Generally, though, identifying as pansexual means you don’t focus on gender in your sexual attraction to other people and can be attracted to all possible identities, sexologist Carlen Costa explains. How is pansexuality related to bisexuality?Īs mentioned, pansexuality falls under the bisexuality umbrella, and both terms mean being physically attracted to multiple genders.
Sex is typically assigned by doctors at birth depending on genitals, while gender is a social construct. Queer educator and social worker Zoe Stoller previously told Cosmopolitan that while many pansexual people don't have gender preferences in regard to attraction, some do, and that's still totally valid.Īnd while we're on the topic of gender, it's important to note that sexual orientation (like pansexuality) is different from gender identity. Many pansexual people describe themselves as being attracted to people based on personality and moral character, not gender, Bates-Duford says-meaning they could be attracted to someone non-binary, genderqueer, genderfluid, binary, transgender, male, female, or any other gender.
The Difference Between Sex, Gender, and Sexuality Below, we’ve outlined exactly what pansexuality is (and isn’t!) so you can better support the LGBTQIA+ community. So whether you’re trying to find a term that feels authentic for you, or you simply want to become a more informed ally, you’re in luck. The use of the term is rapidly catching on, and celebs like Sam Smith, Miley Cyrus, and Janelle Monáe have all used it to describe their sexual preferences. In fact, pansexual people usually don’t prefer one gender over another. Gabrielle Blonder, a member of the board of directors of the Bisexual Resource Center, previously told Cosmopolitan that pansexuality is “often defined as ‘attraction regardless of gender.’” The key here is that gender doesn’t determine attraction.
If this sounds a lot like bisexuality, you’re not wrong! In fact, pansexuality falls under the larger “bi+ umbrella.” So it’s a facet of bisexuality, but when you dig a little deeper, it’s clear the term actually means something different than just an attraction to multiple genders. According to the Human Rights Campaign, someone who is pansexual “has the potential for emotional, romantic, or sexual attraction to people of any gender.” Looking at the term itself, “pan” means “all” in Greek, so pansexuality = sexual attraction to a variety of, or all, genders.
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