The asexual spectrum or asexual umbrella is a group of sexual orientations that all fall under the umbrella term of asexual. People on the asexual spectrum may completely lack sexual attraction or feel it so little that they relate more to the asexual experience than to the allosexual experience. The common link between people on the asexual spectrum is that they do not feel the "standard" amount of sexual attraction or feel it in the "standard" way.
People on the asexual spectrum are often referred to as "ace-spec" for short. Ace-spec people can have any romantic orientation, including aromantic.
Ace-Spec Identities
While there are numerous ace-spec identities, some are more common, like asexual, demisexual, and greysexual, and can stand on their own as identities. Other common ace-spec identities include:
- Aceflux
- Acespike
- Fictosexual
- Fraysexual
- Inactsexual
- Lithosexual, formerly known as akiosexual
- Reciprosexual
Microlabels
Some identities in the asexual spectrum are microlabels or identities that fall under the umbrella but cannot stand on their own and must be used in addition to another ace-spec label. Some common ace-spec microlabels include:
- Aegosexual, also known as autochorisexual
- Apothisexual
- Bellussexual
- Caedsexual
- Cupiosexual
- Iamvanosexual
- Myrsexual
- Placiosexual
- Requisexual
Terminology
Terms like sex-ambivalent, sex-favorable, sex-indifferent, and sex-repulsed help ace-spec people explain their relationship with sex. Ace-spec people may also have a non-standard understanding of attraction, particularly sexual attraction.
Other terms help ace-spec people discuss their orientation beyond sex, such as romantic orientation, the Split Attraction Model, and tertiary attraction. Terms like angled, electio, and oriented are useful for ace-spec people who are also part of the aromantic spectrum, also known as "aroace."
Flag
Although the asexual flag can be used to represent the asexual spectrum, two flags were created that represents all ace-spec people, not just focusing on people who exclusively identify as asexual. The flags were created by Tumblr user potionflags on July 25, 2020[1] and Instagram user sude.the.acespec on June 16, 2021.
For the first flag, the dark blue or black stripe represents the asexual community, its history and solidarity. The purple stripe comes from the asexual flag and represents all asexual identities. The pink stripe represents self-determination, pride in one's identity, and acceptance of one's own and others' asexuality. The cream stripe represents diversity in experiences and types of attractions.
For the second flag, the black stripe represents the spectrum, sexualities that is under the asexual spectrum. The purple stripe also comes from the asexual flag and represents the community, people of different regions, religions, genders, sexual or romantic attractions that is in the asexual spectrum. The white stripe represents the acceptance of being in the asexual spectrum, being proud of it. The gray stripe is for the allies, and supporters that accepts the asexual spectrum community no matter what.
An alternate ace-spec flag was created by FANDOMS user DistinctiveSoy, 20th July 2021. The purple represents all the variation of asexual identities, the white represents inclusivity, the grey represents acceptance of oneself and others, the black represents aro-ace people and the spiral represents how different ace-spec sexualities are from allo-spec sexualities.
References
2. Instagram post creating the second asexual spectrum flag.