What pansexual means and how it differs from bisexuality

• Pansexuality is when someone feels their attraction to another isn't defined by gender or sex.
• However, some pansexual people may define their sexuality differently than someone else who is pan.
• Unlike bisexuals, pansexual people may be attracted to those who do not identify as male or female.

Nearly one-fifth of young adults around the globe do not identify as heterosexual - but just because they're not straight doesn't necessarily mean that they're gay, lesbian, or bisexual.

Pansexual is a sexual orientation that describes people who are attracted to people regardless of their gender identity. Here's what you need to know.

Understanding pansexuality

The "pan" in pansexual is Greek for "all." So, the term pansexual describes individuals whose romantic or sexual attraction to people is not limited by biological sex, gender identity, or sexual orientation.

Put another way, people who are pan are "multisexual" and may experience romantic or sexual attraction to people who identify as cisgender, transgender, nonbinary, or any other gender on the spectrum.

Pansexual is sometimes referred to as "omnisexual" or "gender blind," as well as "sexually fluid," says Tiffany Jones, MS, CCTPS, a resident in counseling at the counseling center Thriveworks. "Many pansexual people also describe themselves as being attracted to people based on personality, not gender," Jones says.

Still, sexuality is nuanced, to say the least, and not all people who identify as pansexual define or experience it the same way. In fact, a small 2018 study of people who identify as bisexual, pansexual, or queer, found people who were pansexual provided various descriptions of their sexuality:

• Some pansexual participants had more clearly defined parameters of attraction, like one participant who said "I like guys and dudes and androgynous people."
• Another participant said they were "mostly attracted to females or feminine/androgynous people."
• A third said they were "attracted to all genders/sexualities as well as those who don't identify with a gender."

Misconceptions about pansexuality

There are plenty of misconceptions around pansexuality including the belief that gender identity is the same as sexual orientation, says Jones.

"Pansexuality is not the same as pangender, which refers to people who experience all genders within themselves. For example, a bigender person can be pansexual, a cis-gendered male can be bisexual, or a pangender person can be homosexual," Jones says.

There's also the false assumption that people who are pansexual are also polyamorous, a term that describes people in non-monogamous relationships with three or more people.

"While that may be true for some, it is not true for all who identify as pansexual," says Rachel D. Miller, LMFT, founder of Hold the Vision Therapy.

What is the difference between pansexuality and bisexuality?

While pansexual and bisexual are distinct sexual orientations, there are some overlaps between the two. Both groups are "multisexual" which means they are attracted to multiple genders, Jones says.

The clearest distinction between pansexuality and bisexuality is that bisexual indicates a person is attracted to the gender binary (male or female), but pansexuality is broader and typically refers to people attracted to more than two sexes or genders, Miller says.

Most importantly, people who are pansexual are attracted to people regardless of gender or sexual identity, while people who are bisexual are attracted to people who specifically identify as either male or female.

Unfortunately, it's not uncommon for both bisexual and pansexual people to face stigma and misunderstanding. Especially when it comes to the concept of "sexual identity erasure."

Sexual identity erasure occurs when a person's sexual identity is mistakenly defined based on the relationship they are currently in, as opposed to their overall sexual orientation.

For example, if a pansexual woman is dating another pansexual woman, people might mistake her for a lesbian when, in reality, her next relationship may be with a man, transgender person, or someone else.

To put a finer point on it, Miller says that "sexual orientation is not about who you are in a relationship at any particular moment."

Insider's takeaway

If you find yourself sexually or romantically attracted to all types of people regardless of their gender, you might be pansexual.

"Coming out" in any manner can be a scary and polarizing experience that can feel particularly difficult for people who have previously self-identified as heterosexual and may be struggling to understand or rationalize how they feel, Jones says.

Fortunately, there are tools and free helplines specifically for LGBTQ+ people that can help you cope with coming-out anxiety and navigate the experience in a way that is healthy and fulfilling.

If you're looking for someone to talk to about your sexuality, you can call the LGBT National Help Center or The Trevor Project. If you're in the UK, reach out to the LGBT Foundation.