People always say that love is blind. For some, it really is. They fall in love with a person regardless of their gender, sexuality, or anything else. While the term pansexuality is rather new, the sentiment behind it isn’t. Here, we will take a close look at the misconceptions about pansexuality. We will tell you what it means and explain everything else you need to know!
Defining Pansexuality
The first question we need to answer is — What is pansexuality? And no, before you ask, that doesn’t mean that someone is aroused by frying pans. If a person is pansexual, they are into people regardless of their gender or sex. It can be a romantic, sexual, or emotional attraction, and they often call themselves gender-blind.
While some might consider this a sub-form of bisexuality, pansexual people can be attracted to both men and women regardless of what they identify as. By doing that, they reject the gender binary.
Obviously, pansexuality is a more inclusive term since it doesn’t follow the “binary rule” of only two genders. Another name for pansexuality is omnisexuality. It comes from the Latin word that means “all.” In essence, people who are pansexual are sexually attracted to personalities, and sexual orientation or gender identity will play no role.
It’s Different From Being Bisexual
To fully understand the difference between bi- and pansexuality, we need to start from the beginning. What does it mean to be bisexual? Since each person is different, it means that there are different types of bisexual people. Each person that identifies as bisexual can have their own preferences and ways they perceive their sexuality.
The prefix bi means two, so it implies there are only two genders — male and female. Therefore, most bisexual people will claim they like both men and women. However, some have different opinions on it. That is, there are people who don’t believe in the whole “non-binary” culture. For them, being bisexual will mean attraction to two genders that don’t necessarily have to be male or female.
Pansexuality, on the other hand, covers everything. It means that a pansexual person may fall for other people regardless of their gender. However, pansexuals aren’t going to go crazy about just anyone. The same way a heterosexual person is not attracted to all women or men. They will still have their preferences. But, gender identity will not affect them.
So, what is the difference between pansexuality and bisexuality? In essence, the main difference is that bisexual means more than one, while pansexual covers everything. Read more about the difference between Pansexuality and Bisexuality.
Common Misconceptions About Pansexuality
What are the misconceptions about pansexuality? Well, the most common one is the very possibility of its existence. There are many people who don’t believe that pansexual people exist, and it is less accepted than bisexuality. While this is obviously not true, there are still people who think otherwise. For them, pansexual people are just indecisive and have trouble “picking the side.”
The second misconception you might encounter is the one we already addressed. It’s a theory that bisexual and pansexual people are the same with only a name difference. That is obviously just a theory, and we already explained why they are so different.
The next hot topic is that pansexuals are only into non-binary people. That is not true. Many agree that being bisexual means being attracted to your own gender plus one more. That leaves enough space for everything else. Bisexual people can be into non-binary folks, and there are no rules. The term is quite old, and many non-binary people still use it because it is easier. However, that doesn’t mean that bisexual people can’t fall for non-binary individuals.
If you ever read anything about pansexuality, you might have encountered a misconception that pansexual people can’t be in monogamous relationships. Perhaps you’veheard that it won’t make them happy. That is just plain wrong. As we’ve already said, there are no rules, and each person is different.
Some pansexuals don’t care about monogamous relationships the same way there are heterosexual people who prefer polyamory. It is up to your personal choice and preference to see what you like more. Being pansexual doesn’t mean that the person can’t be happy in monogamy. Some also believe that pansexuals don’t have standards and that they will have sex with anyone, which is more than ridiculous.
Celebrities Who Identify as Pansexual
If you feel like you are attracted to all genders or that they are not important to you, you should know that you’re not alone. There are many people who declare themselves as pansexuals, and some of them are quite popular! Let’s take a look at celebrities that identify as pansexuals.
The first one on the list is Cara Delevingne. This gorgeous British model and actress has been quite vocal about her sexuality. She’s been fighting for equal rights for the LGBTQ+ community for years now. But she is not the only one that identifies as pansexual.
Another excellent example is Bella Thorne. She used to identify as bisexual, but once someone explained to her what being pansexual means, she found it more fitting for her. It just shows that everyone can learn more and evolve and that there is no shame in not knowing about something — as long as you are willing to improve and educate yourself.
Other celebrities include Miley Cyrus, Brendon Urie (Panic! At The Disco), Amber Heard, Asia Kate Dillon (from “Orange Is the New Black” and “John Wick 3”), Sia, and many others.
