Asexuality

Asexuality is a sexual orientation in which the individual does not experience sexual attraction. Asexuals (often abbreviated to "aces") may sill be romantically, platonically, sensually, and/or aesthetically attracted to people. Asexual is often considered a label on the ace spectrum, among others such as greysexual, demisexual, etc.

The Flag
The colors of the asexual flag are gray, black, purple, and white. Like the other pride flags, each colored stripe has a different meaning. Black symbolizes sexuality; grey symbolizes asexuality, demisexuality and the asexual spectrum; white symbolizes non-asexual partners as well as allies; and purple symbolizes the community.

Attraction
Depending on the person, someone who is asexual may be romantically, platonically, sensually and/or aesthetically be attracted to any gender, but not sexually.

Asexuality is often confused for aromanticism, but the difference is that asexuality is the lack of sexual attraction, and aromanticism is the lack of romantic attraction. Although many asexuals are also aromantic, it does not always go hand in hand. Some asexuals are not aromantic and some aromantics are not asexual.

Ace Ring
In 2005, some asexuals within the online AVEN community started wearing a black ring on their middle finger to symbolize asexuality, as opposed to a ring on your marriage finger.

Ace
An informal term, short for "asexual."

Ace of Hearts
Ace of Hearts is an asexual slang term used for an asexual individual who is also alloromantic, meaning they can experience romantic attraction. An example could be a Heteroromantic Ace or a Homoromantic Ace.

Ace of Spades
Ace of Spades is an asexual slang term used for an asexual individual who is also aromantic, meaning they cannot experience romantic attraction.

Allosexual
Allosexual is an asexual slang term that refers to anyone who experiences sexual attraction (someone who is not asexual; for example, a heterosexual or a bisexual are allosexuals). The romantic equivalent of this term is "alloromantic," which refers to someone who experiences romantic attraction.

Asexy
This asexual slang term has multiple meanings but usually refers to a person that asexuals are usually attracted to, for reason such as intelligence or personality rather than sexual appearance.

Gray-ace
An informal term, short for "gray-asexual" or someone with a sexual orientation on the Asexuality Spectrum.

Terminology
The word asexual combines the prefix a-, meaning "not" or "without," and sexual, referring to sex. Usage of the word was first recorded in the late 1700s. It was originally used in biology to refer to organisms, especially plants, that had no sex organs. By the 1800’s, it was used to describe organisms that could asexually reproduce. The word was first used to describe human sexuality in the 1960’s.

Flag
The asexual pride flag was first made in August 2010 by AVEN founder David Jay.