The New Intimacy

Bisexual vs. Pansexual...

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Contributor: callsignhusker callsignhusker
Many people that are bi are actually pan, I realized I was

Pansexuality (also referred to as omnisexuality)[1] is a popular term referring to the feeling that one has the potential for sexual attractions, sexual desire, or romantic love, towards people of all gender identities and biological sexes.[2][3] Some self-identified pansexuals refer to themselves as gender-blind—that gender and sex are insignificant or irrelevant in determining whether they will be sexually attracted to others.[4] The Oxford English Dictionary writes that pansexuality "encompasses all kinds of sexuality; not limited or inhibited in sexual choice with regards to gender or practice."[5] Pansexuality can also mean the attraction to a person's personality, rather than their physical appearance or gender.

The concept of pansexuality deliberately rejects the idea that there are only two genders,[6] as pansexual people are open to relationships with people who do not identify as strictly men or women.[7]

Think about it
03/23/2011
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Contributor: Collodion Collodion
For me, I identify as either - it really depends on whether or not I feel like breaking out the Queer Dictionary and explaining gender fluidity and the concept of non-body-based attraction...

When I'm talking to non-Queers I usually use Bi as a shorthand, but within the community I am very proudly Pan.
03/23/2011
Contributor: callsignhusker callsignhusker
Quote:
Originally posted by Collodion
For me, I identify as either - it really depends on whether or not I feel like breaking out the Queer Dictionary and explaining gender fluidity and the concept of non-body-based attraction...

When I'm talking to non-Queers I usually use Bi ... more
hahahahahahhahaha I like this.. same for me, really lol
03/28/2011
Contributor: britanny0620 britanny0620
Quote:
Originally posted by Collodion
For me, I identify as either - it really depends on whether or not I feel like breaking out the Queer Dictionary and explaining gender fluidity and the concept of non-body-based attraction...

When I'm talking to non-Queers I usually use Bi ... more
Exactly. I try to explain Pan to anyone who questions my sexuality, but if all they would understand is 'bi' then I'd leave it at that.
06/16/2012
Contributor: thisisadeletedaccount thisisadeletedaccount
Quote:
Originally posted by Collodion
For me, I identify as either - it really depends on whether or not I feel like breaking out the Queer Dictionary and explaining gender fluidity and the concept of non-body-based attraction...

When I'm talking to non-Queers I usually use Bi ... more
Same! I identify as pan but bi is my shorthand. I am a chatty person, though, so I seldom need a shorthand term. I also respect people's rights to use the word bisexual as their main identifier even if they like people outside the binary, I feel like the word's etymological roots are not as rigid as they used to be and calling oneself bisexual doesn't automatically indicate a lack of attraction to non-binary folks.
06/17/2012
Contributor: PDXlady PDXlady
I identify as either because honestly I think they are the same thing, but I use the word bisexual. I think that the term pansexual comes from a misunderstanding about the meaning of the word bisexual. People assume (including me to start with) that because the word bisexual begins with bi it refers to only two genders, but that isn't the case. An easy way to explain it is the bisexual pride flag which is pink,purple,and blue. The pink represents the possibility for same gender attraction, the blue represents the possibility for opposite gender attraction and the purple represents the possibility for attraction anywhere along the gender spectrum.
This doesn't mean that I have any problem with other identifying as pansexual but I think that it can be harmful to the bisexual community when others assumed that non-gender binary people aren't welcome.
06/19/2012
Contributor: Sinfully Sinfully
I just say I'm bisexual but really I'm either or. They are essentially the same thing to me.
06/19/2012
Contributor: Mitzuki Mitzuki
I've always just identified myself as bisexual.
06/20/2012
Contributor: nori nori
I was bisexual for years, until I discovered there was more than just two genders out there. (I honestly, just.. didn't know)

but, for the most part, I identify as omni. But on the days i'm talking to conservative family, or strangers, or iffy-otherwise, I use bi.
06/21/2012
Contributor: meezerosity meezerosity
I don't think bi-sexuality excludes the fact that there are more than two genders, it just states you are attracted to only two of them. I don't really define my orientation but bi-sexual is pretty close if I had to label it. I acknowledge that gender is a very gray area but I have only ever been attracted sexually to two of them thus far. It might change, fluidity and all that.
06/23/2012
Contributor: lecanis lecanis
Quote:
Originally posted by callsignhusker
Many people that are bi are actually pan, I realized I was

Pansexuality (also referred to as omnisexuality)[1] is a popular term referring to the feeling that one has the potential for sexual attractions, sexual desire, or romantic love, ... more
Yeaaah. I prefer to say pansexual when talking to other queer folks, but it can get very tiring to explain too. Especially because as a genderqueer person, I've had some very bad reactions to the idea of a non-binary gender system, including threats of rape. It's one of those things where I tend to consider who I'm talking to when addressing such issues.
06/26/2012
Contributor: Claire-Bear Claire-Bear
I consider myself pan too, but it's rare that I use the term since it requires more in depth explanation 9 times out of 10.
06/26/2012