Pansexual

What it means

Pansexual people can be attracted to people of any gender, and often say gender doesn't play much of a role in who they're drawn to. It overlaps a lot with bisexual — some people use both words, others prefer one.

Where the term comes from

The prefix pan- means 'all'. The term was used in early psychology in a different sense; its current meaning spread in the 1990s and 2000s alongside wider awareness of non-binary and trans identities.

How it can look in real life

• Someone who says they're attracted to 'hearts, not parts'.
• A person who dated a man, then a non-binary person, then a woman, and felt the same kind of attraction each time.
• Someone who uses 'pan' with friends and 'bi' with family because more people recognise it.

These are examples, not requirements. People who use the same word can have very different histories, relationships and preferences — and nobody needs a particular amount of experience to know what fits.

Common myths

• Pansexual means attracted to everyone — it means gender isn't a barrier, not that you're attracted to all people.
• Pan is 'more inclusive' than bi — both include non-binary people.
• It's just a trend — the experience it names is long-standing; the word is newer.

Talking about it with a partner

As with bisexuality, separate who you could be attracted to from what your relationship agreement is. Let a partner ask questions without treating curiosity as an attack.

It helps to talk about specifics — what closeness, touch, exclusivity and privacy mean to each of you — rather than expecting a label to answer those questions. Either person can decide something isn't right for them, and nobody owes intimacy to keep a relationship going.

Sexual-health notes

• Routine STI testing every 3–12 months is a sensible baseline for anyone with new or multiple partners; how often depends on your situation.
• The HPV vaccine protects against the strains that cause most genital warts and several cancers. It's routinely offered to young people, and many adults can still get it.
• Pick prevention methods based on the bodies and activities involved — contraception, condoms, dental dams or PrEP.

Health advice should follow your body and the activities you actually do, not a label. A clinician can help with testing, vaccines and barriers — and you deserve care that doesn't judge.