided that n has a value other than 0.