Sexual Orientation: Attention Seeker.

[Lenonis]

Idk it can be nice to know there is a word to describe the way you feel.

" I'm not the only one" kinda thing.

Yeah, true, but at this thread shows it also creates a situation where hardly anyone knows what it actually means.

Not to mention it is hard for some people to grasp the idea that people can change the gender they identify as, or have a mixed identification where they view themselves as both male and female. I don't even get it myself honestly. But then again I don't really get bisexuality either. Or what life with siblings is like. It can be challenging to really understand something you aren't.

[Deleted]

Then why use another binary term? Why not just explain things to people in your own way, if people ask about your sexuality? Why even put a term on it at all, if the sexuality is so specific?

Pansexual isn't a binary term. It's also not really particular specific. It just means you're attracted to all genders and to both cis and trans people. Bisexual is binary on the other hand because it only covers male and female and potentially excludes trans* folk. Although personally I just use bi because I'm more used to it. But that's just it - people can label themselves whatever they like. It's not really yours or the OPs business to tell them that they're wrong about their own experience or that they can't be sincerely using a more obscure label.

[Deleted]

The "new" wave of sexual orientations looks at genders as a spectrum and not as just male or just female. This is where the cis/trans stuff comes into play.

So -- Cis male -- biologically male, identifies as male.
Trans male -- biologically female, identifies as male.

Then you have the more....fluid ones like genderqueer or agender.

Bisexuality is someone who is attracted to either cis men or cis women. Pansexuals are attracted to anyone on the gender spectrum including trans, genderqueer, asexual.

I have to confess I don't entirely understand it myself, or the seemingly obsessive desire to find the right "label". I mean, you are attracted to who you are attracted to. Not sure why that needs to be a whole movement to get the words right.

You got close though, keep at it!

I dont label my sexuality either, it's just "I'm into women" for me, pretty simple. But people who use a label are free to use one, whatever makes you comfy.

[Flurryfang]

Pansexual isn't a binary term. It's also not really particular specific. It just means you're attracted to all genders and to both cis and trans people. Bisexual is binary on the other hand because it only covers male and female and potentially excludes trans* folk. Although personally I just use bi because I'm more used to it. But that's just it - people can label themselves whatever they like. It's not really yours or the OPs business to tell them that they're wrong about their own experience or that they can't be sincerely using a more obscure label.

Well, why do you have to say that you are attracted to cis/trans people? I thought they saw themself as either male or female anyway, so liking these people would go under bi, right?
I am not saying that people don't have the right to call their sexuality what they want(im personally a fan of the I identity as a attack helicoptor), but as OP is pointing out, that people are using these terms just to be special, like the vegan term has been used before. People aren't really following the term they give themself, they often just use it to get false attention.

But luckily, the entire 1000-different sexual terms have not arrived at my town yet, so the dating life is still good and simple

[Deleted]

I mean I agree, it does sound silly, but why do you care so much?

[Deleted]

It's silly to announce sexual orientation in social media but I still think it's not OP's business to define whether his friend is pansexual or not. Her former actions doesn't mean she can't be attracted to something else too.

[Endus]

This is a sexuality thread, which we don't allow. Locking this here.