Pansexuality

[crimsonarcher]

Pansexuality (sometimes referred to as omnisexuality) is a sexual orientation characterized by the potential for aesthetic attraction, romantic love and/or sexual desire for people, regardless of their gender identity or biological sex. This includes potential attraction to people who do not fit into the gender binary of male/female implied by bisexual attraction. Pansexuality is sometimes described as the capacity to love a person romantically irrespective of gender. Some people who are pansexual also assert that gender and sex are meaningless to them. The word pansexual is derived from the Greek prefix pan-, meaning "all". This prefix is used specifically in contrast to the idea of 'two' genders as expressed by bi-, not to encompass all forms of sexuality, such as sexual fetishes unrelated to gender.

(From Wikipedia)

How did I not know this existed?

[jroakwood]

i just plain dont get it. whatever i guess.

[pianoguy]

is that not just bisexuality with a diferent name?
the capacity to love regardless of gender...
sounds like bisexuality to me
?

[sdc91]

It includes gender identity, i.e. you love transsexuals, too.

[Psychedelic Bookmarks]

" How did I now know this existed?"

Don't worry, you know now, that's the main thing

I think it's an awesome orientation for those lucky enough to have it.

[ccdd]

Some people don't strictly identify as either male or female, and some people love these people too

[Coachmn]

Dan's humble opinion: Sexual identity and response is different for different people and even changes over time sometimes as a temporary phase or becoming quasi-permanent. Labels and classifications of sexual identity/preference may be helpful for discussion but of little value on a personal level. Being who one is, each day, is far more important than fitting into any category. Living deliberately as an individual has more rewards than any label can bestow.

Hugs,

-dan

[TheMusicMan]

Originally Posted by crimsonarcher

How did I not know this existed?

You did. It's called bisexuality.

[Martin]

Hmmm, doesn't bisexuality assume you like both genders either 50/50 or one more than the other whereas pansexuality does not even look at gender when they're attracted to somebody?

If that is the case then i would say it is enough to warrant its own name. Even so, if peeps want to be identified as that then good for them.

[SkyTears]

Originally Posted by TheMusicMan

You did. It's called bisexuality.

bisexuality and pansexuality may sound the same but if you really look there are some differences

examples as stated by crimsonarcher:
"This includes potential attraction to people who do not fit into the gender binary of male/female implied by bisexual attraction"
"regardless of their gender identity or biological sex"

[Hugh]

I can identify with that...dont laugh, I really can!

[ccdd]

Originally Posted by Martin

Hmmm, doesn't bisexuality assume you like both genders either 50/50 or one more than the other whereas pansexuality does not even look at gender when they're attracted to somebody?

If that is the case then i would say it is enough to warrant its own name. Even so, if peeps want to be identified as that then good for them.

Just to let you know - nobody that I know who identifies as bisexual is attracted to men and women 50/50. Rather, everyone I know who is bisexual seems to have a preference for either one or the other. That said, someone could be attracted to men and women 50/50.

And as said by several people, pansexuality acknowledges that not everyone fits into, or chooses to fit into, the male/female categories we have, and pansexuals consider it possible for them to be attracted to anyone, whatever their gender identity. This does not mean, however, that they are attracted to *everyone*, just that they have the potential to be.

I'm not sure that it's not looking at gender - as bisexuals will also say that they go for the person, not the gender - so much as acknowledging that there are more than two, a plurality say, of genders.

[Orion]

Pansexuality is more about the people than the gender, sex, etc. It's all about the inside and not the shell As in they can like any person no matter what they are on the outside.

And yeah, it's like bisexuality but mucho more deeper and diverse, as in accepting every shape and form.

If it's healthy the it's good

[Level N Human]

I've been aware of this orientation, since I wondered whether bisexuality can encompass intersexed and transgendered people. And it can, people seem to have differentish interpretations of bisexuality. I don't think I'd care at all if I fell for someone who was trans or intersex, so I guess I may be pansexual myself (but then again I think I prefer women's bodies so I don't know. I do emphasize importance on the person themself though). I use the term bisexual because it's already confusing to enough to describe to other people how this can be as it is. Oh well, these are just words that I use out of convenience. I know what I am.

[divadarya]

Let me frame it another way. Ever hear the term "Genderqueer"? Gendqueer people are people who are not stuck in the sexual binary of gay/straight or the gender binary of male/female. Not that hard to figure out, really, just not for everyone.

[sexyalex]

wow, it's like a promiscuous juggalo?

[neverover]

somehow one thing that came out of my mind when i heard pansexuality is 'frying pan'. maybe its just me...

[SkyTears]

Originally Posted by neverover

somehow one thing that came out of my mind when i heard pansexuality is 'frying pan'. maybe its just me...

haha nice

we do have a pan-member that i saw post here before "PanPacifist"

Ooooh Pansexuality, I've heard it before.... What was her name.... This former Final 3 castaway in Survivor Vanuatu is a Pansexual.... Oooh, I remember now, her name is Scout and she's ADORABLE!

[oneguy15]

I found out about Pansexuality 2 weeks ago, then actually met a Pansexual woman roughly a week ago, and I find it to be fascinating. If, and that's an IF people, I had a choice in my sexuality, Pansexuality would be it because it looks past everything physical about a person and only focuses on the person themself. I, however, could not imagine being with a girl at all so...

I also think the 'Pan' in the word comes from some root meaning "all" or something like that, right? Hmm.