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What's the difference between Pansexuality, Bisexuality and Polysexuality?

Profile: Anonymous
Anonymous on Jan 10, 2015
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All three terms refer to sexual attraction, which is a pull or allure in which you feel you want to partake in sexual activities with a specific person. Note that sexual attraction is a feeling, not a behavior, so your sexual experiences (or lack thereof) have no sway on your sexual attraction. Bisexuality originally meant feeling sexual attraction to "both" genders, with bi meaning two. Since there are far more than two genders, the definition was changed to mean either sexual attraction to two or more genders or sexual attraction to the same gender and one other. Polysexuality means sexual attraction to multiple genders, with poly meaning many. Pansexuality means either sexual attraction to all genders or sexual attraction regardless of gender, with pan meaning all. Many (but not all) people who identify as pansexual say gender doesn't figure in at all when they feel sexually attracted to someone. Which of these three someone uses depends entirely on which one they feel most comfortable with. Some people may claim those who use these labels are indecisive or looking for attention. Ignore them. If you feel it, it is real and valid.
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Profile: Anonymous
Anonymous on Oct 31, 2017
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Bisexuality leans more towards an attraction to two specific genders (hence the 'bi'), whereas pansexuality focuses on the attraction to all genders (though many pansexual people also identify as bisexual, and many bisexual people also identify as pansexual, this is because many non-binary people choose to identify themselves as male or female, which is the most common two attractions for a bisexual person). On the other hand, polysexuality may not necessarily be an attraction to two genders or all genders, rather three, four, five, etc. specific genders. Hope I explained this properly, sorry if I got this wrong! (feel free to correct me) Hope this helps :)
Profile: avanef
avanef on Apr 20, 2020
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Pansexuality is the sexual, romantic or emotional attraction towards people regardless of their sex or gender identity. Pansexual people may refer to themselves as gender-blind, asserting that gender and sex are not determining factors in their romantic or sexual attraction to others. Bisexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual behavior toward both males and females, or to more than one sex or gender. It may also be defined as romantic or sexual attraction to people of any sex or gender identity, which is also known as pensexuality. Polysexuality as been defined as "encompassing or characterized by many different kinds of sexuality", and as sexual attraction to many, but not all, genders. Those who use the term may be doing so as a replacement for the term bisexual, believing bisexual reifies dichotomies. All are valid sexualities and at the end of the day if you feel as though you don't have a title you feel best represents who you are, then don't worry about it. At the end of the day, you love who you love and that's all that should matter. If someone else doesn't like it or understand it, don't worry about it.
Profile: Aprildays2432
Aprildays2432 on May 17, 2015
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Pansexuality is similar to bisexuality, but more fluid. They can be attracted to not just female and male genders but any gender. Bisexual people are attracted to men and women. Polysexuality is very similar to Pansexuality but Polysexual people can also be in love with more then one person at a time.
Profile: yurannus
yurannus on Sep 14, 2015
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Bisexuals can have feelings for boys and girls *trans peoole are in boys and girls category too* Pansexuals can have feelings for nonbinary and genderfluid people and boys and girls And im sorry i dont have any idea about whats polysexual.
Profile: Potatofry
Potatofry on Nov 21, 2017
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Being pansexual means being attracted to all genders. Being bisexual means being attracted to two genders(not necessarily males and females) being polysexual means being attracted to some genders (more than 4) but not all gendera
Profile: Aayla
Aayla on Aug 6, 2019
LGBTQ+ Issues Expert
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Bisexuals are attracted to more than one gender. They could potentially be attracted to all genders, or only to some. They may or may not have a preference. Pansexuality and polysexuality respectively mean attraction regardless of gender and attraction to more than two, but not all gender. Since the definition of bi also covers these sort of cases, you're free to identify as bi/pan or bi/poly as you prefer.
Profile: MamaTrinidad
MamaTrinidad on Jul 7, 2015
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Pansexuality, you are not limited to who you love. Long story short, you don't care about any features of the person. You may love lesbian, bisexual, transgender. It doesn't matter. Bisexuality, you have an interest in dating male and female. Polysexuality, you like all different kinds of genders, very similar to pansexuality.
Profile: Anonymous
Anonymous on Jul 28, 2015
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From what I know, bisexuality is where there is a sexual attraction to both your own gender and the opposite gender/s. Pansexuality is when there is sexual attraction to all genders, or in other words sexual attraction regardless of gender. Polysexuality is the attraction to more than one gender, so bisexuality and pansexuality can come under polysexuality, but there are different forms of polysexuality.
Profile: TheFluteCat101
TheFluteCat101 on May 18, 2016
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One analogy I have seen is imagining sexualities as a direction of travel. Bisexuals can walk forwards and backwards (attraction to males and females). Polysexuality is being able to walk in some directions, but not all. Pansexuality is being able to walk in all directions, with no preference over which way you choose to walk.
Profile: Anonymous
Anonymous on Dec 18, 2016
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Pan- Attraction to all genders Bi- Attracted to boys and girls Poly- Attracted to most genders
Profile: kindWaterfall10
kindWaterfall10 on Aug 15, 2017
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Before answering this question, you have to realise the difference between sex and gender. Sex is what's between your legs (e.g. your genitalia) and your gender is your characteristics and interests, and the way you express yourself which may or may not coincide with your sex. Bisexuality is the attraction to both sexes, but people used to call it "attraction to both genders" when people thought there were only two. Pansexuality evolved from the notion that there are more than two genders, not just penis and vagina (genderfluid, bigender etc.) and pansexuals are attracted to all of them. Pansexuals also are attracted to people based on their characteristics and not their gender. Polysexuality is when someone is attracted to some (but not necessarily all) genders
Profile: ivysoul
ivysoul on May 22, 2015
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Pansexuality is being attracted to everyone and anyone, regardless of any limiting factor. Bisexuality is being attracted to both males and females, regardless of your gender. Polysexuality is being attracted to more than one gender group, but not all.
Profile: TheMiddleWay
TheMiddleWay on Sep 29, 2015
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Each of these labels try to help a person communicate to others something about their sexual preference or identity. Pansexuals tend to be attracted to specific individuals regardless of their gender/biological sex. Bisexuals tend to be attracted to either males or females but implicitly maybe not transgendered people. Polysexual or polyamorous people tend to avoid strictly 1-on-1 sexual monogamous relationship configurations and may have multiple partners in both sex and love. Remember, labels are there to help you express yourself, not to define yourself in a strict box!
Profile: attainablehappiness
attainablehappiness on Oct 12, 2015
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Ps sexuality is the attraction to all genders. For example, you can be attracted to anyone of any gender (or lack Thereof) Bisexuality is the attraction to two genders, not necessarily male or female, though those are the most common. Polysexuality is the attraction to most genders, just not all. So more than 2, but not all of them. Hope this helps! ❤️- Keri
Profile: Anonymous
Anonymous on Oct 26, 2015
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Panxsexuality means you're attracted to any gender, so you can be attracted to a man, woman, nonbinary individual etc. if they strike your fancy. Bisexuality means you're attracted to mainly two groups of genders, so you can be attracted to men and women, men, nonbinary, etc. Polysexuality means you can be attracted to many genders, but there are one to few exceptions, so you can be attracted to genderfluid people, trans people, and women yet not attracted to men.
Profile: Anonymous
Anonymous on Dec 8, 2015
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well pansexuality means you are attracted to people in general . Bi people are atracted to both genders and poly people incorporating many different kinds of sexuality
Profile: spectacularIceCream42
spectacularIceCream42 on Dec 28, 2015
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Pansexual is not having a preferences, you look at a persons personality rather than gender. Bisexuality is boy or girl not necessarily the entire gender spectrum and polysexuality is many, so rather than completely not looking at gender you can a have preference. None of these are the same and should not be confused.
Profile: PerplexedRose
PerplexedRose on Jan 26, 2016
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Bisexuality and pansexuality are a form of polysexuality. Polysexuality means "attraction to multiple genders." Bisexuality is attraction to both male and female. Pansexuality is attraction to all of the genders. (That includes but is not limited to transgenders, genderfluids, and people who don't identify with any gender.)
Profile: Anonymous
Anonymous on May 10, 2016
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Pansexuality is having a sexual attraction towards all genders and sexualities alike. Bisexuality is that towards two genders, while polysexuality is towards more than one.
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