“Everyone is a pan[sexual] depending on the situation.”
This comment made me think about writing this piece.
If you’re wondering, this comment got me thinking because it’s the kind of thinking we might want to be careful with. The reason is simple–it can lead us to make many assumptions about other people’s attractions. The danger is in telling people what they are attracted to (or should be attracted to), and we might want to avoid that.
Saying everyone can be pansexual, depending on the situation, is tricky, and you’ll learn why as we progress.
What is Pansexuality?
Pansexuality is an attraction to people of all genders. The attraction could be emotional, sexual, or romantic. Any person experiencing pansexuality is a pansexual or pansexual person.
When we expand the word, pansexual equals panoramic sexuality. This full name gives a deeper understanding of pansexuals. Panoramic means sweeping, wide-ranging, all, so we’re thinking of pansexuals as people with a sexuality that is sweeping, wide-ranging, or focused on all. Like every human being, pansexuals have preferences and may be attracted to some people but not others for unique reasons. It’s important to note that the other person’s gender does not matter to the pansexual.
Some pansexuals prefer to be described as omnisexual. People who prefer to be called Omni do so because sometimes they come across people who think pansexuals’ attraction has no preference for gender. Omni people believe that gender still plays a role in their attraction even though they can be attracted to people of any gender.
When you read about pansexuality, you may have wondered how it differs from bisexuality. In fact, people have been known to use pansexuality and bisexuality interchangeably, but…
Pansexuals are Slightly Different from Bisexuals
Pay close attention to this one.
A pansexual has a broader scope of attraction than a bisexual. While a pansexual is attracted to all genders (or people regardless of gender), a bisexual is attracted to two or more genders, but not necessarily all genders.
Some pansexuals may identify as bisexual because it is the more common expression and most straightforward to describe.
Myths and untruths about Pansexuals
Many people seem to think that pansexuals have an inexhaustible number of choices for a romantic, sexual, or emotional partner because they are attracted to all genders. This is only one of several misconceptions that follow pansexual people. The image below shows more myths and untruths about pansexuals.
Everyone Cannot Be Pansexual
Someone once said that pansexuality is an ideal we should all strive for, and maybe some people would agree. In the meantime, it’s a bit misguided to assume that pansexuality is a universal trait or that it isn’t a real sexual orientation. Pansexuals are distinct members of the population. It’s a valid expression of sexual, emotional, and/or romantic attraction, not a situation that arises occasionally.
I hope this helps!