A pansexual may find attraction in a person who presents as either any gender or none at all. In short, a pansexual can find attraction in individuals belonging to any gender identification.

What is meant by pansexuality?

All refer to the prefix "pan-." In a similar vein, being pansexual refers to having attraction for individuals of any gender.

This also applies to those who identify as neither gender (agender).

Many self-described pansexuals claim that their attraction to someone is based more on personality than gender.

Not every person attracts a pansexual person. It just indicates that they are drawn to individuals of all different gender identities.

For instance, heterosexual men aren't inherently drawn to all women; rather, the women they find attractive are the ones they happen to be attracted to. In a similar vein, pansexuals may find themselves drawn to individuals who identify as any gender.

What distinguishes polysexuality from pansexuality?

"Poly-" is a prefix that indicates "much" or "many." People of different genders are attracted to polysexuals. To put it another way, they are drawn to more than one gender.

Polysexuality, like the term "bisexual," refers to an attraction to individuals of different genders. Conversely, being pansexual indicates that you find all genders attractive.

"Polysexual" can be used as a kind of "umbrella term" to refer to both pansexuality and bisexuality.

What distinguishes pansexuality from omnisexuality?

Being omnisexual also refers to a person's attraction to individuals of all genders. It's akin to pansexuality in that regard.

Nevertheless, a lot of people in online groups tend to interpret omnisexual and pansexual slightly differently. Pansexuality is for people who think that a person's gender has no effect on their attraction to you, but omnisexuality is not associated with "gender blindness."

What distinguishes bisexuality from pansexuality?

Although the phrases might be used interchangeably, pansexuality and bisexuality are distinct.

It's crucial to define bisexuality first. Many individuals make the mistake of assuming that being bisexual indicates attraction to only two genders because the word "bi-" means "two."

Nonetheless, bisexual activists have defined their orientation as encompassing two or more genders for many years. The Bisexual Manifesto, which was initially released in 1990 in the magazine "Anything That Moves," noted that bisexual people can be attracted to more than two genders:

"Being bisexual is a complete, changing identity. It is incorrect to imply that being bisexual is binary or digamous, meaning that we have "two" sides to our identities or that in order to be a fully realized human, we must interact with both genders at the same time. Don't assume that there are just two genders, in actuality.

Thus, pansexual refers to an attraction to all genders, whereas bisexual refers to an attraction to various genders. The reason these are different is that "multiple" does not mean "all."

Imagine you ask your pals which colors they like best.

"In actuality, I like more than one color," a friend may remark. "I like all colors," might be said by a different friend.

Now, the first friend might like all colors, but they might not. They might not like khaki or beige. Perhaps they like pastels but not dark colors.

This is because “all colors” is, by definition, more than one. However, “more than one” isn’t technically all.

Some people feel that pansexual falls into the category of bisexual because bisexual is a broad term that means more than one — but it isn’t the same thing, because “all” isn’t the same as “multiple.”

Why is the bisexual vs. pansexual distinction so contentious?

The controversy around this distinction often stems from a place of misunderstanding.

Some people assume that bisexual people are erasing nonbinary people. They assume the word bisexual implies that there are only two genders.

Other people assume that pansexual is a word invented solely because bisexual people are misunderstood and assumed to exclude nonbinary people.

In actuality, each orientation is legitimate in and of itself.

Nonbinary people are acknowledged by many bisexual communities; in fact, many nonbinary people identify as bisexual. Furthermore, a lot of pansexuals are aware that nonbinary people might be included in the definition of bisexual.

Once more, bisexuality and pansexuality are not synonymous, and it is entirely acceptable to identify as either (or both!).

Is it OK to find one gender more attractive than another?

Indeed! If you find that you are more attracted to one gender than another, you can still identify as bisexual or pansexual.

Surveys and research actually indicate that a large number of bisexual and pansexual individuals have preferences. Your orientation remains valid despite this.

Can you be attracted to different genders in different ways?

Yes. You might find yourself sexually attracted to one gender and romantically attracted to another gender. This is called “mixed orientation” or “cross orientation.”

You might, for instance, be bisexual but homoromantic, which means that, although you find persons of different genders attractive sexually, you are only romantically drawn to individuals who share your gender.

This article is mostly concerned with sexual orientations, as you can see. But there are a wide variety of romantic orientations, such as:

Aromantic. You experience little to no romantic attraction to anyone, regardless of gender.
Biromantic. You’re romantically attracted to people of two or more genders.
Panromantic. You’re romantically attracted to people of all genders.
Grayromantic. You experience romantic attraction infrequently.
Demiromantic. You experience romantic attraction infrequently, and when you do it’s only after developing a strong emotional connection to someone.
Heteroromantic. You’re only romantically attracted to people of a different gender from you.
Homoromantic. You’re only romantically attracted to people who are the same or a similar gender as you.
Polyromantic. You’re romantically attracted to people of many — not all — genders.
Does dating someone of a particular gender mean you’re ‘straight’?
Let’s say a bisexual woman is in a relationship with a man. This doesn’t make her straight. Similarly, if she dates a woman, she doesn’t become a lesbian.

Unfortunately, many people think that bisexual and pansexual people need to “pick a side” — gay or straight. And when bisexual and pansexual people date someone publicly, it’s often assumed that they’re picking a side.

You aren’t defined by your partner’s gender.

The label(s) you choose to describe your orientation are only determined by you and your experiences with attraction.

Where does the term ‘queer’ come in?

“Queer” is a sort of blanket term used to include all people who aren’t heterosexual, or straight.

While it was previously used as a slur, it has since been reclaimed by many in LGBTQIA+ communities.

However, some people still feel uncomfortable with the word queer because it’s been used as a form of oppression.

It’s totally OK to use it instead of, or in addition to, another term.

Many people use queer because they aren’t sure how to describe their orientation, or because their orientation feels fluid and changes over time.

Others describe themselves as queer because it connects them to a broader political movement.

How do you know which term fits?

There’s no test to determine whether you’re pansexual (or another orientation entirely).

You can identify with whatever orientation fits you. Of course, figuring out what fits you might be tough.

To help you figure out your sexual orientation, you may ask yourself:

Is there any gender that I don’t ever feel attracted to?
Is there any gender — or group of genders — that I’m not sure if I’m attracted to?
What word feels best?
What communities do I feel comfortable with?
Am I romantically attracted to the same people I’m sexually attracted to?
Remember, there isn’t a right or wrong answer. It’s about getting to know yourself better and figuring out what you like and prefer.

It’s also important to remember that it’s OK to identify with multiple terms — as well as change the way you describe your sexual orientation later on.

Can you identify with more than one of these terms?

Of course! Some people identify with both pansexual and bisexual, for example. Some people use the terms interchangeably to describe themselves.

Can you identify with one term and switch to another later on?

Yes! Identifying with a particular sexual orientation isn’t a lifelong binding contract.

You might find that your sexual orientation and your capacity for attraction changes over time, or you might learn of another word that better describes your sexual orientation.

You are free to modify how you define your orientation for any reason.

What happens if one of these terms no longer feels appropriate?

It's alright. Over time, sexual orientation can shift. That does not imply that it is invalid.

For instance, it's quite acceptable to identify as heterosexual later in life and as pansexual at one point in time.

Contrary to popular belief, pansexuality is not a "stepping stone" to homosexuality.

Many people identify as pansexuals who have lived their entire lives. Don't feel bad if you discover that your sexual orientation changes because it "fits" with someone else's understanding of what it means to be pansexual.

By being who you are, you are not supporting a myth; you are not responsible for the ignorant viewpoint of another person.

If any of these terms have never seemed quite right, what then?
One can identify in a variety of ways.

Other terms beyond "pansexual" can be used to characterize your orientation, such as:

Asexual. You experience little to no sexual attraction to anyone, regardless of gender.
Graysexual. You experience sexual attraction infrequently.
Demisexual. You experience sexual attraction infrequently, and when you do it’s only after developing a strong emotional connection to someone.
Heterosexual. You’re only sexually attracted to people of a different gender from you.
Homosexual. You’re only sexually attracted to people who are the same or a similar gender as you.
Omnisexual.You can be attracted to people of any gender.
Polysexual. You’re sexually attracted to people of many — not all — genders.
This isn’t a comprehensive list of sexual orientations — more and more words are being coined to describe people’s unique experiences of sexual orientation.

Remember, you don’t have to use any word or label to describe your orientation that you don’t want to use. How you choose to identify is entirely up to you!