pansexuality

pansexuality, sexual, emotional, and/or romantic attraction toward others regardless of their sex or gender identity. Like other multisexual orientations, such as omnisexuality and polysexuality, pansexuality is considered by some to be analogous to or a subset of bisexuality; others consider pansexuality to be distinct from bisexuality.

Pansexuality is a relatively new designation in the scope of sexual orientations, and its definition is evolving. Many people who identify as pansexual describe themselves as entirely blind to gender and sex as related to attraction. This interpretation of pansexuality is frequently summed up as “hearts, not parts.” Others use the term pansexual in order to convey attraction to transgender or nonbinary individuals or others outside the gender binary system (the belief that there are only two genders, male and female), to express support of and attraction to a partner who has a fluid or changing gender identity, or to emphasize one’s own nonbinary, fluid, or changing sexual identity. For some, identifying as pansexual is both a statement of having no strong orientation at all and an expression of general openness or fluidity in attraction. For yet others, pansexual is not necessarily used as an identifier to emphasize one’s own sexuality but rather as a word meant to move away from the gender binary and to draw attention to the spectrum of possible gender identities.

As with any sexuality, pansexuality is determined by a mix of biological, environmental, and psychological factors and is usually discovered at a young age, often about puberty. It describes an enduring pattern of attraction which may or may not coincide with an individual’s sexual or romantic behaviour or history. It is not necessary for a person to engage in sexual or romantic activity with any gender or genders in order to identify as pansexual. A pansexual person in a monogamous relationship with a partner who identifies as a heterosexual female, for example, does not become monosexual (having either a heterosexual or a homosexual identity).

Pansexuality versus bisexuality

There is much debate, especially within the multisexual community, about the terms bisexuality and pansexuality and whether they overlap. Some contend that the prefix bi- (meaning “two”) within the word bisexual perpetuates the idea of the gender binary system and that bisexual-identifying people are by necessity attracted to only two genders, usually male and female. This interpretation seemingly excludes attraction to nonbinary individuals and others within the full spectrum of gender identity. For this reason some people consider the term to be gender essentialist or even transphobic.

While some bisexual people may view gender as a binary and prefer the term for that reason, it is unlikely to be a common motivation to adopt the identification. Bisexual people may experience attraction to different sexes or genders to different degrees, in different ways, or at different times and may want to preserve bisexual as a label that captures such distinctions. Pansexual individuals, in contrast, may experience attraction more universally.

Pansexuality plus bisexuality

On the other side of the debate are those who maintain that the prefix bi- in bisexual refers to being both of the two monosexual orientations in combination—i.e., being both homosexual (homo- meaning “same”) and heterosexual (hetero- meaning “different”). According to this definition, bisexual-identifying people are attracted to both the same gender and different genders. Hence, the label is as potentially inclusive of all possible genders as the term pansexual.

Many bisexual organizations now recognize what is called the bisexual+ (or bi+) umbrella term, which includes bisexual, pansexual, omnisexual, polysexual, and other terms that cover attraction to more than one gender. Also included under the bisexual+ umbrella are such terms as bi-curious or heteroflexible, which describe people who are primarily monosexual but have some bisexual tendencies, fantasies, or behaviours. People who subscribe to the bi+ umbrella tend to view pansexuality as a branch of bisexuality.

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There are many people who identify as both bisexual and pansexual, using terms such as bisexual/pansexual or bi/pan. This may be their primary orientation or a description used in context with other details about their sexuality or gender identity, such as being trans, queer, or polyamorous. They may additionally describe their orientation as being either bisexual or pansexual depending on context. For example, when interacting with those who are unfamiliar with multisexualities outside bisexuality, these individuals may use bisexual as a useful shorthand for not being monosexual.

Those who identify as bisexual, pansexual, or both face many of the same types of discrimination. These sexualities are often omitted, challenged, overlooked, or dismissed by both the wider culture and within the LGBTQ+ community. Bisexual and pansexual individuals who assert their orientations are sometimes maligned as “greedy,” “attention-seeking,” or “confused.” Those in monogamous relationships are often assumed to be monosexual, while those who are not in relationships are often encouraged to “pick a side” and identify with a monosexuality. However, those who identify as pansexual, bisexual, or other multisexual identities continue to gain visibility and acceptance both within and outside the evolving LGBTQ+ community.