Aspec

From MOGAI Wiki


The Anattractional Spectrum, often shortened to Aspec, is a wide spectrum of orientations that involve feeling little to no attraction on one or more axes. This includes the orientations asexual, aromantic, aplatonic, and forms of tertiary attraction. Aspec may sometimes be used only refer to the asexual spectrum or the aroace spectrum, though "aspec" includes all anattractional identities.

Another definition for the term "anattractional spectrum" may be similar to omniaspec, which is being aspec on every axis of attraction.

Alternate Names

  • Anattractional Spectrum
  • A-spectrum
  • A-spec

Pronunciation

  • Anattractional Spectrum: An-ah-TRAK-shun-uhl SPEK-trum
  • A-spectrum: AY-spek-trum, ay-SPEK-trum

  • Aspec: AY-spek

Etymology

  • Anattractional Spectrum: "A-" from the Greek prefix "a" meaning "without," and "attractional" for "experiencing attraction."
  • Aspec: "A-" from the Greek prefix "a" meaning "without," and "spec" which is a shortening of "spectrum."

Definitions

“ A-spec is the umbrella term for anyone who experiences little to no romantic to sexual attraction. This includes aromantics, asexuals, as well as demis, and greys.
— Calgary Asexuals & Aromantics[1]


“ A-spec is an umbrella term used to describe anyone who doesn’t experience romantic or sexual attraction the “full”, “normal”, or “acceptable” amount.
— pride-color-schemes, 2016[2]


“ A spectrum including those who do not feel attraction on one or more axes, including the ace spectrum, the aro spectrum, the aplatonic and aqueerplatonic spectra, the asensual spectrum, and the analterous spectrum.
— ask-pride-color-schemes, 2018[3]


History

The first known usage of "a-spectrum" to refer to asexuals and aromantics was by asafetynet on 5 March, 2015. This definition also included agender people, something dropped in later definitions.[4]

Allegedly, the first usage of the term "a-spec" or "a-spectrum" to refer to the anattractional community exclusively was in December 2015, though this use cannot be found online. The first findable usage of a-spectrum to refer to asexuals and aromantics only is from 13 January, 2016 by allopropaganda[5], with the specific shortening of "a-spec" appearing on AVEN only two days later.[6]

Community

Statistics

According to the UK's National LGBT Survey in 2017, approximately 2% of LGBT individuals identify as asexual, though other aspec identities were not labelled.[7] It is estimated that about 1% of the total world population is asexual.

Controversy

Most aspec controversy is rooted in aphobia. One of the most prominent controversies is with the term "aspec" itself, and allegations that it is appropriating the autistic community. However, this is false, and outside of anatractional spectrum Autistics, the term "aspec" is an incorrect way to refer to Autistics.[8] This may originate from Autistic pushback to aspec individuals using "on the spectrum" to refer to being on the anattractional spectrum, as "on the spectrum" refers to autistics. It is of note that in one of these posts, "aspec" was specifically stated as the appropriate and respectful alternative to refer to the aspec.[9]

With the ace and aro communities, use of the term "a-spec" has also been criticized for introducing confusion through frequent misuse, particularly regarding asexuals using "a-spec" when only ace-spec individuals are relevant, or though saying "a-spec and aro-spec", implying that aro-spec is not inherently inherently included under a-spec. Unfortunately, for some individuals, "a-spec" and "ace-spec" are phonetically indistinguishable when spoken aloud.[10]

Perceptions and Discrimination

Individuals on the anattractional spectrum are targetted by aphobia, or bigotry against people lacking one or more forms of attraction. In a survey by the UK Government of LGBTQ+ people, it was found that cisgender asexuals averaged as only 49% comfortable, as opposed to cis gays and lesbians who were 63% comfortable[7]. Over 3/4 of ace-spec respondents to the 2019 Asexual Community survey reported experiencing at least some impact on mental or emotional due to prejudice based on orientation.[11]

Orientations

This list is non-exhaustive, and aspec forms of every type of attraction exist. For a comprehensive list, see Category:Aspec.

Asexual

Asexual is the most well-known and well-researched aspec identity. It's estimated that 1% of the world population identifies as asexual, and the largest aspec specific platform is AVEN - the Asexual Visibility and Education Network. Asexuals are people who experience little to no sexual attraction.

Aromantic

The second-best known aspec identity, an aromantic is someone who experiences little to no romantic attraction. Aromanticism sometimes overlaps with asexuality, though not always.

Aplatonic

Someone who experiences little to no platonic attraction, the attraction one feels towards people they want to be friends with.

Asensual

Someone who experiences little to no sensual attraction, which is the desire for non-sexual physical contact with a person.

Related Terms

Subsets

See Also

Gallery

Flags

On November 17 2019, user sapphic-squirrel coined another aspec pride flag often referred to as the aloe vera flag, though this flag also only referred to the aroace spectrum.[12] It was designed to mimic the sapphic, achillean, diamoric, and pluralian flags with three stripes and one plant. The green is for aromantics, the purple for asexuals, and grey is for the grey area between a- identities and allo- identities (which would represent greyasexuals, greyromantics, demisexuals, demiromantics, other mesi aros, mesi aces, split attraction users, and those that don't have solid labels but know they are somewhere under the umbrellas of asexual or aromantic.)

An alternate anattractional spectrum flag was designed by FANDOM user Unfunny person420 on April 16, 2021 through an edit on the LGBTA Wiki.[13] On July 1 2021, FANDOM user RavenFire803 coined a redesign of the aloe vera flag through an edit on the same wiki,[14] and on July 6th 2021, coined a striped aspec flag with no confirmed meanings.

Combinations

  • Aspec Ply

    Aspec Ply

  • Aspec Pan

    Aspec Pan

  • Tulipian flag, or aspec monospec multispec flag.

    Tulipian flag, or aspec monospec multispec flag.

  • Aspec Vincian

    Aspec Vincian

  • Aspec Sapphic

    Aspec Sapphic

  • Aspec Achellian

    Aspec Achellian

  • Trans Aspec Vincian

    Trans Aspec Vincian

  • Trans Aspec Sapphic

    Trans Aspec Sapphic

  • Trans Aspec Diamoric

    Trans Aspec Diamoric

  • Trans Aspec Diamoric (2)

    Trans Aspec Diamoric (2)

Other

  • Aspec-Mspec solidarity flag

    Aspec-Mspec solidarity flag

Sources

  1. ↑ Calgary Asexuals & Aromantics on A-Spec
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Pride-Color-Schemes post on aspec pride flags
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 ask-pride-color-schemes' coining of several anattractional flags, and definition for Anattractional Spectrum.
  4. ↑ Aspec Safety Net's post defining a-spectrum
  5. ↑ allopropaganda's post on aphobia using the term a-spectrum
  6. ↑ AVEN thread with the first known use of a-spec
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 UK National LGBT Survey Summary Report
  8. ↑ apersnickitylemon on the term aspec
  9. ↑ selectivelyserious on aspecs using "on the spectrum"
  10. ↑ https://archive.ph/XNWnS
  11. ↑ 2019 Asexual Community Survey Summary Report
  12. ↑ Coining of the aloe vera a-spec flag
  13. ↑ Anattractional Spectrum edit history on the LGBTA Wiki
  14. ↑ Edit history of A-Spec on the LGBTA Wiki
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 the-moon-is-aroace's aspec flag.
  16. ↑ pride-flags' and Starmashine's aspec flag, posted to pride-flags' DeviantArt.
  17. ↑ pride-flags' and Starmashine's aspec flag, posted to pride-flags' DeviantArt.
  18. ↑ pride-flags' posting of the aspec flag.
  19. ↑ pride-flags' posting of pride-flags-for-us' aspec flag.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 aroaesflags' posting of the aspec flag.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 imoga-pride's aspec flag.
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