Asexual spectrum

The ace-spec flag by Potion.

pronunciation guide

The **asexual spectrum**, or **ace-spec**, is an umbrella term for sexual orientations which involve little to no sexual attraction. Sexual attraction experienced by ace-spec people may be vague, conditional, fleeting, fluctuating, restricted, or otherwise limited, if experienced at all. Ace-spec people may or may not experience romantic and/or tertiary attraction. Common examples of ace-spec identities include asexuality, greysexuality, and demisexuality.

## Etymology

*A-* is a prefix meaning "not" or "without". "Spec" is short for "spectrum," representing the wide range of identities and experiences included under this umbrella. "Ace-spec" is short for "asexual spectrum."

## Under the umbrella

This section covers examples of ace-spec identities. There are many identities under the ace-spec umbrella, and this is not a complete list. Everything is sorted in alphabetical order, following the asexual label.

### Asexual

   ***Main article:** Asexual*

Asexual is a sexual orientation in which one experiences no sexual attraction. It is also sometimes used as an umbrella term for all identities under the asexual spectrum, or is defined as experiencing *little to no* attraction; under this definition, an asexual person may experience *some* limited attraction. Asexuality only specifies a lack of sexual attraction; asexual people may or may not experience romantic or tertiary attraction. Asexual people also have varying personal stances on sexual activity, as well as varying libido levels.

### Abrosexual

   ***Main article:** Abrosexual*

Abrosexual is a sexual orientation which is experienced fluidly. In other words, abrosexual people experience sexual attraction which changes over time. Abrosexuality is not inherently an ace-spec identity, but may sometimes fall under this umbrella.

### Aceflux

   ***Main article:** Aceflux*

Aceflux is a sexual orientation which fluctuates, but always or generally stays within the asexual spectrum. It is also alternatively defined as an orientation in which one's identity fluctuates between asexuality and allosexuality.

### Acespike

    ***Main article:** Acespike*

Acespike is a sexual orientation in which one is typically asexual, but experiences occasional, brief spikes of sexual attraction. Acespike people primarily experience little to no sexual attraction, but will sometimes suddenly experience attraction intensely.

### Aegosexual

    ***Main article:** Aegosexual*

Aegosexual, also known as anegosexual, is a sexual orientation in which one experiences a disconnect between oneself and the source of arousal. Aegosexual people do not experience sexual attraction, but may still have sexual fantasies, become aroused by material (such as pornography or erotica), or otherwise engage in sexuality in a way which is removed from personal participation in sex. Aegosexual people may fantasize about sex from a third-person perspective, without being directly involved.

### Apothisexual

    ***Main article:** Apothisexual*

Apothisexual is a sexual orientation in which one is asexual and sex-repulsed. Apothisexual people do not experience sexual attraction, and find sexual activity to be disgusting, or otherwise unenjoyable. Apothisexual people are not necessarily sex-negative, which is a political stance that brands sexuality as being immoral and/or shameful.

### Autosexual

    ***Main article:** Autosexual*

Autosexual is a sexual orientation in which one experiences attraction to oneself, either primarily or exclusively. Autosexual people are attracted to themselves more than they are attracted to other people, if they are attracted to other people at all. It is also sometimes defined as a term for people who favor masturbation over sex.

### Coeosexual

    ***Main article:** Coeosexual*

Coeosexual is a sexual orientation in which one can only experience sexual attraction if it was formed upon first meeting the person, and otherwise will not experience attraction to them at any point. It can be described as requiring feelings adjacent to "love at first sight" in order to experience sexual attraction. It can be described as the opposite of demisexual, and is similar to fraysexual.

### Cupiosexual

    ***Main article:** Cupiosexual*

Cupiosexual, also known as kalossexual, is a sexual orientation in which one is asexual and sex-favorable. Cupiosexual people desire sexual activity and/or sexual relationships, despite not experiencing sexual attraction. There are many reasons that a cupiosexual person may want to have sex, such as for physical stimulation and pleasure, emotional closeness and bonding, or pleasing their partner.

### Demisexual

    ***Main article:** Demisexual*

Demisexual is a sexual orientation in which one cannot experience sexual attraction until a strong emotional bond is formed. Once that emotional bond is formed, attraction is not guaranteed; it is only made possible. It is sometimes described as the state of being asexual until forming a strong emotional bond. Demisexuality is often mistaken for a preference over sexual activity, as many allosexual people prefer not to have sex until they know the person better. However, unlike allosexual people (who may simply abstain from *acting* on existing attractions), demisexual people don't experience those attractions at all until forming that emotional bond. Demisexual people may also choose to have sex with a person they don't know well, and/or experience no attraction to.

### Fictosexual

    ***Main article:** Fictosexual*

Fictosexual, also known as fictisexual or fictiosexual, is a sexual orientation in which one experiences attraction to fictional characters, primarily or exclusively. This means that one's attraction is directed towards objects of fantasy more so than real people. Fictosexual people experience a disconnect between the tangible world and the attraction they experience. It can also be used as an umbrella term for more specific identities involving exclusive or primary attraction to fictional characters, such as cartosexual.

### Fraysexual

    ***Main article:** Fraysexual*

Fraysexual, also known as ignotasexual, is a sexual orientation in which one is capable of experiencing attraction to strangers, or to people immediately after meeting them, but are unable to continue to experience that attraction once an emotional bond has been formed. It is sometimes described as the opposite of demisexuality.

### Greysexual

    ***Main article:** Greysexual*

Greysexual, also known as grey-asexual, grey-ace, or grey-a (and alternatively spelled graysexual, gray-asexual, or gray-ace), is a broad term for people who are on the asexual spectrum, but not strictly asexual. This includes vague, conditional, fleeting, fluctuating, restricted, or otherwise limited sexual attraction, as well as people who are unsure of whether they experience sexual attraction or not. It is sometimes described as the experience of relating to asexuality, while also not wholly lacking sexual attraction.

### Iamvanosexual

    ***Main article:** Iamvanosexual*

Iamvanosexual, sometimes misspelled as lamvanosexual (*L*amvanosexual) due to sans serif fonts, and also known as accipiosexual, is a sexual orientation in which one wants to receive sexual acts, but not perform sexual acts on other people. Iamvanosexual people may be repulsed by the thought or act of performing sexual acts on other people, or may feel neutral towards it. It is the opposite of placiosexual.

### Iculasexual

    ***Main article:** Iculasexual*

Iculasexual, also known as iculace or pothisexual, is sexual orientation in which one is asexual and sex-indifferent or sex-favorable. Iculasexual people experience little to no sexual attraction, but are open to sexual acts and/or sexual relationships nonetheless. It is similar to cupiosexuality.

### Lithosexual

    ***Main article:** Lithosexual*

Lithosexual, also known as lithsexual, akoisexual, or akoinesexual, is a term for people who experience sexual attraction, but whose attraction fades once reciprocated. It can also be defined as a sexual orientation in which one experiences sexual attraction, but does not want others to be attracted to them, nor return their attractions.

### Myrsexual

    ***Main article:** Myrsexual*

Myrsexual is a sexual orientation in which one experiences multiple ace-spec identities simultaneously. This can be any combination of ace-spec identities, as well as any number of them. For example, a person could be fictosexual and greysexual, or demisexual, iamvanosexual, and iculasexual, or any other combination of ace-spec identities.

### Placiosexual

***Main article:** Placiosexual*

Placiosexual is a sexual orientation in which one wants to perform sexual acts on other people, but not receive them. Placiosexual people may be repulsed by the thought or act of being the recipient in sexual activity, or may feel neutral towards it. It is the opposite of iamvanosexual.

### Proculsexual

    ***Main article:** Proculsexual*

Proculsexual is a sexual orientation in which one exclusively or primarily experiences attraction to people who are unobtainable, out of reach, or otherwise cannot realistically become the person's partner. This includes attraction to celebrities, fictional characters, and similarly unobtainable individuals. This is also sometimes used as an umbrella term for more specific identities, such as fictosexual.

### Quoisexual

    ***Main article:** Quoisexual*

Quoisexual, also known as whatsexual or WTFsexual, is a sexual orientation defined by confusion, vagueness, and/or obscurity. A quoisexual person may not understand or relate to the concepts of sexual attraction and/or sexual orientation. Quoisexuality may involve confusion related to what sexuality is, whether or not one experiences it, and how to differentiate it from other forms of attraction.

Quoisexuality can also feel blurry and unclear, and may center around general confusion around one's identity and attraction. It can also refer to a lack of identification with sexual orientation as a concept, and can additionally serve as a label for people who cannot fit into more specific identities. Quoisexuality can also refer to when one does not experience sexual attraction in a "traditional" manner. It is sometimes used as a catch-all term for people who know they're somewhere on the asexual spectrum, but aren't sure where.

### Reciprosexual

    ***Main article:** Reciprosexual*

Reciprosexual, also known as recipsexual, is a sexual orientation in which one only experiences attraction to people whom they know are attracted to them. Reciprosexual people cannot experience attraction to a person unless they already know that the person is attracted to them; it is a sexual orientation in which one exclusively reciprocates the existing attraction of other people. This does not mean that reciprosexual people always reciprocate sexual attraction. However, reciprosexual people *only* reciprocate attraction, rather than being the first person involved to experience it.

## Flag

The asexual flag was created through collaboration within the asexual community in 2010. The black stripe represents a lack of sexual attraction, the grey stripe represents the grey area between asexuality and allosexuality, the white stripe represents allosexual allies, and the purple stripe represents the community as a whole. While the flag is often used to represent asexuality specifically, it can also represent the asexual spectrum as a whole.

A seven-striped ace-spec flag was designed by (now deactivated) Tumblr user lgbtrainbowdolls, and a high resolution version was posted to by DeviantArt user Pride-Flags on January 29, 2017. The flag was likely designed with the intention of being explicitly inclusive of the asexual spectrum as a whole, rather than being centered around asexuality specifically. The black stripe represents asexuality, the grey stripe represents greysexuality, the purple stripe represents demisexuality, the red stripe represents placiosexuality and iamvanosexuality, the orange stripe represents lithosexuality, the pink stripe represents cupiosexuality, and the blue stripe represents autosexuality and fraysexuality.

An alternate ace-spec flag was designed by Potion on July 25, 2020. This flag was also specifically intended to represent the entire asexual spectrum, rather than focusing on primarily on asexuality. Dark blue represents the ace-spec community, its history, and solidarity. Purple represents asexuality in all forms, including asexuality itself, greysexuality, demisexuality, or any other ace-spec label. Pink represents self-determination, pride in one's identity, and asexual acceptance. Cream represents diversity and variations in attraction.

## References

1. ↑ All Terms. AUREA. Archived from the original on January 29, 2022.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 Pasquier, Morgan (2018-10-27). explore the spectrum: guide to finding your ace community. GLAAD. Archived from the original on April 30, 2022.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 Terms to Know. Out Front Theatre Company. Archived from the original on September 29, 2023.
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 So What Does it Mean to be Graysexual?. Greatist (2021-04-20). Archived from the original on July 2, 2023.
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 General FAQ. AVEN. Archived from the original on January 8, 2022.
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 The a-spectra. Asexuality Handbook. Archived from the original on July 2, 2023.
7. ↑ 7.00 7.01 7.02 7.03 7.04 7.05 7.06 7.07 7.08 7.09 7.10 7.11 7.12 Full Dictionary. Western Aces. Archived from the original on July 2, 2023.
8. ↑ a-. Dictionary.com.
9. ↑ Overview. AVEN. Archived from the original on October 17, 2021.
10. ↑ 10.00 10.01 10.02 10.03 10.04 10.05 10.06 10.07 10.08 10.09 10.10 Hardell, Ash. *The ABC's of LGBT+*. Mango Media Inc., 2016-11-08. ISBN 9781633534087.
11. ↑ LGBTQ+ 101 – What does abrosexual mean?. Gay Times (2021-06-21). Archived from the original on July 2, 2023.
12. ↑ Glatzer, Jenna (2021-08-27). What does it mean to be aceflux? This micro-label is gaining traction in the asexual community. Mic. Archived from the original on July 2, 2023.
13. ↑ What Does Aceflux Mean? + Other Aceflux Information To Help You Be A Better Ally!. Queer In The World. Archived from the original on July 2, 2023.
14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 14.5 14.6 Grey-asexuality. Asexuality Handbook. Archived from the original on July 2, 2023.
15. ↑ Shirodkar, Edha (2021-02-01). History of Aegosexuality. The Michigan Gayly. Archived from the original on February 14, 2022.
16. ↑ Aegosexual. SlangLang. Archived from the original on July 2, 2023.
17. ↑ Flannigan, Amy Maria (2015-09-25). Being An Apothisexual. Our Queer Stories. Archived from the original on July 2, 2023.
18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 WebMD Editorial Contributors (2021-06-28). What is Autosexual?. Archived from the original on July 2, 2023.
19. ↑ Ferguson, Sian. What Does It Mean to Be Autosexual?. Healthline. Archived from the original on July 2, 2023.
20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 Hsieh, Carina (2020-05-28). Autosexual. Cosmopolitan. Archived from the original on July 2, 2023.
21. ↑ r/coeosexuality: Hello friends. Archived from the original on July 2, 2023.
22. ↑ Sirpurplepants0 (2020-03-21). Coeosexuality (original coining). Sexuality Wiki. Archived from the original on July 2, 2023.
23. ↑ Hsieh, Carina; Kibbe, Kayla. What Does It Mean to Be Cupiosexual?. Cosmopolitan. Archived from the original on July 2, 2023.
24. ↑ Davis, Georgia (2022-02-24). What Does Cupiosexual Mean? It's One Of Many Asexual Micro Labels. Women's Health. Archived from the original on July 2, 2023.
25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 Savage, Dan (2021-07-07). Savage Love: Lose desire after getting to know someone? You’re fraysexual. NOW. Archived from the original on July 2, 2023.
26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 What Is Graysexuality?. WebMD (2021-06-29). Archived from the original on July 2, 2023.
27. ↑ Minor, Rebecca (2022-05-31). What is Fictosexuality?. Gender Specialist. Archived from the original on July 2, 2023.
28. ↑ Karhulahti, Veli-Matti; Välisalo, Tanja (2021-0-12). Fictosexuality, Fictoromance, and Fictophilia: A Qualitative Study of Love and Desire for Fictional Characters. Frontiers. Archived from the original on July 2, 2023.
29. ↑ fictosexual Meaning. dictionary.com.
30. ↑ Court, Andrew (2022-04-27). What is fictosexuality? All about the real people turned on by fictional characters. New York Post. Archived from the original on July 2, 2023.
31. ↑ Kassel, Gabrielle (2021-02-16). ‘I Prefer Having Sex With People I Don’t Know Well—Here’s How My Partner and I Are Making It Work’. Well+Good. Archived from the original on July 2, 2023.
32. ↑ Oak, Golden (2020-01-01). Fraysexuality, Sexless Marriage, and the Love/Lust Split. Medium.
33. ↑ likeappletrees (2015-08-03). Fraysexuality. AVEN. Archived from the original on July 2, 2023.
34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 PRIDE UMD (2021-10-26). Hope y'all are having a good #AceWeek!. Archived from the original on October 26, 2021.
35. ↑ Pride-Flags (2015-08-21). Iamvano-. Archived from the original on July 2, 2023.
36. ↑ Pride-Flags (2015-08-22). Iculasexual. Archived from the original on July 2, 2023.
37. ↑ Everything You Need To Know About Lithosexuality. Wordpress (2017-10-26). Archived from the original on July 2, 2023.
38. ↑ Lithosexual. Taimi (2021-12-10). Archived from the original on July 2, 2023.
39. ↑ Gayety Team (2021-10-09). Are You Lithosexual? Here Are 5 Signs You Might Be. Gayety. Archived from the original on July 2, 2023.
40. ↑ Sto (2015-09-09). Myrsexual and Myrromantic flags!. Archived from the original on January 12, 2017.
41. ↑ Pride-Flags (2015-07-03). Placio-. Archived from the original on July 2, 2023.
42. ↑ Beyond MOGAI Pride Flags (2016-12-02). Proculsexual Pride Flag. Archived from the original on July 2, 2023.
43. ↑ 43.0 43.1 43.2 quoisexual Meaning. dictionary.com (2019-02-07).
44. ↑ 44.0 44.1 44.2 Pride-Flags (2015-07-03). Quoi- / WTF- / What- (1). Archived from the original on July 2, 2023.
45. ↑ Olsen, Billie (2022-02-05). What Does the Term Reciprosexual Mean?. LGBTQ and All. Archived from the original on July 2, 2023.
46. ↑ What Are Reciprosexuality And Reciproromanticism?. Poly Land. Archived from the original on July 2, 2023.
47. ↑ bristrek (2010-08-11). Asexual Flag: And the winner is...... Archived from the original on July 18, 2013.
48. ↑ Siggy (2018-02-21). The Ace Flag: A History and Celebration. Archived from the original on July 2, 2023.
49. ↑ Pride-Flags (2017-01-29). Acespec. Archived from the original on July 2, 2023.
50. ↑ Potion (2020-07-25). Asexual spectrum flag!. Archived from the original on July 2, 2023.