the glossary · word
what does gray-asexual mean?
gray-asexual · also called gray-a
Gray-asexual, often shortened to gray-a, means sitting somewhere in the grey area of the asexual spectrum. Sexual attraction that is rare, or faint, or only turns up under very specific conditions. It is the word for people whose honest answer to 'do you experience sexual attraction' is 'sometimes, sort of, not really the way everyone else seems to'. It exists because sexuality is not two boxes with a wall between them, and being forced to answer either way makes people feel like they are lying. Gray-a is permission to describe your actual experience instead of rounding it to the nearest available label.
this one has a whole chapter under it. read: what asexuality is →
what to read on this
- The Invisible Orientation Julie Sondra Decker the introduction. the whole spectrum of words in one place, demisexual and gray-a included, written for someone who has just found the term.
- Ace Angela Chen what the ace spectrum shows everyone about desire, not just ace people. the clearest writing anywhere on compulsory sexuality. the vantage point most of my videos are written from.
amazon affiliate links. buying through one costs you nothing extra and keeps this page free. every book i recommend →
also asked
what is the difference between gray-asexual and demisexual?
Demisexual is specific about the condition: attraction arrives after a close bond. Gray-asexual is broader and does not specify. It just says rarely, or faintly, or under circumstances hard to pin down. Demisexual is one shape the grey area can take.
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