When I came to college, I thought I was bisexual. I have liked girls and boys for as long as I can remember, but "bisexual" never really fit. After some deep conversations with some of my LGBT+ friends, research, and Tumblr posts, I discovered that the sexual orientation I was identifying myself with was not the correct one. My freshman year of college, I discovered I was pansexual. This was a very exciting moment for me because finally, I found something that really fit me.
Being pansexual does not mean I am attracted to pans. Sorry (not sorry) to burst your bubble, or ruin some stupid joke you probably thought of making. Believe me, as a person who identifies as pan, I've heard the kitchen jokes more than I would have liked to. Pansexuality is super simple to explain, it is basically "Hearts not parts". This means if I fall in love with someone, or even just like someone, I am going to see past their gender identity, biological sex, and I am going to love them for who they are.
Pansexuality is often over looked, people even think bisexuality and pansexuality are the same thing. That is not the case, a bisexual person is specifically looking for a male or female partner. Where as a pansexual person is looking past gender and biological make up, that is why they are different. I don't specifically care about my partners gender identity, I care about whether they are a good person or not. I don't mind answering questions about my sexuality, what I do mind is when people go out of their way to tell me it's a fake sexuality and that I am a "retarded bisexual". Telling someone their sexuality is fake is hurtful. I sometimes even avoid telling people that I am pan because I really don't want to hear "Isn't that the same as being bi?", it gets old.
People still make unnecessary comments, I don't think that will ever stop, but one of the most annoying questions I get asked is, "So since you have a boyfriend, that makes you straight now, right?" wrong. No matter who I am with, I am pansexual. I am proud of that, and no one needs to try to make me feel less valid because they are uneducated on my sexuality.
I would like to say to anyone reading this, just educate yourself. Don't be that friend that puts another friend down because they have a different sexual orientation than you are used to hearing about. Be there for them, don't make them feel invalid. A lot of outside people do that, you don't need to be another. Expand your knowledge and research other sexual orientations you haven't heard of before someone will appreciate you for having that knowledge.
