Bisexual vs Pansexual. the debate that has spread like wildfire. This is, of course, a discourse book. I will make a bi positivity book as well, do not worry.
I am very willing to educate all the pansexuals who are confused and WILLING to listen. I...
JUST TO NOTE: I don't agree with EVERY WORD in this article. I disagree that there can be nonbinary men/women (that defeats the purpose) but I agree with the point the author is making.
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Ever since pansexuality entered the mainstream, people have worked tirelessly to separate it from bisexuality so that the two are completely different. However, virtually every way they try to do this proves false and erases swaths of bisexuals - and sometimes even pansexuals. As I'll demonstrate, there is no legitimate way to contrast the two in terms of attraction. There may be perceived differences in how certain factors play into our desire, but these are differences among self-identified bisexuals and pansexuals - not between them, with all bisexuals feeling one way and all pansexuals feeling another.
Essentially, they describe the same sexuality. "Pansexual" is to "bisexual" as "lesbian" is to "gay woman" and "homosexual woman."
Before We BeginDisclaimers
All definitions of pansexuality I list here are ones that I've see pansexuals use to differentiate themselves from bisexuals. If you think I'm "cherry-picking," let me know which definitions I missed instead of simply accusing me. Also, if it matters, I used to identify as pansexual.
Differences between individuals who identify with either label don't demonstrate a fundamental difference between the orientations themselves. Again, differences between people do not define an entire category or experience. No identity is monolithic, and we should stop treating them as such.
This is not a demand that pansexuals drop their label, but rather a criticism of those who insist pansexuality is somehow not bisexuality. Many people feel they have the right to tell bisexuals to identify as pansexual instead, and it's incredibly frustrating.
Who vs. How
Many people distinguish pansexuality from bisexuality not via which genders they find attractive, but how they experience that attraction. Such separations pose problems because:
These experiences are individual, not universal. People who don't identify with the new term still experience things defined by it, and people who do identify with it will not always share that specific experience. Thus they'll disagree with your distinction as it alienates them. It's unrealistic and offensive to assign a single experience to an entire identity. While one can confidently say that all self-identified gay men are predominantly (when not exclusively) attracted to men, one can't say that all bisexuals have gender preferences.Sexual orientation is about who (i.e., which genders) you're attracted to, not how. That is how it's defined. It isn't practical to create categories based on how someone experiences attraction because the "how" isn't cohesive; everyone has different experiences. Not to mention, it simply isn't significant compared to the "who" of it; others can't detect the "how." Bisexuals aren't oppressed for finding gender insignificant or having a preference for men; we're oppressed for liking men and women. Identifying oneself primarily based on the "how" creates an individualistic notion of sexuality that can't be displayed or legally protected.Sexuality is complicated - and still political. Orientation is a vast taxonomic category, with vast themes and shared experiences. These experiences include privilege and oppression concerning not only the individual but how society perceives and responds to their existence. "Straight," "gay," and "bisexual" are not merely identities; they're legal categories and positions in an oppressive power dynamic.
