What is pansexuality and how does it compare with bisexuality

According to its Merriam-Webster entry, the first known use of the word “bisexual” was in 1798. At the time, it was defined as “possessing characters of both sexes.” Over the centuries, however, the term has widely evolved and it doesn’t necessarily mean a bisexual individual is attracted to just two genders.

Table of Contents Show

What does the Bisexual Pride Flag mean?
The difference between bisexuality and pansexuality.
The controversy between bisexual and pansexual.
Pansexual versus omnisexual versus polysexual.
So, which term is right for you?

Now, it’s usually defined as the sexual/romantic attraction to more than one gender – and it’s not just exclusive to those who sit within the male and female gender binaries. Some may also assume that the ‘bi’ in bisexual, which means two, means that bisexual people aren’t attracted to non-binary people. This is not the case.

Yes, some bisexual people might only be attracted to males and females, while others might be attracted to multiple gender identities – but not all of them. For example, the Merriam-Webster says bisexuality is “characterized by sexual or romantic attraction to people of one’s own gender identity and of other gender identities.”

To this day, bisexuality can mean different things to different people, and one bisexual person may define their sexuality differently to another bisexual person.

Charlie Middleton, an ambassador for LGBTQ+ youth charity Just Like Us, says of his sexuality: “To me bisexuality means being attracted to more than one gender, it is more of a broader term and includes all genders. I prefer to use the word bisexual to describe my sexuality as this term is more common and easier to define.

“The one thing I love about being bisexual is that there is no one way to be bisexual, there is so much flexibility and diversity!”

Sophie Cundall, also from Just Like Us, says: “For me, bisexuality means that I am attracted to people of any gender. There’s a common misconception that the ‘bi’ in bisexual means that you only are attracted to two genders, but that’s not the case at all, at least for me.

“Bisexuality is not limited at all and is a very fluid, all-encompassing and inclusive sexuality!”

What does the Bisexual Pride Flag mean?

LGBTQ+ activist Michael Page designed the bisexual flag in 1998 to give bisexual people their own symbol and to increase visibility of the community – within society and the LGBTQ+ community at large.

The flag consists of three colours: magenta, which represents same-sex attraction; blue, which represents attraction to different gender; and lavender, a mixture of magenta and blue which represents attraction across the gender spectrum.

The foundation was inspired by the biangles, designed by Liz Nania, for the Boston Bi Woman’s Community. The pink was used by Nazi’s during World War II as a symbol for gay men, while lesbians – and other “asocials” such as sex workers and “nonconformists” – were marked with a black triangle.

“In designing the Bi Pride Flag, I selected the colors and overlap pattern of the ‘bi angles’ symbol,” said Page.

“The key to understanding the symbolism of the Bisexual pride flag is to know that the purple pixels of color blend unnoticeably into both the pink and blue, just as in the ‘real world,’ where bi people blend unnoticeably into both the gay/lesbian and straight communities.”

By Stephanie Barnes Expert review by Kristie Overstreet, Ph.D., LPCC, LMHC, CST

When it comes to the spectrum of sexuality, bisexuality and pansexuality are sometimes used interchangeably, but they're not quite the same. The main difference between bisexual and pansexual is rooted in the attraction felt.

The difference between bisexuality and pansexuality.

A bisexual person is someone who is attracted to two or more genders, whereas a pansexual person is attracted to people regardless of gender. The terms are closely related, and some people identify with both terms while others prefer one over the other to have a more nuanced description of their sexuality.

According to Anthony Freire, LMHC, the clinical director of the Soho Center for Mental Health Counseling, there are a variety of ways in which people define bisexuality—some of which are rooted in skepticism, prejudice, and assumptions, even within the LGBTQIA+ community.

There's a common misconception that bisexual people are people who are specifically attracted to men and women only, therefore excluding nonbinary people, whereas pansexuality is inclusive of all genders. But in reality, a bisexual person might be attracted to women and femmes, men and nonbinary folks, or any other combination of genders. Bisexuality isn't necessarily binary; it just means attraction to more than one gender. Some bisexual people describe their identity as being attracted to their own gender and people of other genders.

Pansexual people, on the other hand, are attracted to anyone regardless of gender. The prefix pan means "all," "of everything," or "involving all members" of a group. So a pansexual person is someone who is attracted to all genders, including cis, trans, and gender-nonconforming individuals.

"Anything and everything goes" when it comes to pansexuality, says Freire. But this shouldn't necessarily be mistaken for promiscuity: "It does not mean they are perverts in that they will sleep with anyone they can get their hands on," he notes. "It's a bit more 'no one is off the table when it comes to who I am able to be attracted to romantically and physically.'"

One of the most important differences between bisexual and pansexual is the role of gender in determining who you're attracted to. Generally speaking, gender doesn't affect who pansexual people are attracted to—they can find themselves sexually and romantically attracted to just about anyone, regardless of gender.

But for bisexual folks, gender usually does play some kind of a role in who they're attracted to. They may not be attracted to all genders, but there may be some genders that they're into and some they aren't into.

That said, every bisexual and pansexual person has their own definition of these words, and how a potential partner's gender factors into their attraction will depend on the individual.

The controversy between bisexual and pansexual.

There has been some tension between the bisexual and pansexual communities, rooted in misunderstandings about each label. Sexologist Carol Queen, Ph.D., believes some of the tension is generational, at least in part, and stems from the emergence of the nonbinary community. She says there is "an assumption built in that the term bisexual is automatically not appropriate for nonbinary folks."

Since the prefix bi- means "two," some people assume the term is referencing the gender binary and describes "the two genders," i.e., men and women. Some people thus believe the term bisexual is therefore not inclusive enough, as it excludes nonbinary people and potentially trans people by perpetuating a gender binary.

"It's certainly true that if someone finds that language too binary, they shouldn't necessarily embrace the term. But it's a mistake to step past that and say that all bisexuals are only into binary gender notions," Queen explains. "That's just not the case for many—maybe even most—bisexuals, who may be attracted to some subset of women, men, and everybody else."

She notes there's even a newer, more inclusive term that some bisexual folk use: bi+, which seeks to remind people that there are more than two genders to love and desire and that bisexual people are not perpetuating a gender binary.

"The worst part of all this is that the discussion provokes biphobia," Queen adds. "Denying that it's OK for one to ID as bi and should ID as pan equals bisexual invisibility, full stop. Even if it isn't intended to diss bisexuals, it can hurt to hear this—just reinforcing the idea that bisexuals don't have a lot of support even from other LGBTQ+ people, which historically has often been the case."

On the other side of the coin, the push to call out any biphobia in the definition of pansexuality has led to some criticism of the pansexual community in general, with some people arguing that pansexuality itself is biphobic because the label was created on the biphobic assumption that bisexual people are exclusionary and binary-oriented.

Queen notes that the confusion between the two identities has contributed to more people switching to the more general term "queer." "This group may encompass all the folks who ID as bi or pan, TBH, because what attracts many to that term is how big-umbrella and overarching it is."

Pansexual versus omnisexual versus polysexual.

Omnisexual and polysexual are two other labels that bear some similarities to bisexual and pansexual.

While pansexual people can be attracted to someone without thinking about their gender, an omnisexual person is very aware of gender. Pansexuality is being attracted to people regardless of gender or without consideration of gender, whereas omnisexuality is being attracted to people of all genders. Freire says these two terms are "often used interchangeably because they are so similar, but there is a slight difference."

A polysexual person is attracted to multiple genders and can be considered a more umbrella term. Bisexuality and pansexuality might be considered categories under the umbrella of polysexuality, which might also include omnisexual, heteroflexible, and other labels that aren't focused on being attracted to one gender. Being polysexual isn't to be confused with someone who is polyamorous, meaning this person is able to love, have sex with, and be in a relationship with more than one person at the same time.

So, which term is right for you?

Choosing the word that best fits your sexual identity can feel like a daunting task, but at the end of the day, it comes down to what feels right to you. If you're emotionally and sexually attracted to a handful of specific genders, then bisexual might feel like a more accurate term for you. If you find yourself emotionally and sexually attracted to folks of any gender, then you might reach for the word pansexual. Queer is also a solid option if you still feel limited in any way by either of these terms.

Labels are only here to help you more easily describe your identity to others and find community with other people like you. They're not meant to be prescriptive or limiting, and each term might mean something different from any given bi or pan person. So just pick the one that just feels like it makes your life easier and feels good on your tongue.

Here's a test for how to tell if you're pansexual, plus a fuller list of sexualities for you to consider.

Share this article: