[[File:A-spec.svg|thumb|220x220px|The a-spec flag.|alt=A flag with four coloredcoloured rectangles. The top- right is dark green, the top left is black, the bottom right is graygrey, and the bottom left is purple. There is a white star in the middle. ]]
[[File:Aspec.png|thumb|The aloe vera a-spec flag.|180x180px]]
[[File:A spec flag.png|thumb|180x180px|The redesigned aloe vera a-spec flag.]]
[[File:Aroace aspec flag.jpg|alt=|thumb|The striped Aa-Specspec flag .|180x180px]]
[[File:Alt A-Spec Flag.jpg|thumb|180x180px|Alternative Aa-Specspec Flagflag.]]
'''A-spec''' (or '''A-spectrum''') is an [[Umbrella Term|umbrella term]] for all identities on the [[Asexual Spectrum|asexual spectrum]] and [[Aromantic Spectrum|aromantic spectrum]] spectrums. A-spec can describe an individual who is on the asexual spectrum, the aromantic spectrum, or [[Aroace Spectrum|both]].
A-spec is also sometimes used more broadly to include other identities that use the "a-" prefix, such as [[Agender|agender]] and [[Aplatonic|aplatonic]].<ref>{{Archive|URL=2020.08.09-195810/https://asafetynet.tumblr.com/post/112827135411/a-spectrum-safety-net}}</ref> [[Aroace Agender|Aroace agender]] is sometimes referred to ascalled AAA-spec (pronounced "triple-A-spec").
==Controversy==
[[Asexual]] and [[Aromantic|aromantic]] individuals have sometimes been accused of appropriating the term "a-spec" from the autistic community. However, the term was created in 2015 specifically for aces and aros and hashad no prior usage history before that point.<ref>{{Archive|URL=2018.04.14-072616/http://historicallyace.tumblr.com/post/161502315942/do-you-per-chance-know-when-asexuals-first}}</ref><ref>{{Archive|URL=2022.02.03-130600/https://apersnicketylemon.tumblr.com/post/189192893072/aspec-does-not-and-has-never-meant-autism}}</ref>
Within the asexual and aromantic communities, the use of the term "a-spec" has also been criticized for introducing confusion through frequent misuse, particularly regarding asexuals using "a-spec" when only asexual spectrum (ace-spec) individuals are relevant or through saying "a-spec and aro-spec", implying that the aromantic spectrum is not inherently included under the a-spec umbrella. Unfortunately, for some individuals, "a-spec" and "ace-spec" are phonetically indistinguishable when spoken aloud.<ref>{{Archive|URL=2022.02.03-130945/https://shades-of-grayro.tumblr.com/post/190426507065/again-im-not-critiquing-the-usefulness-of-a-word}}</ref>
==History==
The term a-spectrum was introduced by Tumblr users [https://www.tumblr.com/warriorsdebt warriorsdebt], whes, and [https://www.tumblr.com/strategicgoat strategicgoat] introduced the term a-spectrum in 2015.<ref>{{Archive|URL=2020.08.09-200247/https://warriorsdebt.tumblr.com/post/157795101420/wetwareproblem-aphobephobe-wetwareproblem}}</ref>
==Flag==
TheTumblr auser [https://www.tumblr.com/the-specmoon-is-aroace flag wasthe-moon-is-aroace] created by Tumblrthe user The-Moona-Is-Aroacespec flag on March 2525th, 2019.<ref>{{Archive|URL=2022.02.04-122940/https://the-moon-is-aroace.tumblr.com/post/183702972387/a-new-flag-for-the-aspec-community-just-an-idea-i}}</ref> The compass rose in the middle is a symbol ofsymbolises how individuals all experience [[Attraction|attraction]] in different waysdifferently, if at all. The green and purple are on opposite sides of the quadrant to show that [[Asexual|asexuality]] and [[Aromantic|aromanticism]] are their own separate and independent identities, with the black and grey quadrants connecting them. Black represents the [[Aroace|aroace]] community, and grey represents grey communities.
TheTumblr aloeusers vera[https://www.tumblr.com/sapphic-squirrel asapphic-specsquirrel] flagand was[https://www.tumblr.com/hetaces hetaces] designed bythe Tumblraloe usersvera Sapphica-Squirrelspec and Hetacesflag with help from the Inclusionist Discord Server, and wasthey posted it on November 1717th, 2019.<ref>{{Archive|URL=2021.12.07-223350/https://sapphic-squirrel.tumblr.com/post/189130109062/hello-everyone-i-want-to-present-a-community-flag}}</ref> It was designed to mimic the [[Sapphic|sapphic]], [[Achillean|achillean]], [[Diamoric|diamoric]], and [[Pluralian|pluralian]] flags with three stripes and one plant. The green is for aromantics, the purple for asexuals, and the grey is for the grey area between "a-" identities and [[Allosexual|"allo-]]" identities (including those that don't have solid labels but know they are somewhere under the umbrellas of asexual or aromantic).
AnTumblr alternative flag was created byuser [https://www.tumblr user.com/untitled-google-docs-document untitled-google-docs-document ] created an alternative flag on July 55th, 2022.<ref>{{Archive|Site=today|URL=https://www.tumblr.com/blog/view/untitled-google-docs-document/688973602249408512?source=share}}</ref> She created this flag mainly because the a-spec flags have only included aro and ace individuals and not aplatonic and agender individuals ,. andThus, thusshe wanted to make a flag inclusive to all a-spec individuals. The green stripe represents aromantic and agender individuals. The yellow string represents love and relationships outside of amatonormative ideas, it also represents how the community fights against [[Amatonormativity|amatonormativity ]] and radicalizesradicalises the word "love" , and also represents[[Tertiary Attraction|tertiary attraction ]]. The white stripes representsrepresent the diversity of the a-spec community. The blue stripe represents anyone who is aplatonic. The purple stripe represents asexual individuals and the a-spec community as a whole. The compass rose symbol was inspired fromby the-moon-is-aroace's a-spec flag, only changing the colorcolour for aesthetic reasons. ▼
The aloe vera flag was redesigned by RavenFire803 on July 1th, 2021 to represent the larger community. The aloe symbol was made to be both green and purple instead of just green to show balance.
The striped A-spec flag was coined by RavenFire803 on July 6th, 2021. It has no confirmed meaning.
▲An alternative flag was created by tumblr user untitled-google-docs-document on July 5, 2022.<ref>{{Archive|Site=today|URL=https://www.tumblr.com/blog/view/untitled-google-docs-document/688973602249408512?source=share}}</ref> She created this flag mainly because the a-spec flags have only included aro and ace individuals and not aplatonic and agender individuals, and thus wanted to make a flag inclusive to all a-spec individuals. The green stripe represents aromantic and agender individuals. The yellow string represents love and relationships outside of amatonormative ideas, it also represents how the community fights against amatonormativity and radicalizes the word "love" and also represents tertiary attraction. The white stripes represents the diversity of the a-spec community. The blue stripe represents anyone who is aplatonic. The purple stripe represents asexual individuals and the a-spec community as a whole. The compass rose symbol was inspired from the-moon-is-aroace's a-spec flag, only changing the color for aesthetic reasons.
==References==
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[[Category:Identity]]
[[Category:Verified Resources]]
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