Skip to main content Skip to bottom nav

What is the difference between pansexuality, polysexuality and bisexuality?

201 Answers
Last Updated: 11/08/2021 at 11:55am
What is the difference between pansexuality, polysexuality and bisexuality?
★ This question about LGBTQ+ Issues was starred by a moderator on 5/12/2016.
1 Tip to Feel Better
United States
Moderated by

Lauren Abasheva, LMHC

Licensed Professional Counselor

A sex positive, and kink knowledgeable therapist with an open mindset and a clear understanding that we are all different.

Top Rated Answers
teaofvanilla
August 28th, 2015 7:09pm
Pansexuals feel sexually attracted to all genders. Polysesxuals feel sexually attracted to multiple genders. Bisexuals feel sexually attracted to the two binary genders (male and female).
Zhanin
August 28th, 2015 7:09pm
Bisexuality is that you're attracted to men and women. Pansexuality is that you're attracted to men, women, intersexual, gender-queer, transsexual and other gender identities. Polysexuality is that you're attracted to attracted to more than one gender but don't want to identify as bisexual because it infers that there are only two genders.
Anonymous
January 23rd, 2016 3:44am
Pansexuality is being attracted to all people of various sexual and gender identities, polysexuality is being attracted to some but not all of the LGBTQ+ spectrum, it varies from person to person, and bisexuality is being attracted to both genders
Anonymous
February 10th, 2016 12:12am
Here's my definitions for the following: Pansexuality is when you're gender blind, and gender is not a thing you look for in a person, you focus more on personality. Polysexualilty is the attraction to multiple genders. Another form of this is polymarous, where you have a romantic relationship with more than one person at a time. Bisexuality is the sexual attraction to two or more genders.
delicateDream94
February 10th, 2016 2:09am
Pansexuality is feeling attracted to people reguardless of gender, gender identification, or biological sex, bisexuality is being sexually attracted too both males and females, and polysexuality is a descriptor meaning feeling attraction to more than one gender.
NiaS29
October 24th, 2015 9:02am
Pansexuality is sexual attraction to people with any gender identity. Bisexuality is sexual attraction to two genders (commonly males and females) and polysexuality means attraction to more than one gender.
ShiningLove1998
September 10th, 2015 2:37pm
Pansexual means you are attracted to any gender, including the non-binary genders. Polysexual means you tend to be attracted to multiple people. Bisexual means you are only attracted to the two binary genders, girl and boy.
OQuinn
May 14th, 2015 7:59pm
people reffered as pansexual love boys, girls, transgeders, asexual, just ANY human being, ANY sexuality and ANY gender identity. While polysexuality is attraction to some, but not all, possible genders. This is not to be confused with bisexuality, which is attraction to the two binary genders, or pansexuality, which is attraction regardless of gender
Aayla
- Expert in LGBTQ+ Issues
August 6th, 2019 2:34am
Pan and poly are subgroups of bisexuality. Pan is attraction regardless of gender, so they may not have a preference for one. Poly are attracted towards more than two genders. Bi are attracted towards to more than one gender, possibly even all, and the may or may not have a preference towards one gender. Bisexuality is an umbrella term that covers many possible situations, so if some of these apply to you, it's up to you to identify as pan/poly or bi as you prefer.
Anonymous
April 24th, 2015 9:20pm
Bisexuality was originally meant to mean a sexual attraction to 2 or more genders. Since then, it means two genders (not necessarily just males and females), polysexuality is 2 or more, but not all genders, whereas pansexuals are attracted to every gender. These sexualities tend to be hypersexualized and been thought to be more prone to engaging I threesomes or cheating, but neither is true. These sexualities are just as valid and normal as any other.
peacefulNight35
November 28th, 2017 12:57am
This can be a matter of opinion. I myself identify as bi when many would consider me pan as I feel romantic attraction no matter the gender. The cut and dry definitions are: bisexuality: attraction to different genders polysexuality: attraction to more than two genders pansexuality: attraction to all genders. Find the label that best fits you.
Anonymous
January 10th, 2016 10:58am
Bisexuality is about being sexually atracted to male and female people. Pansexuality is about being sexualy atracted to people regardles of ther biological sex or gender identification. polysexuality is about being atracted to bunch of gender identifications but also being not attracted to some... i hope this was correct
courageousTree32
January 10th, 2016 7:29pm
Well with bisexuality you only like make and females. With pansexuality you like all gender (transgender is a gender but likening a transgender person doesn't make you pansexaul. And with polysexuality you like everyone no matter if they have a gender or no
indigo24
January 10th, 2016 10:34pm
Pansexuality is the attraction to towards people of any sex or gender identity. Polysexuality is the attraction to multiple genders. Bisexuality is the attraction to both male and female genders or attraction to any gender.
Anonymous - Expert in LGBTQ+ Issues
August 28th, 2015 7:28pm
All three are terms for experiencing sexual attraction to multiple genders. Bi- means two, poly- means many, pan- means all. Someone who is pansexual, then, experiences sexual attraction to all genders or regardless of gender. Someone who is polysexual experiences sexual attraction to many genders, but maybe not all of them. Someone who is bisexual experiences sexual attraction to two genders by definition, but since it's the most well-known label of these three, it's often defined as attraction to two *or more* genders. Someone whose pattern of attraction matches poly or pan can use bi and be no less accurate. It all comes down to which label feels right to the person using it.
Anonymous
January 13th, 2016 2:41am
Pansexuality is when you are attracted to someone no matter what gender they are or identify as. Polysexuality is having a combination of sexualities. Bisexuality is being attracted to both males and females.
Crest
January 14th, 2016 3:20am
1: Attracted to all genders, 2: Attracted not to one specific gender, 3: Attracted to both binary genders.
Anonymous
January 15th, 2016 8:52am
Pansexuality is where you are attracted to people regardless of their gender, polysexuality is where you are attracted to more than people of two genders, and bisexuality is where you attracted to your same and other genders.
kittenguts
January 16th, 2016 11:07am
Bisexuals are able to be attracted to both males and females, pansexuals are able to be attracted to every gender (transgender, agender, bigender, male, female...) and polysexuals want a sexual relationship with more than one person at the same time.
herecomescameryn
January 16th, 2016 9:06pm
well, bisexuality is when you like two different genders. normal male and female. pan sexuality means that you like every gender (yes, there is more than two) You pretty much like the person for their personality, not genitals or gender. polysexuality is when you like more than two genders but now all of them. I hope this helped (:
WonderfulSunrise
January 20th, 2016 12:41am
Simply put, pansexuals are attracted romantically and sexually to all genders and gender expressions, but bisexual people are attracted to both men and women, not necessarily those with a gender expression/identity different from their biological sex. Polysexuality and pansexuality are also similar, but the main difference is that polysexuals are attracted to many, but not necessarily all possible genders. This differs somewhat from pansexuality, which is the attraction to any possible combination of gender and sex.
majesticBlanket12
November 22nd, 2015 2:09am
PAnsexuality is an attraction to all genders and sexes, polysexuality is preferring a relationship with more than one person (like a group relationship) and bisexuality is being attracted to both men and women.
tranquilKoala
November 25th, 2015 12:29am
Pansexuality is the ability to be attracted to any gender (male, female, genderqueer, agender, ect.). Polysexuality is the attraction to multiple genders (male and genderqueer, female and agender, ect.) but not others. Bisexuality is the attraction to male and female genders, but it is often overlapped with Pansexuality. The only real difference between bisexuality and Pansexuality is that bisexuality is more recognized and easier to identify as (it doesn't require an explanation of the gender spectrum every time it's mentioned.) For the last two, what the distinction is depends on what each person personally identifies as.
Anonymous
January 9th, 2016 4:27pm
Pansexuality is being able to fall for anyone. Polysexuality is being able to fall for multiple people. Bisexuality is being able to fall for both boys and girls
friendlyUnicorn16
January 8th, 2016 6:51pm
Pansexual people are attracted to male, female, but also non binary people. Polysexual people are attracted to more than one gender or form of gender expressions (but not all). Bisexual people are attracted to male and female.
allalone13
November 27th, 2015 1:52pm
there isn't much of a difference between, they are all searching for love. It could be anything. and that's what makes them up
kaizerwithaz
January 24th, 2016 5:45pm
Bisexuals like the same and other genders, polysexuals like multiple genders, and pansexuals like all genders. People can even identify as a blend of the three. It really all depends on you. I hope I was able to teach you something, and remember to respect everyone’s identity and orientation!
sweetappleyankeecandle
January 7th, 2016 7:01pm
Bisexuality is being attracted to both girls and boys. Pansexuality is similar; however, it is not exclusive to only boys and girls, and pansexual people are attracted to people of all different genders too, for example transgender, genderfluid, etc. Polysexuality is being attracted to not only boys and girls, but also other genders; however, not necessarily all genders.
Emily619
September 16th, 2015 2:45am
Instead of usually writing this in sentence form, it is a bit easier to read (in my opinion) and as well type in list form. Pansexuality- Sexual attraction, romantic love, or emotional attraction toward people of any sex or gender identity. Polysexuality- The attraction to multiple genders or sexes. A Polysexual person is one "encompassing or characterized by many different kinds of sexuality." Bisexuality- Romantic attraction, sexual attraction or sexual behavior toward both males and females, or romantic or sexual attraction to people of any sex or gender identity Q: ...So, what does this all mean? I'm still confused! A: Basically, each sexuality likes everyone, but to a certain extent. Pansexuality is the most broad, then polysexuality, and finally bisexuality. I hope I helped!
Anonymous
September 27th, 2015 4:02pm
The difference between pansexuality, polysexuality and bisexuality is pansexual people can be attracted to anyone not based on gender identity, sexuality etc polysexual people can be attracted to people who are any of the genders; male,female,agender,genderfluid etc and bisexual people can be attracted to the two genders; male and female