Greysexual, Greyasexual, or Grey-Asexual and sometimes shortened as Grace or Grey-Ace (also spelled with Gray instead of Grey) is a sexual orientation for those who relate with Asexuality, yet feel that there are parts of their experience that aren't fully described by the word Asexual.
It is an orientation under the A-spec umbrella, specifically Ace-spec. In itself, Greysexual can be used as its own identity or as an umbrella term for Ace-spec orientations that are not strictly Asexual (Greyspec).
Some Greysexual experiences may include:
- Experiencing sexual attraction infrequently.
- Experiencing sexual attraction frequently but not as frequent as Allosexual people.
- Experience sexual attraction very weakly.
- Feeling sexual attraction but not desiring sex or a sexual relationship.
- Feeling unsure about how to identify sexual attraction or how to draw the line between sexual and non-sexual, and consequently feeling unsure about having experienced it or not.
- Experiencing attraction that is only ambiguously sexual.
- Feeling alienated from romance.
- Feeling attraction only in specific circumstances.
- Finding Asexuality a useful idea, even if it isn't a perfect fit.
Greysexual can also be combined with other sexual orientations. For example, one could be greysexual and Bisexual (greybisexual), meaning that one rarely experiences sexual attraction, but when they do it's towards two or more genders.
History
The concept of Greysexuality developed in the early 2000s on the AVEN forums.[1] In 2003, an AVEN member proposed the concept of "Semisexuality," naming a half-way point between being Asexual and not. Later, in 2006, AVEN member KSpaz proposed the term "Gray-A" to describe the "fuzzy" space in the Asexual Spectrum.[2]
Related Terms
Subsets
For a more comprehensive list, see Category:Greyspec
See Also
- Greyromantic
- Greyspec
Gallery
Flags
The greysexual flag was designed by Milith Rusignuolo and was via upload to Wikipedia on June 21, 2013.[3] It was supposed to be symbolic of someone starting out with no sexual attraction, represented by purple representing asexuality, then entering a single episode of it attraction (grey to white) with white representing allosexuality from the asexual flag, and then going back to being asexual.
On December 3rd, 2020 a second greyasexual flag was coined by a user going by Angel. The darker shades represent occasional sexual attraction, the mid-way shades represent being on the ace spectrum, the lightest shades represent feeling no sexual attraction, and the white represents community. [6]
The second alternate greysexual flag was designed by Reddit user U/AkidIguess on November 22, 2020.
Another alternate greysexual flag made by Nyoomster in LGBTA+ Wiki discord.
The third alternate greysexual flag was designed by Reddit user u/adeltae on April 19, 2021. The black represents no sexual attraction, the dark grey represents very little sexual attraction, the purple represents conditional sexual attraction, the light grey represents some sexual attraction, but not as much as allosexual people, and the white represents community.
On June 27, 2021, another flag was submitted by nyoomster on the LGBTA+ wiki discord. The flag should recapture the feeling that comes with being in a grey zone, signalised by the grey boarders surrounding the purple colors of the ace spectrum. The purples have been given a slightly darker and refined shade to hint at the uncertainty that may come with being greysexual and to give it a more modern and easy to recognise look.