As society’s understanding of identity grows, new terms emerge to describe experiences beyond traditional labels. One of these is nebulasexual, an identity linked to neurodivergence and the “clouded” or unclear nature of attraction.

According to Autism Nottingham, it describes someone who “cannot tell if they experience sexual attraction or not due to neurodivergency or intrusive thoughts/urges/images.” The prefix “nebula,” meaning “clouded,” captures this uncertainty. It’s not confusion but a constant experience where neurological differences blur attraction.

Many neurodivergent people relate to the term. One Redditor wrote, “We aren’t broken, we just experience attraction in a different way due to our disorders.” Another added, “I get feelings, and I don’t know what they mean! Also, I am neurodivergent… I’m definitely nebulasexual.” An autistic user shared, “I don’t feel disgust or desire, just nothing.”

People with ADHD and OCD describe similar struggles. “I might think someone is attractive, but whether that’s sexual, aesthetic, or just my brain hyperfixating—no clue,” said one user.

Still, others remain skeptical. “We have officially lost it,” one Facebook user complained, questioning the growing number of labels. Yet, for many, nebulasexuality simply offers language to feel “less broken and more understood.”