Pansexual: What Does it Mean & How It Differs from Bisexual

We are all familiar with these terms: straight, lesbian, gay, and bisexual. Human sexuality is very broad, and you may find that the sexual orientation of other people does not fall into these four labels. There is a group of people known as pansexual.

A pansexual attraction is not limited to only people of a certain gender or sex. They don’t consider the gender of the person since they go well with any gender. 

But, people find it hard to differentiate pansexual from bisexual. Well, if you are in the same boat, this article will enlighten you. Let’s explore pansexuality in detail, what is pansexual, and what differentiates it from bisexual and other sexual orientations.

Pansexual Meaning

What does pansexual mean? Well, pansexual is where a person is sexually attracted to all types of people regardless of sex or gender. In Greek, the prefix ‘pan’ means ‘all’.

Pansexual people can be attracted to females, males, transgender and even non-binary. These people may be referred to as gender-blind, which means gender or sex aren’t their requirements in their sexual or romantic interests. Most pansexual people claim they get attracted to people based on personality and not gender.

• Attracted to any person regardless of gender.
• Gender doesn’t play a role in choosing a partner.
• They’re known as gender blind.

Bisexual Meaning

Bisexual is basically being attracted to more than one gender. Bisexual individuals feel a romantic or sexual attraction to different genders and their own. Normally, bisexual individuals are diverse, and every person takes their sexual orientations differently. Some bisexuals are attracted to men and women, while others are more attracted to one gender over the other.

• Gets attracted to multiple genders, including their own.
• Don’t necessarily consider the gender identification of the partner.
• Can be attracted to both men and women.

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Omnisexual Meaning

Omnisexual is a sexual or romantic attraction to all types of people regardless of their sex or gender. An individual referred to as omnisexual feels an attraction to any gender, whether female, male, genderqueer, nonbinary, gender fluid, etc. But this does not imply that omnisexual get attracted to everyone. 

They still take into consideration the preferences for characteristics like physical appearance, personality, etc. 

In short, an omnisexual person can still get attracted to all types of genders by having preferences or only feel comfortable dating a particular gender.

• Sexually attracted to all types of genders.
• Consider gender since they’re attracted to facial expressions and body language.
• Not gender blind.
• Have preferences and know that the gender of their partner is important.

Pansexual vs Bisexual

While pansexual and bisexual share common similarities, they are not the same. Pansexuality is quite broader than bisexuality. The difference between pansexual and bisexual is that a pansexual can be attracted to all genders, while a bisexual gets attracted to two or more genders but not all.

Even though bisexual and pansexual people are attracted to many genders, pansexuality explicitly is an attraction to people of all gender identities, while bisexuality is limited to men and women. It is important to respect each person’s sexual orientation and know the pansexual vs bisexual distinction to foster inclusivity.

Omnisexual vs Pansexual

Often, omnisexual and pansexual are used interchangeably but have subtle differences. People of these orientations are attracted to any gender identity. However, pansexual orientation is more gender blind, while omnisexual isn’t. Omnisexual individuals get attracted to all genders but acknowledge that preferences may vary.

Both pansexuality and omnisexuality involve attraction to people of all genders. However, omnisexuality still recognizes individuals’s preferences. All in all, the pansexual vs omnisexual distinction varies based on self-identification and individual interpretation. 

Understanding the sexuality of a person can be confusing, and it may take time. Only you as a person can decide what fits you best. However, there are some things to take note of. 

• Your relationship status is not the determining factor of your sexual orientation. For instance, a pansexual woman will still be the same even when she is in a relationship with a man because pansexuality involves attraction and not behavior.
• If you are pansexual now, you can still change later when you realize that another gender is best for you.
• The attraction may change naturally with time and is more common for LGBTQ people as they discover a certain different label is more suitable for them.

Conclusion

There is no right or wrong way to get attracted to a person. If you think you are pansexual, bisexual, or omnisexual, start learning what it is and understand what suits your sexual orientation better. Each person’s journey may be different. It doesn’t matter how you identify yourself; what matters is that you fully understand who you are. Through this, each person can cultivate a more accepting society.

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