Pansexual? AIBU to not understand how this isn't different to Bi?

[GoatWoman]

I really don't understand this new phenomena and I feel completely ignorant.
In my day (80's - 90's), if not having a sexual preference you termed yourself bisexual. Not that anybody has to classify themselves at all.

But recently I hear more of pan-sexual. What on earth does it mean? The only explanation I've heard is that they choose the mind over biology. Isn't that what everyone does?

I seem to remember an episode of Torchwood where a guest character was described as pansexual. There was a joke about him fancying a poodle.

Fucks sake. If you (in general) think other peoples sexualities and understandings of their identity are funny, then that's your own prerogative, but I did think there was some sort of general consensus that the ridicule shouldn't be loudly proclaimed in public.

Goat Its also goady as fuck muttering in an incoherent way about child abuse on a thread like this? What do you even mean??

I'm just trying to understand? It's been put in the public domain with an assumption that I should understand, and I don't. I asked for help?

I use my own personal experience as an example. Not that I'm showing off or attention seeking or anything.

Could be their new tag line,

“Your looks and health will fade, your marriage will fail, your friends will let you down, but your cast iron bakeware will always be there for you.”

Yay, here it comes, time to get SHOUTY everybody!

DD used to claim to be pansexual. Apparently she is/was attracted to all genders and sexes. I would quietly nod, "that's nice dear but there are only two sexes, male and female but I'm glad you've found a box you feel happy fitting into." After that she was something else formerly known as lesbian where she fancied women and transmen. She had a different name for it that I can't remember.

She half-peaked when she read about the man who identifies as a six-year old girl. She's now happy to call herself a lesbian. I think she's starting to realise how ridiculous/dangerous it's all getting.

Fucks sake. If you (in general) think other peoples sexualities and understandings of their identity are funny, then that's your own prerogative, but I did think there was some sort of general consensus that the ridicule shouldn't be loudly proclaimed in public

Um what now? Its ok for people to publicly proclaim all about their sexuality and drone on about it, and not ok for us to talk about it? Fuck that newspeak shit.

On a thread like this? I started this thread and I am a victim of child abuse so ask me a serious question or jog on.

Hang on. If a trans woman is a woman and a trans man is a man then standard bisexual applies surely.
Otherwise it’s a contradiction in terms.
If you fancy a trans man, that man is a man, so the trans is irrelevant

Goat I get that, and I explained to you, as well as I know how. I get that the "you're attracted to animals and trees and toast" thing is funny the first few times, but for actual pan people it stops being funny pretty fast. And all I meant by my second point is that the type of discipline you choose to use on your child is so, so unrelated to your sexuality that it seems bizarre to bring it up at all?

but I did think there was some sort of general consensus that the ridicule shouldn't be loudly proclaimed in public

Nope. We can take the piss if we want, it's still allowed. Only just mind.

If you fancy a trans man, that man is a man, so the trans is irrelevant

Nope. That man is a woman presenting as a man, the trans is not irrelevant.

No matter what the political climate or the wishes of anyone, there are only 2 sexes. There are not and have never been and most likely will never be any more or less than 2 sexes. Genders, well you can have as many as you like of them, entirely different matter.

Goat I know it's "your" thread. And I'm genuinely sorry to hear that. It just didn't seem like a coherent or easily understandable post to me, but maybe I'm just missing what you intended to say.

I'm of the generation where your sexual preferences weren't loudly proclaimed in public, because it was really nobody's business/classed as over-sharing. It does seem ridiculous to have so many boxes that people want to put themselves in and put a big label on. It's not that interesting.

but for actual pan people it stops being funny pretty fast

Then maybe it should teach them something about the terminology they have chosen to use?

Definition: Pansexual people are people attracted to people regardless of their gender
How is that any different from bisexual?

I don't know why we all need to know who people want to have sex with?

I just don't give a fuck. Unless you bothering people who don't want to have sex with you, knock yourself out.

It just seems like a desperate attempt to be interesting, newsflash you are just as special and as dull as everyone else.

Hang on a minute. I never once mentioned trees or toast so I don't know where the hell youre getting that from.

I just asked what the fuck I'm supposed to say these days as I don't understand pan. I thought it might have meant something that I felt, which is having been let down by every single human in my life bar my daughter, I very much love my horse and my dog and cat.

And I have achieved a hell of a lot in my life, but when it comes to inheritance, apart from my daughter, everything else will be going to my animals.

Am I pans? Fuck. Knows.

@argumentativefeminist
But you either fancy a man or a woman
And trans men are men and trans women are women.
So ergo- you’re bi. There are only 2 sexes. Why do trans men and women fight to be called men and women if they don’t want another catergory? There are intersex people. But that’s a very low percentage and I would be interested to know if there are any that haven’t chose a gender to align to.
Who else do pan people fancy.

Because if you said people who have blue hair Or liked being a bit crazy visually I would say that’s nothing to do with gender

And trans men are men and trans women are women

Again, nope.

Goat: I'm thinking child abusers that prefer animals, have experimented but prefer men?

Are you equating homosexuality to beastiality? or homosexuality to child abuse?Or both?

Handy definitions for my fellow over 50s:

Pan sexual - having sex to the sound of pan-pipes on the CD player (popular in the 1970s)

Bi-sexual - having sex on a bicycle. (Warning - high risk of injury).

Demi-sexual - the sort of sex one has after a demi-john of beer (c.f. beer goggles).

Grey-sexual - sex with John Major (c.f. Edwina Curry).

A -sexual - obtaining high marks in translating the Kama Sutra.