There are many diverse experiences and identities within the asexual community.

There are many diverse experiences and identities within the asexual community. Here is a quick look at terms people may use to describe their asexuality or a related identity, along with a brief explanation. Note that this list is NOT exhaustive & new microlabels/identities are still coming out.

A Quick Word on Identities & Microlabels

For the sake of simplicity, we use the terms identities & microlabels (sometimes called categories or subcategories) pretty interchangeably. This is because it’s more important to find a label that feels like it fits you best than it is to worry about whether that term is an identity or microlabel, which could artificially force one to feel the need to identify with both an identity and microlabel even though they feel strongly about one term but not the other.

Note that it’s equally valid not to identify with any term at all. These terms only exist to provide a useful and helpful vocabulary that one can identify with, and if they don’t feel any of these labels apply or simply do not wish to participate in self-labeling, that choice is also valid and should be celebrated as well.

Still, for the curious, here’s a brief overview of the difference between an identity and a microlabel with some examples under the aspect umbrella.

The asexual spectrum (Ace-Spec) is a continuum of sexual orientations for people who experience little to no sexual attraction. The various terms used on this spectrum are generally broken down into asexual identities and more specific microlabels.

In short, asexual identities like Graysexual or Demisexual describe broad points on the spectrum, while microlabels (like Cupiosexual or Aegosexual) are finer terms that pinpoint a unique facet of an individual's ace experience. An individual may use a broad identity, a microlabel, or both.

Common Asexual Identities

These terms describe general experiences of sexual attraction:

Asexual (Ace): An umbrella term for anyone who experiences little or no sexual attraction. It is also a stand-alone identity for people who experience no sexual attraction.
Gray-Asexual (Graysexual / Gray-Ace): Describes people who experience sexual attraction very rarely, with very low intensity, or only under very specific circumstances. This is often considered the gray area between allosexual (non-asexual) and asexual.
Demisexual (Demi): Describes people who experience sexual attraction only after forming a strong emotional bond with someone. They do not experience primary (instant) sexual attraction.