Pansexuality is, next to hetero-, homo- and bisexuality, one of the psychosexual orientations. While in the case of homosexuality and heterosexuality is clear, pansexuality is a mystery to most people: what then is it and what distinguishes pansexuality from bisexuality? Who is pansexual?
Contents:
- Pansexuality: what is it?
- Who is pansexual?
- Famous pansexuals
Pansexuality: what is it?
Pansexuality(or omnisexuality) is called the fourth, and sometimes the fifth, if we add asexuality, sexual orientation to heterosexuality, homosexuality and bisexuality.
Pansexuality started to be talked more loudly only in the 21st century, although its history is much longer - earlier, however, pansexuality was given a different meaning than it is today. The term "pansexuality" was popularized by the father of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud, who at the beginning of the 20th century stated that most human behavior is driven by nothing but sex drive.
Today, psychiatrists and psychologists have (mostly) a different opinion on this subject, but the term "pansexuality" remains, which in 2016 became very popular with the case of … the American singer Miley Cyrus.
The pansexual flag is pink-yellow-blue.
- Throughout my life, I couldn't define my own gender or sexuality. I hated the word "bisexual" because it was pigeonholing me. I also never thought of the others as girls or boys. […] I myself feel neutral in this matter - when I realized that, it was easier for me to understand my own sexuality. I don't feel hetero, I don't feel homo and that's okay. I'm pansexual - the star confessed in an interview for "Variety".
But what exactly is this former Hannah Montana pansexuality?
The word "pansexuality" comes from the Greek "pan", meaning "everything" and the Latin "sexus", meaning "gender" and calls the possibility of directing one's sexual interest not only at people, but also animals or objects 1 . This is also how pansexuality is defined in psychiatry, but pansexuals, if you look at their declarations, definitely choose from this understandingtheir sexual orientation is cut off. Of course, they do not establish relationships with animals or objects, but with other people.
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Who is pansexual?
According to the definition of GLAAD, the American LGBT organization, pansexual is "a person who has the ability to form lasting - physical, romantic and / or emotional - relationships with people of any gender." Pansexual directs his desire only towards adult people, however, regardless of their biological sex or sexual orientation.
This is the difference between pansexuals and bisexuals. A bisexual likes a woman or a man, pansexual does not see people through the bipolar gender division. For a pansexual, there are no men or women, there are simply people. Gender or, rather, gender identity does not matter: a pansexual may fall in love with someone who describes himself as a woman, man, or transgender person.
About 1% of people in the world are pansexual.
It might seem that if someone calls himself pansexual, he willingly "jumps from flower to flower" and changes partners like gloves. However, this is not the case - pansexuals argue that if we want to talk about openness in their context, it will first of all be openness in terms of worldview. A pansexual (at least by definition) does not label or judge by appearance, origin, and what a given person represents.
The popularity of the word "pansexuality" has increased not only thanks to Miley, but also the greater openness of societies (primarily Western) to diversity, which includes gender neutrality.
- Pansexuality is a very broad term and that is why it is being talked about more and more often. People want to be able to identify themselves in any way they want, without being tagged, called by other people. Pansexuality allows a lot of flexibility, says sexologist and psychotherapist Michael Aaron2 .
Famous pansexuals
Miley Cyrus started the discussion about pansexuality again, followed by other famous people, including:
SIA- the famous singer claims that her sexuality has always been "flexible".
- Even before I became famous, I used to hang out with boys, girls and everyone in between. I don't care what gender someone is, what matters is the person.
Janelle Monáe- performer,singer, actress. The artist says that thanks to her coming out, as a pansexual, she would like to become a role model for young people.
- I want all young girls and young boys: lesbians, gays, non-binary people, straight people, queers, and those who have trouble defining their sexuality to remember that I am with them.
ROES (Angel Haze)- a rapper who describes pansexuality as "craving for love. Making an agreement with someone you can find it with, regardless of gender."
Jazz Jennings- American Youtuber, described as the youngest publicly known person who describes herself as transgender (Jennings was born in 2000). She is pansexual, she says, which means that "she likes people on a level that transcends gender and sexual orientation. She loves people for their soul and inner beauty."
Pansexuality is also spoken of in the context of Kristen Stewart, Lady Gaga, Madonna, and Clara Delevingne, who have not officially confirmed that they describe themselves as pansexuals.
Sources:
1) Source: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1158136008727178?via%3Dihub
2) https://edition.cnn.com/2016/10/10/he alth/pansexual-feat/index.html