A term for autistic asexuals and enbies: Endospectrum
I've been spending a significant amount of time on the AVEN forum recently trying to sort out my gender, which led to me coming up with the following:
Endo: within
Spectrum: the autism spectrum
Endospectrum: A person whose experience of any or all areas of gender, orientation, any kind of attraction, or expression is in some way and to some degree formed or influenced by their being somewhere on the autism spectrum (Aspergers/Aspie, ASD, etc), especially when this leads to our feelings and experiences being totally separate from the neurotypical norm.
Why do we need this term?
Once I saw the term autigender, I became consciously aware that every aspect of the above was influenced by my autism, but there were no terms to cover most of it, much less all of it. Once somebody else expressed the same thing, I felt like it was time for us to have a term.
How do we use this term?
As an umbrella term for a person whose entire global perception and experience of gender, orientation, attraction, and expression is significantly, overwhelmingly, or totally influenced by their autism: "I am Endospectrum." "I am Endo."
For specific areas where it fully describes your experience: "My gender is Endospectrum." "I am Endogender(ed)." "My romantic orientation is Endo." "I am Endo-romantic."
Along with other terms: "My gender is Endospectrum-male." "I am Endo-Genderfluid." " My romantic orientation is Endo-Demiromantic." "My sexual orientation is Homo-Endospectrum." " My sexual orientation is Endo-Ace."
And of course, any other way that you feel applies to your personal experience.
https://www.asexuality.org/en/topic/173 ... ospectrum/
Several of us have already adopted the term, and I've been encouraged to post this over here, so here it is.
I hope having this term will benefit some people! Any feedback or additional ideas would be welcome.
_________________
If my screen name doesn't make sense, read it out loud.
In a rational world, those who act in rational ways would be considered normal, and those who act in irrational ways that they somehow decided were "right" would be the freaks.
Yay! you posted it on here
Over on Aven there were a few of us saying how we like the term.
Here is my reason for liking this term especially:
- So far other ASD related genders have funny names (gendervague, autigender, etc)... they feel... goofy and the last thing an aspie needs is another layer of awkward :p
- It's super inclusive... not only does it cover gender identity, but also sexuality, etc. One can be Endospectrum Ace, but clearly be binary gendered. For me both my sexuality and my gender are impacted by the spectrum so that is useful for me too. I think for myself I may describe myself as "Endospectrum-Genderqueer", since I've been using genderqueer for my label more and more.
- It seems to describe things in a easy to remember term. "within the autism spectrum" is easy.
- For me, (and maybe others?)... sometimes it's difficult to describe to others that I can't completely explain what my sexuality is because detail labels aren't quite right and don't take into account certain ambiguity caused by how my own understanding of myself is colored by being an aspie.
Anyway Thanks for posting on here S-P-M-E!
_________________
Very high systematizing, low empathy, but moderate to high sympathy.
I do not experience cognitive dissonance reduction the way that other people do.
Professionally diagnosed in March 2018
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