# a-spec
## English
### Alternative forms

* aspec

### Etymology

From a- (from asexual and aromantic) + spec, a clipping of spectrum.

### Pronunciation

* Audio (US):(file)
* IPA: /ˈeɪ.spɛk/

### Adjective

a-spec
* (neologism) On, or relating to, the asexual spectrum and/or aromantic spectrum. [from 21st c.]
    Hyponyms: (asexual spectrum) acespec, (aromantic spectrum) arospec
** 2017 December 7, Hayley Van Allen, "Where is the LGBTQ+ representation in Scripps core?", in The Scripps Voice, volume XXI, issue 04, page 4:
    A segment of Core could have been about solely the trans community, or the exclusion of bi, pan, and a-spec people from queer spaces […]
** 2018 June 2, “A is Not for Ally: Spare a Thought for Invisible Identities this Pride Month”, in The Panoptic‎, archived from the original on 6 April 2020:However, this article isn’t about what it means, or how it feels to be a-spec: it’s about the erasure (A-rasure?) of a-spec identities.
** 2017 March 31, “Jughead, Bughead, And The Need For Asexual & Aromantic Heroes In Comics”, in Comics Alliance‎, retrieved 6 April 2020:Jughead means a lot to aspec people
** 2020 March 12, “‘It’s Not You, It’s Not Me’ Centers Allosexual Feelings And Fails Asexual People”, in wearyourvoicemag.com‎, archived from the original on 6 April 2020:We can and should recognize that there is plenty of room for a multitude of reactions from a-spec folks because, like any other identity, we are not a monolith and we carry with us a multitude of experiences, desires, limitations, and perspectives.
** 2020 February 4, “Asexuality, Explained Through Cake”, in The Link‎, retrieved 6 April 2020:In the context of asexuality, it has led to the infantilization of people who are aspec, and in a lot of cases has pressured ace people to have sex, simply because they didn’t think not wanting to have sex was an option.
** 2018 October 27, “Explore the spectrum: Guide to finding your ace community”, in GLAAD‎, archived from the original on 1 August 2020:While the SAM was initially created by a-spec people, it can easily be used by people who are not asexual or aromantic.
** 2018 February 15, “Ace Jam created a space for games with asexual characters”, in Rock, Paper, Shotgun‎, retrieved 6 April 2020:Asexual representation in games is so sparse as to be virtually non-existent, and some of the few examples that there are reinforce incorrect beliefs about a-spec people.

#### Usage notes

* Some people have asserted that a-spec was first used by the autistic community to mean "on or relating to the autism spectrum", and view it as having been co-opted by the asexual and aromantic communities. Many autistic people argue that they have not heard a-spec used for the autism spectrum, and do not object to its use by asexuals and aromantics. Compare m-spec (“multisexual spectrum”).

### Noun

a-spec (plural a-specs)
* A person on the asexual spectrum and/or aromantic spectrum.
** 2022 April 15, Timaree Schmit, “Reader question: Asexual dating”, in Philadelphia Weekly‎:“Aspecs [those on the asexual spectrum] can have relationships with anyone. We’re not limited to being exclusively with other aspecs…. There always needs to be communication and establishing boundaries regardless of the relationship. […] ” – M
** 2023, Eris Young, Ace Voices: What it Means to Be Asexual, Aromantic, Demi or Grey-Ace, London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, →ISBN, page 29:This is why events like the Indigenous Aces panel and articles by a-specs from marginalised backgrounds are so important within the larger conversation around a-spec issues.

### References

* 1 2 Theresa Kenney, "Asexual Assemblages: Thinking Asexually About Sexual (Digital) Citizenship", paper submitted to McMaster University, page 31
* 1 2 Erin Ekins, Queerly Autistic: The Ultimate Guide for LGBTQIA+ Teens on the Spectrum, page 29

### Anagrams

* -scape, EAPCs, EPACs, Space, capes, paces, scape, space