Pansexual

Many, many times I have been asked what my orientation is. Time and time again I get that question, "do you like men or women?" as if that's the only 2 choices in a close-minded binary world. Hating labels and not really having an appropriate term in our limited language, I would struggle to come up with an explanation that made sense. Often times I would start out saying "bisexual" then explain that that's not entirely correct because it brings us back to the binary lie when gender is a continuum and not binary. Saying bisexual would exclude all those intersex, two-spirited, transsexual, and 1000 other terms for people that fall into those beautiful levels of gray between the binary illusion of "male" and "female". More often then not I'd spend so long trying to explain it that I'd leave the person more confused than before they asked.

I've heard 100's of other terms for sexual orientations though over the last year. And again as much as I hate labels I had to wonder if one of them was more accurate than bisexual plus a 3 minute explanation of how it's wrong. Well last night one of my good friends and I were talking and the term "pansexual" came up. And I inquired what his definition of that term was. I really liked the answer.

So today, being the overly curious person that I am. I started looking things up online. First thing I did was search Wikipedia for the word pansexual. I mean really, don't all information searches start with either Wikipedia or Google? Anyhow, I was reading through the definition, which I have included at the bottom of this post. I got through the definition and etymology and was like hey, this is exactly what I am all summed up in one word. And so much easier to explain than what i was saying.

But then I thought to myself of all those other terms I heard and maybe there was a better one that would fit me in particular. Even though this one seemed 100% right on the mark. So I kept reading the pansexual entry at the bottom of the page under the title "In the media". The VERY FIRST LINE under that? A reference to Doctor Who and Torchwood! I'm like, "Ok Goddess, I get it. I see your signs. I'm pansexual, got ya, thanks." :)

Courtesy of Wikipedia:

Pansexuality, also referred to as omnisexuality, refers to the potential for sexual attraction, sexual desire, romantic love, or emotional attraction toward individuals of all gender identities, biological sexes, and multiple taxonomical species. Self-identified pansexuals may refer to themselves as gender-blind—that gender and sex are insignificant or irrelevant in determining whether they will be sexually attracted to others. The Oxford English Dictionary writes that pansexuality is defined as "not limited or inhibited in sexual choice with regards to gender or activity."

The concept of pansexuality deliberately rejects the gender binary, the "notion of two genders and indeed of specific sexual orientations", as pansexual people are open to relationships with people who do not identify as strictly men or women. Pansexuality can also mean the attraction to a person's personality, rather than their physical appearance or gender.


Etymology

The prefix pan- comes from an Ancient Greek term meaning "all" or "every". Omni- comes from a Latin term meaning "all". Poly- also comes from Ancient Greek and means "many" or "much." "Pansexual" is derived from the word "pansexualism," dated back to 1917, which is the view "that the sex instinct plays the primary part in all human activity, mental and physical". Credited to Sigmund Freud, it is a term of reproach leveled at early psychology, and is also defined as "the pervasion of all conduct and experience with sexual emotions".

The conceptualization of "pansexuality" as distinct from "pansexualism" contrasts with predominant prefixes attached to the -sexual and -gender roots. Traditional thought employs the prefixes hetero- (opposite), homo- (same), bi- (two) and trans- ('across'). A Transgender identity, opens up a gender continuum rather than a gender binary rubric but does not discard or disregard the idea of gender altogether.


Compared with bisexuality

A literal dictionary definition of bisexuality, due to the prefix bi-, is sexual or romantic attraction to two sexes (males and females), or to two genders (men and women). Pansexuality, however, composed with the prefix pan-, is the sexual attraction to people of all sexes or genders. Using these definitions, pansexuality is different in that it includes people who are intersex and/or fall outside the gender binary.

Bisexual-identified people may object to this distinction, arguing that since bisexual is not simply about attraction to two sexes and encompasses gender as well, it can include attraction to more than two genders, as "gender" is a more complex issue; for example, gender identities that are wholly similar to each other.


In the media

Writer Russell T Davies introduced Captain Jack Harkness, of British series' Doctor Who and Torchwood, with the intention of properly introducing bisexuality to the British public. However, the term "omnisexual" is also frequently used by cast and crew to describe the character; its use is intended to highlight that Jack does not discriminate between humans and aliens. Actor John Barrowman explains that in Torchwood's usage, it is an "in-universe" term; Jack represents in real-world terms the representative portrayal of a bisexual man in a lead role on television. "[He]’s bisexual, but in the realm of the show, we call him omnisexual, because on the show, [the characters] also have sex with aliens who take human form, and sex with male-male, women-women, all sorts of combinations."

Franky Fitzgerald, played by Dakota Blue Richards, is a pansexual and androgynous girl from the UK show Skins (TV series) season 5, and stated that she was "into people" when asked about her sexuality. Richards has denied rumours that her character is homosexual, and has said that Franky is an 'outsider', and that she doesn't want to be seen as male, female, gay or straight. Episode 7 of the series reveals her to be pansexual.

Lisbeth Salander, heroine of the popular The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo trilogy, is identified as simply enjoying sex and not minding much with whom she is enjoying it.

Edited this to remove the term hermaphrodite as I've since learned that hermaphrodites don't really exist in humans. Still learning new stuff every day. lol