Sexual and romantic attraction is the desire that drives people to engage in sexual or emotional behaviors and relationships. Some people are attracted to people of the opposite gender (heterosexual). Others are attracted to people of the same gender (gay or lesbian). With pansexuals, romantic, sexual, and emotional attraction has nothing to do with gender.
"Put simply, it's not about the gender, it's about the person," explains Rebecca Minor, LICSW, a gender specialist, therapist, and author who works with LGBTQ+ youth and families.
Pansexuality derives from the Greek prefix "pan," which means "all." In this case, it's referring to all genders. Omnisexuality is another term for the same wide-ranging attraction.
The word pansexuality has been around since 1910. Its first known reference in print was in 1914, in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology. The term was popularized in the 1990s to expand upon bisexuality, with the idea that attraction is not limited by gender.
Public awareness has grown as more and more celebrities have come out as pansexual, including:
Janelle Monáe
Miley Cyrus
Jazz Jennings
Roes (Angel Haze)
Bella Thorne
Wayne Brady
JoJo Siwa
Kesha
Joe Lycett
Sia
Brendon Urie of Panic at the Disco
Understanding Sexual Orientation
Sexual orientation is how a person identifies with regard to their sexual or romantic attractions, but it doesn't have to involve sex. Young people can explore their sexual orientation without having any sexual contact.
Sexual orientation includes a range of sexual and romantic attractions.
Heterosexual is an attraction to people of the opposite sex.
Homosexual means a person is attracted to members of their own sex.
Bisexual is having an attraction to both men and women.
Asexual means having little to no sexual attraction for other people.
Pansexual means you can be attracted to anyone, regardless of their gender or sexual orientation.
Attraction is fluid. It can change from one life stage to another. Someone can start out life heterosexual, and later discover they are gay or pansexual.
Differentiating Between Pansexuality and Other Orientations
Pansexual is a broader term than other orientations. Rather than being attracted to one or two genders, someone who is pansexual is attracted to people of all genders. That attraction may change over time, and it may not be the same intensity for every gender.
Pansexuality vs. Bisexuality
While pansexuality and bisexuality have similarities and the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, they are not exactly the same.
"Pansexual people are sexually attracted to others based on individual qualities, not their gender," explains Tara Suwinyattichaiporn, PhD, a Kinsey-certified sexologist and tenured professor of sexual and relational communication at California State University in Fullerton. “Bisexual people are sexually attracted to men and women, including their gendered qualities.”
The distinction between the two identities can get murky. Many bisexual people are attracted to nonbinary, trans, and gender-diverse people. "For some, 'pansexual' feels like the most accurate reflection of who they are,” says Minor. “For others, 'bisexual' feels right. There's overlap, there's nuance, and there's space for both to be valid.”
The earliest recorded mention of pansexuality in print was in a 1914 article by J. Victor Haberman in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology. In it, Haberman criticizes Freudian psychology for, among other things, "the pan-sexualism of mental life which makes every trend revert to the sexual." Essentially, he was blasting Freud for theorizing that sex influenced every human urge. Haberman was referring to pansexuality as a psychoanalytic term rather than as a sexual or emotional attraction.
References to pansexuality entered popular culture in the late 1960s and 1970s. A review of Andy Warhol's film, Lonesome Cowboy, a Western about two women and five gay cowboys in a ghost town, refers to the movie as "pansexual." "The only sexual differences are genital, not psychological or preferential," the reviewer wrote.
Evolution of Pansexuality Within LGBTQ+ Communities
In the 1980s, pansexuality became a more widely used term for describing sexual orientation. The term allowed people to explore their sexuality without the constraints of gender labels.
The pansexual flag, with its three horizontal stripes of pink, yellow, and cyan (blue), was adopted in 2010. Cyan and pink represent attraction to males and females, while yellow represents nonbinary attraction. The flag has become a symbol of the pansexual community.
Increasing Recognition and Visibility in Recent Decades
Awareness of this identity has grown since the 2010s, as celebrities like Miley Cyrus and Wayne Brady have come out as pansexual. May 24 has been designated as Pansexual Visibility Day around the world.
How many people are pansexual? In a 2024 Gallup poll, 0.1 percent of American adults, and 1.3 percent of LGBTQ adults, self-identified as pansexual. Among young people, the numbers are higher. In a 2018 Human Rights Campaign survey, 14 percent of respondents identified as pansexual.
Although the understanding and acceptance of pansexuality have improved in recent years, misconceptions about this sexual identity are still common.
These are some of the most common myths circulating about pansexuality.
Pansexuality is the same as bisexuality. While both gender identities share the similarity of an attraction to more than one gender, they are not the same. Pansexuals don't consider gender in their romantic and sexual relationships, while bisexuals do.
Pansexuality is a modern fad. The concept of pansexuality has existed for more than a century, and it is a real identity. We're just more aware of it now that it has been portrayed in the media and referenced by many celebrities.
Pansexual people have sex with everybody. "Pansexuality isn't about being with everyone, it's about being open to anyone. There's a big difference," says the sexologist Shamyra Howard, LCSW. "People can still have preferences, values, and boundaries. Pan doesn't mean 'without standards.'"
People who claim to be pansexual are just "confused.” This accusation arises from the binary concepts of gender and sexuality. People who are pansexual know who they're attracted to, just as straight and gay people do. "Being pansexual is a legitimate and deeply felt identity. It's not a stepping stone to another label or something people 'grow out of,'" says Minor.
Pansexuals have multiple partners. Many people who identify as pansexual are monogamous. "Pansexuality does not always equate to polyamory [having multiple sexual or romantic relationships] or non-monogamy," says Jillian Amodio, a sex educator in Annapolis, Maryland. Pansexual individuals are often stereotyped in relationships and in society as a whole. They are accused of being fickle, polygamous, and sexually insatiable. Their romantic and sexual choices are often dismissed as experimentation, as if their sexual identity weren't real. "It's very real for millions of people, and to say that it's not real is gaslighting the experiences of many people," says Dr. Suwinyattichaiporn.
People who come out as pansexual face stigma from society and their families. That may explain their reluctance to come out. Pansexual young people are almost two times less likely to be out than lesbian and gay young people.
Coming out as pansexual poses different challenges than coming out as gay. "Pan folks often deal with double the misunderstanding from straight communities and sometimes even from within LGBTQ+ spaces," Howard says. "Their identity might be questioned, minimized, or erased altogether."
It's common for pan people to be told that they're "confused," or that their sexual identity is "just a phase." "There's also the emotional labor of constantly having to explain what pansexuality means," adds Minor. "That ongoing need to justify or defend your identity can feel lonely and draining."
Dating can pose its own minefields. Potential partners may struggle to understand what it means to be pansexual, and what implications it might have for a relationship, says Suwinyattichaiporn.
"Another challenge is a lack of community," says Suwinyattichaiporn. "While visibility is increasing, pansexuality remains relatively underrepresented, particularly in smaller towns, so it's possible that pansexual people may feel quite alienated or isolated."
Remember that there's no obligation to come out to anyone — even to family and friends. "Sexuality is personal and it's no one's business but your own,” Amodio says. “You do not need anyone's approval and you do not owe anyone an explanation."
If you do decide to come out, start with the people you trust most, says Minor. Choose a place that's quiet, comfortable, and private. Share your journey in discovering your identity. Answer questions honestly if you're comfortable. And remember that you don't have to reveal everything at one time, says Minor.
"You can keep it simple: 'I'm pansexual, which means I'm attracted to people regardless of gender,'” says Howard. “Share a resource or article if they're open. And if they respond with confusion or judgment, remember, that's about them, not you.”
A therapist, counselor, or other mental health care provider can help you navigate the coming-out process. They'll offer a safe space for you to talk about the issues you face, without judgment. Many providers have specific experience working with the LGBTQ+ community.
Many resources are available in the community and online to support people who identify as pansexual. Examples include:
