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Pansexual vs. Bisexual?

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Contributor: B/C I CAN B/C I CAN
I'm aware there is a difference between being Bi and being Pansexual... but this is how I have learned it: Bi-sexuals are attracted to both men and women in different ways, meaning they aspects of women and can have a relationship with a female, but also like certain aspects with men and can also have a relationship with a male.

With the Pansexuals I get confused, I've been told they don't actually care whether their partner is male or female, as if they don't quite pay attention to the gender of the person they are dating, at least in terms of labeling gender.

Is this true, or do I have it all wrong??
11/22/2012
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Contributor: Beck Beck
Quote:
Originally posted by B/C I CAN
I'm aware there is a difference between being Bi and being Pansexual... but this is how I have learned it: Bi-sexuals are attracted to both men and women in different ways, meaning they aspects of women and can have a relationship with a female, ... more
From my understanding, Pansexual means that the person is attracted to all people regardless of their genitals. Were Bisexual's wouldn't necessarily be attracted to a trans person.
11/22/2012
Contributor: needapacker needapacker
Quote:
Originally posted by B/C I CAN
I'm aware there is a difference between being Bi and being Pansexual... but this is how I have learned it: Bi-sexuals are attracted to both men and women in different ways, meaning they aspects of women and can have a relationship with a female, ... more
Everyone i knew who considered themself pansexual, did it to include trans people. I find that highly offensive considering trans men are men and trans women are women, thinking of them as something else is just plain wrong.
11/23/2012
Contributor: Luca77 Luca77
My experience is the same as needapacker. Some of them usually just use the label to say they'll screw anything as opposed to anyone. Of course, I've known very few pansexuals and all have been young adults so take this with a grain of salt.
11/23/2012
Contributor: flyaladder flyaladder
Your summary sounds pretty agreeable. Personally, I can find myself attracted to a person based on traits that have nothing to do with their gender, genitals or even appearance. Those physical things are only secondary to my value on personality or the chemistry we share. To say I "don't quite pay attention to gender" is spot on for me!
11/23/2012
Contributor: RonLee RonLee
For me I don't feel the need to label myself. The label's are for the convenience of "others" to understand who I might be attracted to. So depending upon just who that other is and why that person wants to know will determine how I answer. If I'm not impressed with that other person's ability to comprehend... well why would I share that type of personal information anyway.
11/23/2012
Contributor: Khroma Khroma
I consider myself bisexual; although I am attracted to people of all genders, cis or trans*, gender is a factor in my relationships and I don't completely disregard it, so I don't consider myself pansexual.
11/27/2012
Contributor: Pastafariette Pastafariette
I'm pansexual and I think gender doesn't matter when it comes to love.~
05/06/2013
Contributor: SaucyxGirl SaucyxGirl
The literal definition of bi-sexual is attraction to two genders or two sexes, while Pansexuality sometimes also called omnisexuality is attraction to all gender identities and biological sexes.

Attraction for me based fully upon the person, their genitals are not even a thought or a factor in the attraction. While this is not true for all people are bi-sexual, I have seen cases where a person has hooked up with someone who is androgynous only to be disappointed and turned off that they didn't have the equipment that they thought they did. To them part of the attraction is gender based.

To me this is something I can not understand. Actual gender, gender identity or lack there of are never even a consideration in forming an attraction. I am merely attracted to the person them self, not their plumbing.
05/06/2013
Contributor: TheirPet TheirPet
Bisexuals are attracted to men or women.
Pansexuals can be attracted to all genders: male, female and transgendered folk.
05/06/2013
Contributor: Ayogirl230 Ayogirl230
honestly though i think trans part is the key between pan and bi.
07/19/2013
Contributor: magicmaxx Mr.Mrs magicmaxx Mr.Mrs
I'm a bisexual male that is attracted and love everything about women been married for 28 years I also enjoy sex with men I love sucking cock swallowing cum receiving anal sex with a hard cock
08/23/2013
Contributor: lecanis lecanis
Quote:
Originally posted by B/C I CAN
I'm aware there is a difference between being Bi and being Pansexual... but this is how I have learned it: Bi-sexuals are attracted to both men and women in different ways, meaning they aspects of women and can have a relationship with a female, ... more
At its base, bisexual simply means attracted to two genders. There are a lot of different individuals who fall into that category in different ways though, since some bisexuals are more attracted to one than another or view their attractions toward men and women differently. A lot of people who identify as bisexual do use it to mean attracted to all genders too!

Pansexuality is really just a newer term, and a lot of people who use it specifically choose it over bisexual as a statement about concepts of gender. Since some people feel that intersex, trans*, and genderqueer individuals are excluded from a bigender system of identification, they prefer to say pansexual to include those individuals.

Personally, I actually use both? Bisexual is more easily recognized by people who aren't necessarily involved in a lot of talk or study about gender or sexuality, so it's a little easier to say "I'm bisexual" and not have to explain a lot than to say "pansexual".
09/02/2013
Contributor: Ly-Ra Ly-Ra
I agree with lecanis. I use bisexual if I'm talking to people who haven't really talked or learned a lot about gender issues, but pansexual if talking with people who have learned about it.
09/29/2013
Contributor: Billie Bones Billie Bones
A definition of bisexuality that I've heard, and rally like, is "attracted to genders that are the same and also different" which is basically what pansexuality is described as. So I don't really think there is a difference. Bisexuality is not inherently trans* exclusive. That's not to say that there are not cissexist bisexuals out there.
10/08/2013
Contributor: ChaelaGirl911 ChaelaGirl911
Speaking as a tgirl who considers herself pan, the way I learned and understand it (and have also talked with my old shrink who thinks it's quite apt), the term bisexual implies a gender binary system. As someone who obviously doesn't fit into this binary or sees sexuality as black and white, I consider myself pan. I use this term among all my friends and family whether or not they're up to speed with trans issues. It makes me feel good when I can help someone understand me a little bit better.

oh, and this is my First post! Hello sexy world
11/04/2013
Contributor: matbug matbug
A lot of pansexual people I know identify that way because they believe id-ing as "Bi" excludes attraction to trans* or non-binary gender people. I don't think that "bi" necessarily excludes those people, I just think it's been around for longer and is more widely known. I think they are basically the same thing, because a lot of "bi" people are still open to trans* people.
11/08/2013
Contributor: friendswithfangs friendswithfangs
super grossed out by the amount of people perpetuating that pan means "attracted to men, women, and trans people" as if trans men and trans women are not within that binary to begin with. uncool.

anyway, they're pretty much functionally the same word at this point, even if bisexual has the prefix bi-, most people who are aware of the existence of more than two genders and identify as bi include them, to my knowledge.

pansexual just literally means attracted to all genders, this means men, women, and nonbinary people of all types.

besides that, labels are personal, some people may not feel comfortable identifying as pan because they have possibly already come out as bi, have found solace in the term as they found their identity, or plain don't like the term pansexual. don't judge people for identifying as bi rather than pan because they're not being "open-minded" or assume that a bi person would not date someone outside of the gender binary.
11/11/2013
Contributor: grrrldickz grrrldickz
Quote:
Originally posted by B/C I CAN
I'm aware there is a difference between being Bi and being Pansexual... but this is how I have learned it: Bi-sexuals are attracted to both men and women in different ways, meaning they aspects of women and can have a relationship with a female, ... more
Pansexual is a word people use to be inclusive of people who might not identify as male or female (such as genderqueer people, androgynous people, etc). Personally I'm bisexual and I don't mind genderqueer people or androgynous people, but I don't like the term "pansexual" for me and I would never use it for myself.
11/27/2015
Contributor: TexasBrat TexasBrat
It confuses me as well. But, going by some of these posts, I guess I'm bisexual. Though, I never have had the opportunity to be introduced or attracted to a transgender person. There are so many terms/labels out there, that it's getting kind of ridiculous!! That's my opinion at least.
12/28/2015
Contributor: pirata pirata
For me, I hear a lot of people say that they are attracted to people regardless of gender. The whole "person/personality not plumbing" thing that's been mentioned here even. I've heard it from bi and pan people.

My thing is, as a bi lady, part of my initial attraction to a person is based on looks which typically has some connection to gender. To say that you don't care about gender feels like when people say "oh, I don't see color/race"

Being a woman is part of who I am, so you not caring about that feels weird to me. I know some people are androgynous or agender, but I haven't really known any to decide or find out if and how I am attracted to them.

Plus, the idea that pan includes trans feels more problematic, since a trans person is the gender they are.
05/31/2016
Contributor: kathe25 kathe25
Quote:
Originally posted by B/C I CAN
I'm aware there is a difference between being Bi and being Pansexual... but this is how I have learned it: Bi-sexuals are attracted to both men and women in different ways, meaning they aspects of women and can have a relationship with a female, ... more
I do not think there is the different between pansexual and bisexual. Lots of pansexual people explore their sexuality on bisexual site. I find a good bisexual list site named top10bidatingsites.com . You can have a try or search keyword "bisexual dating" on google?
06/28/2016