I've heard a lot of different definitions of bisexuality and pansexuality. I think I'm one of the two, but I'm not sure which would fit me better. My best understanding is that bi means you're attracted to more than one gender (whether that means men and women or the whole spectrum of gender identities), but a person's gender might affect how you view them and the way you're attracted to them, while if you're pan, gender is basically inconsequential to you. I don't want to say you're "gender blind", you just attach very little practical importance to a person's gender. So, what do you guys think? Am I on the right track here? If you're bi or pan, what exactly does it mean to you?
I suspect a lot of people who are Bisexual would identify as pansexual, but they don't since pansexuality isn't as known. One way to distinguish between Bisexuality and pansexuality is if you're attracted to transsexuals and transgender people. If you like transmen and transwomen alike, it's a good sign that you are pansexual. Another distinction, one that matters, is that pansexuals are ok with dating anyone regardless of sex or gender. Their sexuality is much less complicated than a Bisexual's. For a bisexual life is harder, because when they date women, they still pine for sexual relations with men, an when they date women, they are wistful for a woman. They have two sexual identities and one is unfulfilled.
Not quite. Okay, so transgender is not a gender. I see it as more of a medical condition, myself. So, no, it is not a good sign that you're pansexual, considering that everyone has the ability to pass if they try...
I strongly disagree that bisexuals "pine for sexual relations" with whichever gender they don't have access to at the moment. Most bi-identified people, in my personal experience (and myself included), don't have that problem. I would say the difference is much less significant than most people think: - Pansexual people are attracted to men, women and people who are neither men nor women. - Bisexual people are attracted to both men and women, and may also be attracted to anyone in between. Perhaps think of it as meaning that you're attracted to both ends of the gender spectrum, without specifying whether that also includes everyone in between or not. In other words, all pansexual people (IMO) could choose to identify as bisexual, and many but not all bisexual people could choose to identify as pansexual. I generally list "bisexual" as my identity, but if someone asked me if I was pansexual, I would say yes to that as well. Identifying as pansexual is just a nice way of explicitly specifying that you're attracted to more than just men and women.
Jargon has a really good definition. My two cents: for me, being pan means that gender doesn't really factor into my attraction to someone. I am aware of gender/not gender-blind, but I don't really care what's in someone's pants, I care what's in their heart.
I can actually get behind that definition. If you feel you meet the definition of both bisexual and pansexual, then it's a matter of personal preference which to identify as. I choose bisexual (well, bi and gray-asexual/-aromantic, but that's another story) for myself because the term is more widely known and I identify more with the bisexual community than with the pansexual community.
well gee I always thought that by definition Bi sexual - given the Bi are people who stuck to the gender binary they can be any attraction of male/female not necessarily 50/50 can be 10/90 or 90/10 whereas Pan sexual is where you are open to anyone in the gender spectrum in any way they feel with the previous people giving Bi's the open definition to anyone in between that opens the pretty much to being what I always heard of as Pan
There are 2 definitions of bisexuality now. 1) Attracted to men and women, and 2) "encompassing romantic or sexual attraction to people of all gender identities or to a person irrespective of that person's biological sex or gender, which is sometimes termed pansexuality." Thank you, Wikipedia.
I've heard about this recently and it always seemed to confuse me, but this definitely clears it up for me now. In the past, I always knew I was attracted to both female and males; but I go by it doesn't go by gender. I usually fall in love with the person: full as a person. This thread definitely clears it up a lot! Thank you!
This is a really touchy subject with me.. Not trying to offend anyone here but this is my view. Bisexuality. Attracted to two sexes, male and female. Pansexuality. Attracted to all genders* (FTM, MTF, gender queer etc.)
