So I have a gay friend, and I told him that I'm bi. He says "bisexual doesn't exist", "because you like both guys and girls so you fall into the pansexual category", and "I've done my research lol and my friends little sister well now brother has done extensive research on this stuff". So could I be pansexual? I have always said that I'm bi because I like both men and women. But is my friend correct? If so, I think I need to come out a 4th time...
The definitions vary based on everyone's own opinion. You use whatever label feels more comfortable to you! I've always known pansexual to be inclusive of people under the trans identity, non binary or not, while bisexual isn't inclusive. That doesn't mean someone who identifies as bi wouldn't date a trans person. Pan is basically a way to say you are bi while including everyone as far as my definitions go. I'm sure people have differing definitions. Hopefully that helps a bit. The definition of bi is liking both girls and boys though, soooo your friend is being silly.
I feel like pansexuality is the more ridiculous label since there are only two sexes and bi people -can- like non-binary people, trans people, etc. I wouldn't let him police your sexuality.
I always say that all Pansexuals are Bi, but not all Bisexuals are Pan. Bi-more than one Pan- All So, basically, if you're attracted to all genders, you can be either Pan or Bi. It's your choice. And I have never heard of Pansexual being a category, so I wouldn't worry about Bisexuality falling under it. You don't have to identify as Pansexual just because someone told you to, but if you want to, then that's perfectly fine. No-one can define you, but you.
I always thought that bisexuals liked masculine and feminine characteristics and pansexual likes a persons personality regardless of these characteristics. I personally identify as pan most of the time but I tell people I'm bi for simplicity.
I always thought that bisexuals liked masculine and feminine characteristics and pansexual likes a persons personality regardless of these characteristics. I personally identify as pan most of the time but I tell people I'm bi for simplicity.
I have never heard this before. My friend is bi and she is 100% turned off by masculine characteristics and will only date girly girls and highly effeminate men.
I actually think pansexual better defines my sexuality, because not only can I be attracted to either men or women, but I also can feel attraction for someone whose gender is not clearly defined, ie someone of androgynous appearance or manner, etc. And I have had moments when I sort of let go of the notion of gender, when I just see a person I am attracted to and honestly the gender seems to be irrelevant, I just see the beauty and feel the appreciation. But, I think all these fancy labels get too complicated and confusing for others, so I just say 'bisexual' to avoid this complication.
Bisexual means 'attracted to two genders' and pansexual means 'attracted to all genders'. And bisexuality does exist. Not everyone who is bisexual is pansexual either.
Oh, okay, they did research on the internet... and god knows everything on the internet is true. Don't bother with the label change. You are who you are, and you're attracted to who you are attracted to.
Also you could make the argument that while bi people /can/ like all genders, they don't always. A bi person might only be attracted to feminine people, like say cis women, transwomen, and more feminine non-binary people, but not more masculine people. Or a person can still call themselves bi but only date partners with a penis. Bi simply means your own and other genders, Pan means all. Using the term pansexual instead of bisexual to me implies that you are openly attracted to all genders, or feel attraction regardless of gender identity or presentation.
That's also my way of seeing it. I identify as bi if anyone asks IRL, simply because I am bi, and it's much easier to explain. Most of the people I know can't imagine more than two genders. OP, I find it funny your gay friend believes bisexuality doesn't exist, but pansexuality does. I imagine the word bi has been around for a bit longer than pansexual. Most people believe the opposite. At the end of the day, what he tells you to do shouldn't matter. You identify the way you want to, the way that feels like it fits you.
Intersex people, most of the time only fall into one specific phenotyped sex and only have a normal looking penis or vagina that makes them physically indistinguishable from any "biologically male/female" person. Therefore, almost every intersex person (except for cases with mixed genitalia which is very very very rare) falls into a binary biological sex/monosexual attraction since sexuality is not based on chromosomes. Even trans people can fall into a binary monosexual attraction if it is based on gender. Non-binary people (and true mixed genitalia people) are the only exception, but even then bisexual can be attracted to them as well.
About this, is it rude to, for example, consider a FtM a Cis Male person, and a MtF a Cis Female person? Or it isn't rude? I don't mean to offend anyone, it's just because i think a Bisexual person can be attracted to Trans people too. Unless i'm missing something here in the label use.
OP, if your friends have done a research, they probably have looked up definitions. But thats not how its applied in reality. There are many bisexual people who say they are attracted to all kinds of people. And for many people its more common to understand. Pan is for some people an explicit statement that they fall in love with a person, not a gender. So its simply up to you to say where you feel comfortable with. Many bi people say they have a preference for men, or women, for example. Some people cannot grasp the bi concept. You might say bi is real preference on a spectrum, like gay is. (*hug*)
