Merriam-Webster defines bisexuality as characterized by sexual or romantic attraction to people of one’s same sex and of the opposite sex, and pansexuality as characterized by sexual or romantic attraction to people of one’s own gender identity and of other gender identities. The similarities between those definitions are immediately evident. Because of these similarities, bisexuality and pansexuality are sometimes used interchangeably. However, the terms still differ; some individuals believe one label represents their identity more accurately than the other. It’s ultimately up to each person’s own feelings to choose what label they identify with.
Queer groups and individuals commonly used the term bisexuality prior to recognizing gender identity beyond the binary of male and female. As awareness of non-binary gender identities grew, queer communities desired a term that better described people’s experiences of sexual or romantic attraction. While bisexuality remained a valid and complete label for some, for others, pansexuality more fully represented their experiences. However, bisexual people can like nonbinary people as well—they are not limited to liking people within the gender binary!
One common way that people understand the difference between bisexuality and pansexuality is through the idea of preference. Some define bisexuality as being romantically interested in more than one gender with a preference, and pansexuality as being romantically interested in more than one gender but without a preference—gender blind. Like sexuality as a whole, both terms are dependent on individual experience—some bisexual people may have no preference, while some pansexual people have preferences. It’s ultimately up to one’s own label choices.
When looking at the commonly used acronym “LGBTQ,” there is no P for pansexual; bisexuality is much more prominent in the public consciousness than pansexuality. For this reason, some pansexual people may publicly use a bisexual label so that their identity can be more easily understood. Every individual has different terms with which they feel comfortable and safe.
Bisexuality and pansexuality can look different for everyone. There is no one “straight experience” or “gay experience,” and there is no universal bisexual or pansexual experience, either. Labels, in general, describe lived experience in a way that feels authentic, so it’s best to avoid pushing labels onto people—instead, respect individual preferences.
We’ve also answered this question before! Here is the link to our previous response.
Yours,
The LGBTQ+ Affinity
