“The bi community feels very strongly that is not being binary either.
“The reality is that bi means more than one,” she said. “Pan is more about all-inclusive, and bi tends to be more than one,” she said, adding, “The golden rule, honestly, is to call someone by how the identify.”Ī common conception of bisexuality is that bisexual people find themselves attracted to men or women, reinforcing a gender binary. Q: Is pansexuality different than bisexuality?īisexuality and pansexuality are not interchangeable words, Ellis said, though pansexuality does fall under the so-called "bisexuality umbrella." Walter Thompson Innovation Group.Īn upcoming GLAAD study reaffirms those findings, according to Ellis said. Only 48% of Gen Z, or the generation born after millennials, identify exclusively as heterosexual, according to a recent report from J. Pansexual isn't a new term, but Ellis said we are hearing it more often because younger generations seem to be identifying as pansexuals more and more.Įllis said upcoming GLAAD research on how Gen Z and millennials identify and see the world has shown that there is a growing trend toward gender fluidity. Physically, I think I'm more attracted to boys but sometimes I'm attracted to girls too, so it's weird." It's more that I love someone for their soul. "There's no limits," she said. "I'll date anyone. Jazz Jennings, a transgender teenage woman, told Cosmo, that pansexual means you are "attracted to anyone, no matter their sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, everything." That means a person who identifies as pansexual may be attracted to a transgender person, someone who goes by by the gender neutral terms of "ze" or "zir," or someone who identifies as straight or gay. The + signifies that one may identify with a sexual orientation or gender identity that is not represented within. While celebrities may be bringing media attention to pansexuality, the concept is not new, according to GLAAD President & CEO, Sarah Kate Ellis.Ī pansexual is a person who is attracted to all gender identities, or attracted to people regardless of gender, according to GLAAD President & CEO, Sarah Kate Ellis. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer. I was like, 'Oh - that’s why I don’t feel straight and I don’t feel gay. Once I understood my gender more, which was unassigned, then I understood my sexuality more. I think that was the first gender-neutral person I’d ever met. But I feel very neutral," she said in the Power of Women L.A. "Even though I may seem very different, people may not see me as neutral as I feel. Miley Cyrus spoke openly about coming out as pansexual earlier this week, but the concept remains unfamiliar for many.Ĭryus, who described herself as attracted to people of any sex or gender, said she realized she was pansexual after becoming a part of the LGBT community in Los Angeles and meeting a gender-neutral person. Watch Video: What does it mean to identify as LGBT?