Panphobia
In the discourse community, I have seen a lot of anti-pansexual people being and have been called "panphobic" (1, 2, 3). It has also been brought up that panphobia is not the irrational fear or aversion to pansexuality or pansexual people. Not only is the aversion to pansexuality rational and justified—who wouldn't have an aversion toward biphobia?—but that is also simply not what the word means.
"Pan" is "all" and "phobia" is "fear" in Greek (in a modern context; "aversion" works for non-medical phobias without anxiety). Thus, panphobia is the fear of everything (4). It is not the fear or aversion of anything pansexuality-related.
Pansexuals stop redefining words challenge.
Panphobia was described by the coiner Théodule-Armand Ribot as "a state in which a patient fears everything or nothing, where anxiety, instead of being riveted on one object, floats as in a dream, and only becomes fixed for an instant at a time, passing from one object to another, as circumstances may determine" in 1911 (5). This is only quote about it that I have access to since it is not medically registered as a phobia.
No, I am not panphobic. I do not fear everything. I am anti-biphobia so naturally I am anti-pansexual. The label holders have redefined bisexuality several times so that they can fit themselves in the past couple decades. The label holders have put bisexual in a spotlight of misconceptions and stereotypes.
It's wild to me that pansexuals have not only redefined my label to fit their agenda, but they are now trying to redefine another word.
"But then what could I possibly call someone who dislikes pansexuality?" You ask.
Anti-pansexual. Anti-biphobia. It's that simple, really.
YOU ARE READING
Bi vs Pan
Non-FictionBisexual 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...
