#'you're straight/gay/bi you're just broken right now.' actually maybe they're experiencing something that aligns with asexuality.

[knifearo]

reminder to everyone that trauma IS a valid reason to use aspec labels. "i don't know if i'm aspec or just traumatized—" protip!!! you can be both!!!! the thing about labels is that they're not immutable states of being that you're born as. they're literally just words that we use to describe our lived experiences, and if asexual or aromantic or any related label feel relevant to the way that you experience attraction, whether it's a result of trauma or not, they're there for you to use. having trauma as a cause does not invalidate the fact that someone is experiencing lesser or no attraction. that's still the aspec experience babey. use the label if you want it's there for you <3

#kissing every traumatized aspec person on the forehead. with permission of course #obviously the labels aren't gonna be right for everyone but like... #i see a lot of discussion around this topic and it's actually SO important to me to bring up every time #that labels are just little signs you put up to tell people something about yourself. #it's not an immutable unchangeable fact. it's a little sign. it's a label just like you make with a label maker. #its purpose is to be there and communicate something about your experience to the people around you. #so if you want to communicate that you don't experience attraction in an allo way! that's literally what it's there for! #really i feel like denying people access to those labels cause they weren't born that way is like. #first. an asshole move. why don't you shut the fuck up and let other people decide what they experience #second. perpetuating the idea that if you don't experience attraction you're broken? but just in a different way? #'you can experience limited/no attraction IF you're ace and born that way. otherwise you're ACTUALLY fucked up.' #'you're straight/gay/bi you're just broken right now.' actually maybe they're experiencing something that aligns with asexuality. #ever thought about that... #intent here is NOT to speak for anyone with that experience. however i meet like seven people a year who say that they're unsure #if they're aspec or just traumatized #and it's SO important to me to say that you can be both. you can use the label. your experiences are valid #whether they're internally or environmentally caused. #kiss kiss ily everybody (/aro) #<— tone indicator that indicates that i meant it aromantically #aspec #aromantic #aromanticism #aroace #arospec #aro positivity #asexual #ace pride #acespec #ace positivity #ace inclusion. turn the tables