The reason why I asked this is becusse a friend of mine we're talking about how you can't assume a persons orientation; you have to ask. Obviously very true, but he also mentioned pansexuality, which got me thinking how common the term is. I think gay/lesbian/bi/asexual/straight labels are the most common out there. What do you guys think? I also ask because I think he's straight (talks about dates with girls and whatnot) yet I wonder how did he know the pansexual term. If anything, he seems like quite an open minded guy.
I only started becoming more familiar with the LGBT community and different types of sexual orientation a few years ago, but I didn't know what pansexuality was until I knew someone who was pansexual, so in my mind it's not as common of a term but that's just my experience.
I get the feeling that 'pansexual' was one of the first non-standard terms to be popularized, and so it acted like a forerunner to all these crazy new denominations where people seem to pick any prefix that suits them and stick it on the word '-sexual.' Personally, I find it very appropriate for the sort of general developing awareness in society of non-binary people, and it's a more all-inclusive term that accounts for those who do not fit into strictly male/female categories, and does not carry the same stigma of scorn that 'bisexual' often receives. I don't think I've met anyone under the age of, like, 25 who isn't familiar with 'pansexual,' and even if they've only heard it once or twice, the nature of the term itself is pretty easy to figure out.
My view might be skewed because my girlfriend is pansexual, but the term seems to be gaining in prevalence. I don't think I can agree that there isn't anyone under 25 that doesn't know it, because I know some really sheltered people, but it's probably more common than one would think.
for me, most of my friends familiar with the lgbt community are pan, including myself... I think it's pretty common.
I doubt that there are very few people who are not pansexual at some time of their life even it is just curiosity. I know many gay men who are curious about women but over half are disgusted by the idea. I think we become less pansexual as we have partners of both sexes or genders but it depends how you feel beyond the sex or romance. I believe we are all on a sliding scale if it was socially acceptable for straight people to admit it. Even on the adult scene there is stigma against putting bi on a profile, I get lots of straight guys contacting me (my profile is male) as I list myself as bi. They only have basic trans identities so I leave that alone.
It's super common at my school. I know tons of people there who identify as pansexual, more than people who consider themselves bisexual in fact. During the school year I overheard some students talking about some guy who's pansexual and everyone knew what pansexual meant.
