a-spec

English

Simplified diagram of the aromantic and asexual spectra

Alternative forms

• aspec

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• IPA^(key): /ˈeɪ.spɛk/

Adjective

a-spec

1. (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^[1], retrieved 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^[2], 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^[3], 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^[4], 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^[5], 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^[6], 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)

1. A person on the asexual spectrum and/or aromantic spectrum.
   • 2022 April 15, Timaree Schmit, “Reader question: Asexual dating”, in Philadelphia Weekly‎^[7]:

     “Aspecs [those on the asexual spectrum]^[sic] 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.

Anagrams

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