Does it matter to you whether the person you are attracted to is a man or a woman, or do your feelings go beyond the boundaries of the gender binary? In this case, Pansexual Pride Day, which is celebrated every year on 8 December and is known in German as Tag des pansexuellen und panromantischen Stolzes (Day of pansexual and panromantic pride), probably takes on significance. What does it mean if you are pansexual, and why is a separate Pansexual Pride Day necessary?
Gender binary as a social norm
Gender binary or binary gender order refers to a socially accepted gender order. This order is based on the distinction between two genders, whereby the distinction refers to both the social (gender) and the biological sex. Men and women as well as masculinity and femininity are strictly differentiated from each other, but at the same time relate to each other as opposites. You will find the term gender binary, especially if you are interested in the fields of gender studies, sociology and ethnology/cultural anthropology.
When are you pansexual?
Being pansexual means that you pre-select which gender or gender identity you find desirable. As a pansexual man, you can also feel attracted to transgender, non-binary or intersex people. The attraction can be emotional, spiritual, romantic, physical or even sexual. If you are not sure whether you belong to the group of pansexual people, pay attention to whether you are attracted to every gender in the sexuality and gender spectrum.
This sexual orientation is often referred to as gender-blind, because for you as a pansexual person, gender has no influence on sexual attraction. Incidentally, pansexual people can be men, women or non-binary people, meaning they can have any gender identity.
Distinction between pansexual orientation & pangender gender identity
The above is referred to as pansexual orientation. A distinction must be made between this and pangender gender identity. People who feel that they belong to several or even all genders are referred to as pangender or polygender (also all-gender). The Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung wrote in 2017 on the topic of pan-/polygender: „Polygender describes people who combine many gender identities. This gender diversity in a person can be male, female, intersex or include other genders. The individual gender identities can be felt simultaneously or with a time delay, alternately, by the person concerned.
Pansexual versus bisexual
Pansexuality is very often not only defined as a sexuality, but also used as an umbrella term that describes sexual attraction to more than one gender. This is why there are people in the bisexual community who see pansexuality as a sub-concept of bisexuality. This way of thinking is considered incorrect by many, mainly because pansexuality is a much broader term than bisexuality. Pansexual people are also attracted to people outside the binary gender order, whereas bisexual people move within the gender binary.
Pansexual is not the same as polyamorous
Of course, there are also pansexual people who see themselves as polyamorous. However, pansexuality is mainly about the gender of the people to whom pansexuals are attracted. In polyamory, on the other hand, the focus is on the preference to enter into relationships with several people at the same time. It is therefore generally true that not all people with a pansexual orientation are polyamorous. And polyamorous people do not necessarily have to be pansexual.
Pansexual Pride Day on 8 December
The term pansexuality has a long history, as it was first used in 1914 (pansexualism). And was used in this context to describe sex as the motivator of all things. Since the 1970s, pansexuality has been used as a description of sexual orientation after the term was increasingly used to describe one’s own identity. An article published in the New York Times in 1974, in which pansexuality was mentioned, helped to raise awareness of this issue.
From the 1990s onwards, the queer community used the term “sexual fluidity” to describe and better understand pansexuality. In 2010, a separate flag was created for the pansexual community. Pink for women, yellow for people outside the binary gender order, blue for men. In the meantime, many well-known personalities such as Miley Cyrus, Brendon Urie and Paris Jackson have come out as pansexual, which has contributed to greater acceptance. Nevertheless, much remains to be done.
This is why Pansexual Pride Day is important
Although intolerance and discrimination against minorities have diminished in recent decades and centuries. Especially in Western culture, they still exist and make it difficult for pansexual people to come out. Homophobia still exists in society and also in religious circles. And people outside social norms are seen as sick or sinful.
Celebrating Pansexual Pride Day is therefore an important element when it comes to drawing attention to the living situation of pansexual people and campaigning for their mental health. It is important to make all identities of the LGBTQ+ community visible. Celebrating themselves as a group and presenting themselves to society as a self-confident group also has a positive psychological effect. The Pansexual Pride Day also offers the opportunity to discuss critical issues publicly. And to educate society about the positive and negative experiences of pansexual and panromantic people. This day therefore offers the opportunity to speak openly about pansexuality, to name misconceptions, and to campaign for greater acceptance.
Unfortunately, there are still many misconceptions surrounding the topic of pansexuality and panromanticism. They are mostly the result of ignorance, but some have been deliberately spread by groups. A common misconception or prejudice is that pansexuality is just a fad. The term may not be very old, but the sexuality behind it is not a new fad or a short-term trend. But a legitimate and individual basic need that has always existed. The aim of such deliberately disseminated ideas was above all to create fear and disharmony. Pansexual Pride Day is the perfect opportunity to dispel them and make room for the truth.
Discover your own sexuality
Pansexuality is like any other sexual orientation: you won’t immediately know whether you are heterosexual, bisexual, homosexual or pansexual. For this reason, take as much time as you need to find out what you want. Of course, an important clue can be if you are attracted to a person. And it doesn’t matter to you what gender they are or what gender identity they have.
If you maintain this openness in the long term, you can assume that you are pansexual. This doesn’t have to scare you at all. Firstly, it opens up a whole host of relationship opportunities for you and secondly, you are in the company of celebrities such as actor Wayne Brady, musician Yungblud, reality celebrity David Barta and Peruvian actor and ex-professional footballer Nicola Porcella. Whether you are pansexual or otherwise orientated, always be aware that you are not alone.
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