#aspec symbols

[it-is-only-a-novel]

Aspec symbols

So I've been trying to gather a list of aspec symbols! Old and new, widely accepted, but also more obscure. Here's my list so far, including links and explanations (in italics) where possible. I've tried also to add in the specific labels that the symbols "belong to" where relevant/possible.

Arospec:

the color green (and anything green)

white aro ring which is worn on the middle finger of the left hand link

aro flag

archery (bow & arrow)

arrows of any type

frogs they are green (this is a more general queer symbol as well) link & link

yellow roses (& yellow flowers in general, seems to be more for alloplatonic aros, since yellow represents platonic love) link

sunflowers (aroallos) aroallo flag colors link

aardvarks link

anglerfish link

manticores link

rats link

nandays and caiques link

griffins link

phoenixs link

anatomical hearts distancing ourselves from the regular outlook on love, and/or love in general may be more for loveless and/or heartless aros

<2 link

succulents green

cacti green & many do not want romantic partners and can be seen as prickly, or want to be prickly

plants in general green!!

"no romo"

hummingbirds (aroallos) link

pineapples (aroallos) link

pizza & ice cream link

kiwis link

the emojis:🫀, 🏹, ↖️, ↗️, 🌻, 💚,🍍, 🍏, 💘 explanations: link

paper crowns references jughead jones from the archie comics link

Acespec:

dragons link

cake cake is better than sex link

garlic bread

the color purple

black ace ring which is worn on the middle finger of the right hand link

ace flag

space

pirates "Ace pirates aren’t interested in your booty" link

wolves

ghosts (demisexuals) link

axolotls

denim vests

cryptids

AVEN triangle

ace cards suits: spades-aroaces, Hearts-Alloromantics, Diamonds-deamisexuals, Clubs-grey-asexuls link

the emojis: 💜, ♠️

some of these are based off this post, and this master post

Aplspec:

the colors blue & yellow in the apl flag

apples (green apples can be geared toward apls that are also aros)

blue heart 💙

bees

iridescence

apl flag

blue roses link

Blue apl ring on the thumb link

based off of this post, explanations are there.

Aspec:

aliens & robots reclaiming stereotypes about dehumanization link

Artemis goddess in Greek mythology focused on her passion for hunting. Represents finding fulfilment in other aspects of life not only sex, romance, friendship, love, and so on. Also used a bow & arrow link and also my own interpretation from reading about her

Many thanks to @merely-a-caricature, @the-big-gayheart, @heartless-aro, @arosunflower, @saffigon, @crab-in-progress, @aroace-thoughts, @apl-aro-narc, @entropy-sea-system, @dateademisexualpersonwho, @legally-x, @askanaroace, @aroace-people-are-lgtbq, @the-amber-droid-dreams, @foolishfynnesse and @itsnotasecret20 I used their posts/reblogs/comments to compile many of these symbols (and I've linked the posts). If I've missed someone, I apologize, it isn't intentional!

Last edit: 23/2/2024

I also want to add, that this post doesn't include all aspec identities, such as agender, afamilial, asensual, and more. They are important parts of the community, but I'm only informed on some, so couldn't include them.

[isobug]

Aroaceflux symbol

I noticed the Aroaceflux symbol was currently missing from the LGBTA wiki, so I'm posting the clean version I have here for archival reasons ( I previously used it on this Alloaroaceflux flag ).

It's a combination of the Aroflux and Aceflux symbols by wiki user WiiFyneLM.

The post source link leads to a vector image / .SVG file for the symbol. ( If anyone wants me too I can also convert the Aroflux and Aceflux symbols. ) I'll also try to put it up on my Deviantart ( isobug )

Taglist - @radiomogai ( for archival purposes )

[aro-but-not-ace]

Favorite aspec symbol?

I really like the idea of the rings (black for ace/white for aro). I also like garlic bread as a symbol for aces. I also like the griffin as an aro symbol because I have no clue where it came from and it’s so random to me (I assume it does have an origin, but not knowing it makes it seem like the aro community just went “yep, griffins” one day).

[it-is-only-a-novel]

Can I interest you in this post I made? /rt

So I’ve been hearing a lot about bisexual culture lately as in; clear phone cases, not being able to sit correctly, cuffed jeans, etc

Are there things like that that are considered asexual culture?

Besides loving cake and dragons😂😂

[redysetdare]

Y'all realize garlic bread started as an asexual symbol first right? The whole start of it was in reference to "garlic bread is better than sex" idk where the idea came about that it started as an aromantic symbol with "bad garlic breath saving you from kissing"???

Not saying garlic bread can't be a shared symbol but it's super weird to hear ppl claiming it was an aro only symbol and completely ignoring the roots it has as a symbol in the ace community??

[a-specconfessions]

I do not like garlic bread

👀

[alloaroworlds]

I was very excited to discover miniature arrow charms in the scrapbooking section at my local craft store and a pair of pineapple-print underpants in my unworn spare-clothes stash*. With the addition of a colour-block T-shirt in allo-aro colours, my dolls are being extra aromantic this Pride Month.

(* Autism sensory stuff means the challenge of finding clothes with the right kind of not-hurting-me seams and fabrics, so when garments I tolerate go on clearance, I collect a few spares. I figure it's worth sacrificing one to make a pineapple doll top, though!)

[styrofauxm]

On aroace flags...

I want to be very clear, I am not criticizing anyone specific, but rather the current ways of combining the asexual and aromantic flags into a cohesive flag.

But I've had this floating around my head for a while, and I saw a post similar to it today, so I thought I'd throw in my two cents.

Cut because it got long.

In the ace flag, black means asexuality, gray means gray/demi sexual, white is for allosexual allies of asexual people, and purple means community. (I lost the link to the AVEN post, but someone dedicated can find it. Otherwise you can just look up the meanings on the internet to verify).

In the aro flag, the green and light green stripes are for the aromantic spectrum, white is for non-romantic attraction, and black and grey are for the sexuality spectrum. (Post by the creator saying this here: https://www.tumblr.com/cameronwhimsy/102698477928/whoops-yeah-i-just-realised-i-never-actually-made?source=share).

So black, grey, and white all mean different things for each flag, yet in most combination flags, they only appear once. Do they mean what they mean on the aromantic flag or what they mean on the asexual flag?

The light green and green don't have any arbitrary separations for people who do and don't feel romantic attraction, and the grey and black of the aro flag don't have that for sexual attraction either, while the asexual flag does. Cutting out one of the green stripes or moving the black and grey away from each other don't make sense in the context of the aromantic flag.

I've also seen some that add an extra purple stripe. It doesn't mean anything, it's just aesthetic.

Whether or not you like the sunset aroace flag, it is a good example to look at when trying to create a flag to represent aroace people. It keeps the association with asexuality and aromanticism, without using the original colors in ways that don't quite fit. (Color meaning breakdown by the creator here: https://aroaesflags.tumblr.com/post/181034758671/revised-aroace-flag-after-some-conversation-among).

The whole point of having pride flags is to have a meaningful symbol to represent our communities. For aroace people, mashing two together keeps the association with asexuality and aromanticism, but loses the deeper meaning behind each flag.

Honestly, as an aroace person, I think the only way to really design an aroace flag is to depart from the imagery of either flag. That ensures the meanings are solid, and it ensures no one in accidentally excluded (which is, to my understanding, why the sunset flag was created originally - to have a community symbol that included the whole community inherently). But I understand not everyone shares the sentiment.

So, from one aroace person to another, if you are going to design an aroace flag that's based on the ace and aro flags, please keep in mind what those colors mean in the context of each flag, and don't put them in just to have them. And be sure that your design properly includes everyone you are trying to represent.

[alicornze7]

Happy (late) international asexuality day!

this took a whole weekend...

it’s literally my day and I missed it how can I even call myself an ace smh/j

[entropy-sea-system]

You know what? I'm actually so fucking sick of people pretending that all aros can be included in asexual symbols. Alloaros and non-ace aros deserve to be included and not have it implied that we all are comfortable with ace symbols being used for us, or assumed that we are 'forgetting' the aros for whom asexuality is a major part of their aromanticism when they're so overrepresented and the rest of us hardly get represented, and aromanticism had to become its own community. They make it all about their own feelings and talk over aros who are uncomfortable having it implied that all of us want asexual symbols used for us. We have to try so hard to be seen as not asexual just because we are aro and here you are shoving us into that box again.

[it-is-only-a-novel]

Hi, could you by any chance make an the aspec symbols post article somewhere else than tumblr so it could be cited in the wikipedia for aromanticism? Sorry if this is too big an ask.

That sounds like fun actually. But I honestly wouldn't know how to do it. I don't have a blog outside Tumblr.

If there are any suggestions, I'd be happy to see if I can do it. I'm open to starting a different blog or something, any suggestions are welcome.

[isobug]

General Aplatonic / Apl symbols

Made for fun, in no way am I claiming this is "official" or that anyone has to use it or anything. I just had a lot of fun making my Poison Apl symbol and I wanted to do something else with the format!

Anyone on the Aplatonic spectrum / who is Aplspec in any way can use ( and is included ) in these!

These incorporate multiple Aplatonic / Apl symbols! Bees, blue roses, and apples. The color of the apples / rose are the colors of this Apl flag, while the bee is the colors of the second Apl flag here. I wanted to represent both color schemes because I personally use both flags, and I wanted it to be inclusive of all Apls regardless of flag preference.

I gave the blue rose thorns, as a way of reclaiming stereotypes about Apls being "distant" ( a rose creates distance between itself and others with it's thorns ) because of their Aplatonicism ( especially Nonfriending and Nonpartnering Apls ) or "thorny/mean" for not wanting casual friendships / being friendship repulsed / to randomly be called "friend" / any friendships or friends / not wanting or experiencing "love" in general, especially "platonic love"

I know some prefer yellow apples while others prefer a green apples ( especially aplaros / aroapls ) so I made two versions! Use whichever you want, or use both at the same time!

Here's the Apl bee by itself because it's cute:

Free to be used anywhere by anyone as always! If there are any typos or discrepancies please kindly let me know ( I'm editing this on low sleep, sorry! )

Taglist - @radiomogai, @daybreakthing, @aroapl

[cashewally-sarcastic]

Bestie. Amos. Normal about her

I'm so normal about her every day I swear.

[aq2003]

Regarding the aro Doctor poll, I'm guessing it's propaganda number 2? (Also, yes sweep!!!)

yes !!!!!!! 5 dollar prize amd a cookie to anon (poll)

[redysetdare]

I'm not aroallo but omg their flag is SO PRETTY. Green and yellow are some of my favorite colors and so their flag is just stunning to me like genuinely.

[the-flag-collector]

Orchidspec

"Orchid spectrum is an umbrella term for orientations that hold Attraction without Action, or “Allo through an Aspec Lense”." - mogai.miraihaze.org

Original term and flag by Plurgai. Alt flags below by warnlistrecoins