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But if youre asking yourself what pansexuality is exactly, youre not alone.
Antonio Rodriguez - stock.adobe.com
While pansexuality is definitely being discussed more openly in pop culture, the sexual identity is far from new.
Clearly, theres a lot to explore when it comes to understanding what it means to be pansexual!
What does it mean to be pansexual?
Koshka didnt always use the label of pansexual.
As a freshman in high school, she came out as a lesbian.
When she went to college, though, a friends-with-benefits situation with a cisgender man turned into something more.
The relationship pushed her to consider if her sexual orientation might be a little more nuanced.
Somehow I landed on the term pansexual, she says.
It was a simple way to describe what I had been absolutely unable to articulate as a teenager.
I think I liked that a lot.
How many people are pansexual?
Koshka is a part of the swelling number of young people who identify as pansexual.
But its hard to know exactly how many people use this term to describe themselves.
Comparatively, 34% of those teens identified as bisexual.
Those in the survey who were pansexual were also predominantly young and more likely to be non-binary as well.
Pansexual vs bisexual: What are the differences?
How is pansexuality different from bisexuality?
The two identities are not interchangeable, but they are very similar in a few key ways.
And some people might identify as both.
Community definitions should be expansive of the many different ways individuals use identity labels, they tell SELF.
For some bisexual people, gender may be a factor in their attractions.
Bi people tend to be described as being attracted to two or more genders versus all genders.
The idea that gender is binary really comes from cisgender heterosexual cultures, they say.
There are those who say these orientations arent real, or are solelytransitional phases before coming out as gay.
There are stereotypes that bi and pan people are incapable of monogamy or are vectors forsexually transmitted infections.
Some people even mistakenly assume that pansexual folks are attracted to literallyeveryone.
It should go without saying that none of this is true, but these myths unfortunately do persist.
At their worst, they can feel like boxes, and they can feel limiting, Dr. Beach says.
But labels can also help people find meaning and form a community, they add.
Theres no one right time to explore and label your sexual identity.
(As in, its okay if you feel like yourelate in coming out.)
Its all about going with what makes you feel empowered to live authentically.
Hopefully youre surrounded by people who fully accept and encourage your exploration and identity.
With those people, Dr. Beach recommends starting at 101 level.
One potential script that they offer up: Im not straight.
I like people from a variety of genders, and the word I use for that is pansexual.
And if your family asks, So you like boys and girls?
Dr. Beach says one potential reply could be: Yeah, we can start there.
Take what feels right to you and leave the rest.
Also, you may decide there are some people you arent ready to come out to now or ever.
Resources for better understanding pansexuality
Where can you learn more?
Despite its name, theBisexual Resource Centerhas information about pansexuality and resources for pansexual people, Dr. Feinstein says.
He also recommends a book by Nikki Hayfield calledBisexual and Pansexual Identities: Exploring and Challenging Invisibility and Invalidation.
