#apl spectrum

[flagautismguy]

alt ace-spec, aro-spec and apl-spec flags

symbols used : 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

based on these flags : 1, 2, 3, 4

[papercranesandpride]

Happy aplatonic visibility day! Here are some reminders!

Not everyone feels platonic attraction

Not everyone has or wants friends

Aplatonics can still be social (I'm extremely social), but also a lot of us just don't have the same socialization needs as alloplatonics. If your first question for aplatonics is "how do you fulfill the need for socialization without friends?" please consider why you think that's something that everyone needs

Conversations and interactions with strangers and acquaintances can be just as meaningful and fulfilling as those with friends

Friendship, like any relationship, should require explicit consent and a conversation. Don't start referring to people as friends without discussing it first

Friend and bestie are not casual terms to say to anyone; ask for consent before you use them

Platonic does not mean non-romantic. It specifically refers to relationships between friends. If you want to say something without romantic intent, say you mean it non-romantically

Aspec means more than just aro and/or ace. Atertiaries are here too. That doesn't just mean aplatonics, but also afamilials, asensuals, anaesthetics/nonaesthetics, etc

Not all aspecs value friendship above all. Not all aspecs want QPRs

Not all aplatonics are aromantic. Not all aplatonics are loveless. Not all aplatonics are asexual. Not all aplatonics are afamilial

Anyway, have a lovely day my fellow apples! Don't forget that you can't commit crimes today without being caught

[neptune-scythe]

hugest shout-out to heartless a-specs, afamilials, aplatonics, loveless folks, repulsed a-specs and whatever the micro label is where your aspec identity is tied to neurodivergence/disability I shamefully never remember what that one's called

but yeah special shout out for pride month

[greenteaandtattoos]

aphobes are just jealous. like, yeah, we live our lives outside the fundamental societal norm, even beyond the queer community. we're just that rad. you wish you could be like us. go throw a tantrum about it somewhere else.

[aplatonic-alpaca]

Aplatonic Asks 🍏

What aplatonic labels and terminology do you use?

Is there any intersection with your aplatonic identity and other identities you have?

Thoughts on apples? Red or green?

Thoughts on apple juice? What about apple cider?

Have you ever tried a candy apple? Thoughts on artifical green apple flavor?

Have you come out to anyone as aplatonic? Have you discussed aplatonicism with anyone outside of aplatonic communities?

How did you realize you were aplatonic?

How did you first learn about the term "aplatonic"?

If you do want friends, describe your ideal friendship. If you don't want friends, describe your ideal support system.

(A) If applicable, talk about the successful and comfortable friendships you've had. What is it like for you to navigate friendship as an aplatonic? (B) If you don't have, want, or prefer friends, talk a little about the other kinds of relationships in your life that you deem important. Outside of relationships, what makes you happy and comfortable in life? What's it like to navigate life without friends?

Is there anything that makes you feel plato-repulsed?

Thoughts on the "power of friendship" trope? And other similar platonic-heavy tropes and stories?

What do you wish alloplatonics understood about being aplatonic?

What would you want to see highlighted in aplatonic awareness aimed at alloplatonics and questioning apls?

What would you want to see in aplatonic representation in media and/or fandom?

Do you have any aplatonic headcanons?

Has there been any media and/or characters that you could relate to as an aplatonic?

Any aplatonic-friendly media recommendations? Any media you recommend that aplatonics avoid?

[auggator]

“we need more weird queer people” yall can’t handle aplatonics

[dhddmods]

Time to provide more queer designs! This time its some intersex and a-spec designs :)

Everyone is free to use these designs on shirts, stickers, pins, whatever they'd like, as long as they are using it for inclusive purposes! Just don't claim it as your own, please.

First up, our simple intersex design! The first is transparent, the second has a background for easier viewing.

Next up, some a-spec designs!

The silhouettes on the background were provided by the lovely Eldritch Dumpster Rat from The Void (our friend, who wishes to remain anonymous.)

From left to right, across the wings, the flags go as follows:

-Ace-spec (asexual spectrum) -Asen-spec (asensual spectrum) -Anae-spec (anaesthetic spectrum) -Afam-spec (afamilial spectrum) -Apl-spec (aplatonic spectrum) -Aqp-spec (aqueerplatonic spectrum) -Aro-spec (aromantic spectrum)

On the head is the analt-spec (analterous spectrum) flag. In the background is the anattractional flag.

-----

Check out our other designs!

I support equality always

Attraction is individual, not societal

Queerness is natural

Gender and sex are spectrums

Racial equality matters

All disabilities matter

Support all neurodivergence

[xxcalicofemmexx]

demiplatonic + yellow flowers

Demiplatonic: Platonic attraction is only possible after an emotional bond is formed. An aplspec identity that can be combined with other identities (demibiplatonic, etc) or used as an identity of its own

[isobug]

General Aplatonic / Apl symbols

Made for fun, in no way am I claiming this is "official" or that anyone has to use it or anything. I just had a lot of fun making my Poison Apl symbol and I wanted to do something else with the format!

Anyone on the Aplatonic spectrum / who is Aplspec in any way can use ( and is included ) in these!

These incorporate multiple Aplatonic / Apl symbols! Bees, blue roses, and apples. The color of the apples / rose are the colors of this Apl flag, while the bee is the colors of the second Apl flag here. I wanted to represent both color schemes because I personally use both flags, and I wanted it to be inclusive of all Apls regardless of flag preference.

I gave the blue rose thorns, as a way of reclaiming stereotypes about Apls being "distant" ( a rose creates distance between itself and others with it's thorns ) because of their Aplatonicism ( especially Nonfriending and Nonpartnering Apls ) or "thorny/mean" for not wanting casual friendships / being friendship repulsed / to randomly be called "friend" / any friendships or friends / not wanting or experiencing "love" in general, especially "platonic love"

I know some prefer yellow apples while others prefer a green apples ( especially aplaros / aroapls ) so I made two versions! Use whichever you want, or use both at the same time!

Here's the Apl bee by itself because it's cute:

Free to be used anywhere by anyone as always! If there are any typos or discrepancies please kindly let me know ( I'm editing this on low sleep, sorry! )

Taglist - @radiomogai, @daybreakthing, @aroapl

[shawdios]

Loveless.

Had a bit of a breakdown last night because I finally got around to reading The Giver. And FUCKKKKK that book. I’ve never had one of those a-spec experiences of “I feel broken for not feeling [x]” before, but that book triggered one.

I don’t experience love. It’s always been a fictional thing for me. Or performative. I saw people in relationships growing up, loving their friends, loving their family, or loving their partners, and it always felt fake? Like wtf are you doing?

And like a lot of things I thought were normal growing up (didn’t know people ACTUALLY heard things when told to imagine it, or that seeing an overlay of static on your vision wasn’t normal), I’ve had my reality shaken. And yet again I’m reminded that I’m Other. I’m what the stories portray as the evil inhuman alien or the evil, because it’s run on logic not love, robot.

But, my bestie as I call them because they’re the only person I will be on an emotional connection level affected by if they were to leave my life, they don’t make me feel Other. Im confused when they say “love you”, but they don’t judge me for not saying it back. They don’t judge me for not feeling what they feel. Nor do they judge me for my violent emotions and disordered mind. They just accept my attachment, my clinging, to their presence in my life.

That’s the closest thing to “love” I have to give. And I’m trying to be okay with that.

[fallenrain40]

gosh, figuring out i am aplspec (greyplatonic) and loveless is so amazing honestly, cause it helps me finally understand why certain phrases always bothered me so much. specfically, when aroaces would defensively say "I'm not loveless!" or "I'm not heartless!" like, yeah I get why they say those things. you wouldn't want to be seen as loveless or heartless if you aren't, especially not in a world where those things are often seen as literal insults. but yet, it still bothered me. why did they feel the need to emphasize so much that they "can still feel SOME things!!" ? why would it be an issue if they DIDN'T feel those things? why would it be an issue if they were loveless or heartless? just becuase you don't feel love for someone does NOT automatically mean you feel hatred for them, right? it doesn't even mean you dislike them. you can reject someone simply becuase you don't see them romantically, but you can still like them. why is it suddenly different when it comes to all feelings? sure, i don't feel much for others, but that doesn't mean i want harm to come upon them! why would i? i just don't feel anything. and, I do still CARE about people in GENERAL, like yeah i don't want people to get hurt because. that is wrong? but that doesn't mean i LOVE them. i really don't get how that's so difficult to understand. and there's a lot of other feelings besides love. there's respect, admiration, and care. there's so much... why is the focus always placed on love? and just moving your focus on love down a notch from romantic to platonic, isn't helping anything. i mean yeah, platonic love is pretty cool, friendships are cool, but we don't need to act like it's the sole meaning of life. you are still implying you need to love someone to live. you are still implying that everyone feels some form of love, which is so not true. srry this got kind of rambly haha. tbh i just think it's super cool that aplatonic and loveless are actual words and are things that other people can actually understand and relate to. i'm just like... there's other people who feel like i do?? really?? i always expected that if i told others "i don't really... feel much for other people. i dont care about them the way i think i'm supposed to." that i'd be called a bad person. it's just really really cool that there are accpeting people out there that WONT call be a bad person for this aspect of myself, and WONT try to make me change it (cause like. i cant change it. i cant make myself feel a feeling that i DONT HAVE). i just wish that the majority were more accepting of people like us.

[aaa-battery-not-rechargeable]

fellow aro +/or apl folks: chime in.

when someone says they love you in a romantic way, does it prick your skin in thousands of needle pokes like the world is an iron maiden? especially when they're supposed to be a friend and you find out they have less than platonic intentions towards you, even if they don't intend to act on their feelings, it suddenly feels unsafe? I've seen the post that describes it as a betrayal to be loved that way when you thought someone was safe, and i agree.

like does it physically hurt you? does it scream danger and betrayal and make you afraid? as bad as it sounds I feel... disgusted. the fact that someone could think of me that way. it's not flattering or good, it hurts.

I get a physical reaction in my body, it's the worst kind of phantom burn I've ever felt. anyone else?

[angelheart-bunny]

5-year-old me was living her best aplatonic life by playing with bugs instead of other kids

[neptune-scythe]

not to heartless a-spec on main but dead ass WHY is everyone so focused on love???

like gang that shit means nothing why are we going insane over it be so fr what is going on

[wittness]

shoutout to all my fellow apl(-spec) narcs.

[sir-arlieosaurus-lung-struggler]

possible names include: proximiplatonic (proximity+platonic), intaplatonic (interaction+platonic)

Expiriencing platonic attraction only or mostly close after & during interacting w/ someone. Only Expiriencing attraction during and after interacting with someone you're friendly with, but that attraction fading soon afterward (could be minutes to days). After no interaction for a long-ish duration of time (week+ for example), the attraction fades, isn't as intense, becomes dormant, or one losses all attraction till further interaction.

Sorry if that dosn't really make sense lol

Flag color meanings:

Blue: the aplatonic spectrum

Yellow: the color commonly assigned to friendship, the stripe is made to be slightly smaller than the rest to represent the short time of feeling attraction.

Green: fluctuating levels of attraction toward those you're friendly with

I coined this cause I haven't seen any lables w/ this description, but I also may have just not found it if its out there, so if you know of a label simmilar to this please point me that way. If there isnt, anyone can feel free use this flag as long as its in good faith, you don't need to credit me but its apritiated.