Pansexual vs. Bisexual?

• animeshadows wrote on 2011-12-26 18:08
  I've had a few friends who identify as "pansexual" yell at me for asking this question, so I've never really received a straight up answer. I was hoping I could ask on here.
  
  What I understand (Simplified)
  
  

  
  
  • Pansexual - Attracted to all genders.
    
  • Bisexual - Attracted to both (which is all) sexes.
    
  • There are two sexes, male or female. This is genetically determined.
    
  • There is a wide spectrum of genders, which people choose to identify as. (Not genetically determined.)
    

  
  
  What confuses me
  
  To me, this seems like its one of those cases where a square is a rectangle, but a rectangle isn't a square. Pansexuality fits under bisexuality, because all genders are contained by both sexes. Bisexuality doesn't fit under pansexuality, however, because a person who is bisexual may not be attracted to all genders.
  
  This being said, I'm not saying that pansexuals should call themselves bisexual. There is an obvious need for both terms, and I agree that they are two separate sexualities. Whenever I ask somebody, however, if the above logic is/isn't correct, they shut down the conversation and call me a bigot. I'm not wanting to force anything on anybody... I'm honestly just trying to learn and understand.
  
  [S]Anybody want to help clear things up?[/S]
  
  

  Quote from Micho;707158:

  My friend is pansexual, well she identifies herself as pansexual.
  
  From my understanding she doesn't care about gender what she looks for is what's inside (cheesy enough as it is). If her and that person clicks personality wise, she'll be interested in that person regardless of gender whether it be a girl, boy, transvestite, etc. But yeah, correct if I'm wrong but that's what's pansexual is? While bisexuality is just that you're attracted to male and females. . .

  
  
  Question change. Let's put this to an example. Say John Doe is attracted to men, women, and hermaphrodites, but NOT those who are androgynous. What sexuality is he, and why? He clearly cares what gender the person is, because he has chosen three. However, he is not strictly attracted to men and women.
  
  What people are saying is that he is NOT bisexual because he does not consider only men and women, but he is NOT pansexual because he does not consider every gender. This is where I get confused.

• Akemii wrote on 2011-12-26 18:16
  Bisexual. :U
  
  Some some twaps are hot though.
• animeshadows wrote on 2011-12-26 18:22

  Quote from Akemii;707121:

  Bisexual. :U
  
  Some some twaps are hot though.

  
  
  That wasn't the question, though. I'm not asking who is who, I'm asking for clarification.
• Sumpfkraut wrote on 2011-12-26 18:22
  Your friends are weird.
  
  
  For yelling at you for being willing to understand them more, I mean.
• animeshadows wrote on 2011-12-26 18:23

  Quote from Sumpfkraut;707129:

  Your friends are weird.
  
  
  For yelling at you for being willing to understand them more, I mean.

  
  
  ==; mhm.
• Chiyuri wrote on 2011-12-26 18:25
  hmm well the term "pansexuality" is use in two different ways by people so the meaning kinda of change depending on who you are talking to.
  
  One common meaning for the word that people will use come from the source of the word itself Pan and Sexuality. If you take only the root meaning of the words, you get "sexual attraction to all". It's a little weird but it would refer to someone who get sexually attracted to anything human and non-human (animals and even innanimated objects.) That meaning is slightly changed by people and restrained to simply been sexually attracted to anything human. Sicne you seem to not be aware of it, the world is more than just "Male" and "Female". A Person isn't just 100% male or 100% female but a mix of those two with one side been more dominant than others. There will also be people who are more like 50% of each or even some that despite their body been more toward one side, the mind will be more toward the opposite. The people who don't fit within the 80+% male or 80+% female are usually ignored from the "Bisexual" point of view. The term pansexual will be used by people who can be sexually attracted by any %, in other words, any human.
  
  Another mindset about the word pansexual which is more commonly seen used on the internet is also referred as Gender Blindness. Instead of the first meaning that refer to people who can be sexually attracted to anyone. This other meaning of the word pansexuality refer to people who do not care about their sexual attraction to people. That they are attracted physical or not to someone doesn't stop them from been in love with them and may even take part in sexual activity with them without any problem.
• animeshadows wrote on 2011-12-26 18:28

  Quote from Chiyuri;707133:

  hmm well the term "pansexuality" is use in two different ways by people so the meaning kinda of change depending on who you are talking to.
  
  One common meaning for the word that people will use come from the source of the word itself Pan and Sexuality. If you take only the root meaning of the words, you get "sexual attraction to all". It's a little weird but it would refer to someone who get sexually attracted to anything human and non-human (animals and even innanimated objects.) That meaning is slightly changed by people and restrained to simply been sexually attracted to anything human. Sicne you seem to not be aware of it, the world is more than just "Male" and "Female". A Person isn't just 100% male or 100% female but a mix of those two with one side been more dominant than others. There will also be people who are more like 50% of each or even some that despite their body been more toward one side, the mind will be more toward the opposite. The people who don't fit within the 80+% male or 80+% female are usually ignored from the "Bisexual" point of view. The term pansexual will be used by people who can be sexually attracted by any %, in other words, any human.
  
  Another mindset about the word pansexual which is more commonly seen used on the internet is also referred as Gender Blindness. Instead of the first meaning that refer to people who can be sexually attracted to anyone. This other meaning of the word pansexuality refer to people who do not care about their sexual attraction to people. That they are attracted physical or not to someone doesn't stop them from been in love with them and may even take part in sexual activity with them without any problem.

  
  
  Question spawning: Genetically you have XX, or XY. Male, or female. In certain cases (which are rare?) this is not always the case, making you both sexes. If bisexuality is attraction to both sexes, it doesn't matter if you are XX, XY, or something in between. This being said, bisexuals are not attracted to ALL genders, but can have more than two, where as pansexuals are considered as all.
  
  
  Say, for instance, that I am attacted to "male" and "female" genders, along with certain GQs. Am I bisexual, or pansexual? I am not attracted to strictly two, but I am not attracted to ALL.
• BobYoMeowMeow wrote on 2011-12-26 18:35
  Pansexual includes recognition of hermaphodites and tranvestites owo
  while bisexual only thinks of males and females
• animeshadows wrote on 2011-12-26 18:37

  Quote from BobYoMeowMeow;707140:

  Pansexual includes recognition of hermaphodites and tranvestites owo
  while bisexual only thinks of males and females

  
  
  Hermaphodites are both sexes... and if bisexuals are attracted to both sexes, why wouldn't they be recognized? Or is my definition of bisexuality one that is odd? (See question from my reply before this.)
  
  

  Say, for instance, that I am attacted to "male" and "female" genders, along with certain GQs. Am I bisexual, or pansexual? I am not attracted to strictly two, but I am not attracted to ALL.

• Akemii wrote on 2011-12-26 18:40
  I thought Pansexual was liking anything at all, like a lot more emotional.
• animeshadows wrote on 2011-12-26 18:40

  Quote from Akemii;707148:

  I thought Pansexual was liking anything at all, like a lot more emotional.

  
  
  If it was anything, then I am very concerned;;; Because anything includes inanimate objects and other species.
• Akemii wrote on 2011-12-26 18:41

  Quote from animeshadows;707150:

  If it was anything, then does that justify bestiality? (o.o;;)

  
  
  I think it would help if they could have the same feelings for you back...
• animeshadows wrote on 2011-12-26 18:42

  Quote from Akemii;707151:

  I think it would help if they could have the same feelings for you back...

  
  
  ... so then by anything, you mean any gender human being.
• Micho wrote on 2011-12-26 18:44
  My friend is pansexual, well she identifies herself as pansexual.
  
  From my understanding she doesn't care about gender what she looks for is what's inside (cheesy enough as it is). If her and that person clicks personality wise, she'll be interested in that person regardless of gender whether it be a girl, boy, transvestite, etc. But yeah, correct if I'm wrong but that's what's pansexual is? While bisexuality is just that you're attracted to male and females. . .
• Akemii wrote on 2011-12-26 18:45

  Quote from Micho;707158:

  My friend is pansexual, well she identifies herself as pansexual.
  
  From my understanding she doesn't care about gender what she looks for is what's inside (cheesy enough as it is). If her and that person clicks personality wise, she'll be interested in that person regardless of gender whether it be a girl, boy, transvestite, etc. But yeah, correct if I'm wrong but that's what's pansexual is? While bisexuality is just that you're attracted to male and females. . .

  
  
  That's a better explanation of what I was trying to say xD