M-Spec Straights

A guide and explanation for m-spec straight identities

Definition

M-Spec straights are straight people that experience attraction to more than one gender. While many straight people are monosexual and monoromantic (experience attraction to only one gender), this is not always the case. Note: m-spec straight is not the same thing as semi-bisexual. Semi-bisexual is a biphobic term created by monosexual/romantic straight people who claim to be "half bisexual" as a way to mock and invade the LGBTQ+ community.

There are more labels under the m-spec straight umbrella. Common examples include bi-straight, pan-straight, poly-straight, and omni-straight.

With this said, it should always be assumed that staight people do not experience attraction to people of the same/similar genders unless specified otherwise. It should also be assumed that individuals who use the straight label don't want to be labeled as m-spec (or anything under the m-spec umbrella), and vice versa, unless specified otherwise.

It is important to remember that someone else's identity cannot invalidate your own. You are separate people with separate experiences, as well as your own individual reasons for choosing the labels you use. Their identity has no bearing on yours. Labels are best used to describe people, not define people. People don't usually fit in neat boxes, and at the end of the day, people will describe themselves in whatever way they see fit.

Reasons for the Label

There are many reasons that one may identify with the m-spec straight label, or labels under the m-spec straight umbrella. Common examples include:

  • Experiencing attraction to all genders aside from the same gender. Some may also refer to themselves as penultisexual.

  • Experiencing attraction to multiple genders, but not the same or similar genders. Some may also refer to themselves as differosexual.

  • Experiencing attraction to masculinity as a woman, woman-aligned person, or feminine person, but wanting a label less obscure than minsexual, androsexual, or similar labels.

  • Experiencing attraction to femininity as a man, man-aligned person, or masculine person, but wanting a label less obscure than finsexual, gynosexual, or similar labels.

  • Experiencing split attraction. This means one's romantic, sexual, and/or tertiary attraction do not align with each other. For example, one may exclusively experience romantic attraction to the opposite or dissimilar genders, but experience sexual attraction to multiple genders (regardless of whether or not they are dissimilar). One may also identify as multisexual heteroromantic or multiromantic heterosexual.

  • Experiencing attraction to multiple genders, but prioritizing one's attraction to opposite/dissimilar genders, or having a heavy preference for said genders.

  • Experiencing attraction that is fluid between m-spec and straight. One may also identify with the abrosexual label.

  • Experiencing straight attraction to men and straight attraction to women due to one's experience as a nonbinary person. Some may also label themselves as strayt, omnistraight, or similar labels.

  • Being unsure whether one is m-spec or straight, and using both labels as a result. One may also use the bicurious label or similar labels.

  • Using the straight label synonymously with the duaric label (i.e. a way to say "I experience attraction to opposite/dissimilar genders," regardless of the other genders one may or may not be attracted to), often due to it being more well-known.

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