Gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender have been part of the acronym that refers to non-binary and non-cisgender people. They have been in there for a long time. However, as time goes by, the world continuously evolves. Now, it is more than LGBT. Instead, it is LGBTQIA+. The plus sign refers to people who are not members of the subgroups denoted on those seven letters. Pansexuals are one of them. They were once forced to live under the shadows of genderqueers and bisexuals since most people lack awareness of who they are. Fortunately, the world is ever-changing. Pansexuals are slowly getting recognition. Of course, they are happy about that.
What Does Pansexuality Mean?
The prefix pan- has a Greek origin that means “all.” Therefore, a pansexual is someone who can get attracted – physically, emotionally, and sexually – to people of any gender. They are the most gender-inclusive people on the planet. Because of their nature, the gender identity labels practically become unnecessary for them. As long as they think the person is great, there will be a possibility to develop a relationship with that person. Pansexuals can fall in love with them regardless of their sex or gender.
Difference Between Bisexuals, Queers, and Pansexuals
Queer is an umbrella term for all non-cisgender people and gender non-conforming people. So when the term pansexual has not been popularized, some pansexuals refer to their gender identity as queer or questioning. They can identify themselves as bisexuals, but that does not feel right.
If pan- means all, the prefix bi- means two. Bisexuals are homosexuals and heterosexuals combined. They can get attracted to people of the same gender as them. Likewise, they can feel attraction towards people opposite of their gender. That is, at least, the most common interpretation of being a bisexual. There is an updated meaning of the term that is more inclusive. In this take, being bisexual does not necessarily mean getting attracted only to males and females. Instead, it means they are open to dating people of more than one sex and/or gender.
Of course, pansexuals can do that too. But what separates them apart is the pansexuals’ capability to be romantically involved with anyone. Bisexuals still cannot do that. Sure, unlike before, they can establish romantic or sexual relationships with other genders now. However, their capabilities are still limited. The case is different for each bisexual. For example, some are able to fall in love with men, women, and trans men but cannot fall to trans women. Then, there are bisexuals who can only get attracted to trans men or trans women. Of course, the traditional bisexuals who can only like males and females are still existent. But no matter the case, they still exclude other genders. Bisexuals are not against them by any means, but they cannot build relationships with them. That is a quality that is unique to pansexuals.
Pansexuals are such great people, and they deserve all the support they can get.
The Pansexual Flag
Flags are devices used for the representation of identity, such as nationality or military associations. The LGBT community and supporters also use flags in their campaigns for acceptance and gender equality.
The rainbow flag, also known as the pride flag, is the LGBT’s main flag. Its many colors symbolize the diversity within the community. In a way, it says that sexuality is a spectrum.
Each subgroup of the LGBT community has its own flag that is closer to who they are. They kept the striped design of the rainbow flag, albeit the color combinations and configurations are different.
The pansexual pride flag consists of three colored horizontal bars. The colors used are magenta, cyan, and yellow. Each color represents attraction to a gender identity. For instance, the cyan part represents sexual attraction to those who identify within the male spectrum. Likewise, the magenta is the part that means the same, but for people who identify within the female spectrum. Finally, the yellow in the middle represents attraction to gender identities that fall to neither of those spectra. These sexualities include androgynous, asexual, bisexual, transsexual, and genderfluid identities.
Iceland Flying the Flag in Eurovision
Other gender identities have been seeing representation in different ways. For example, sex doll companies made attachable penises for female models to allow transsexual experiences. Pansexuals, however, are not seeing enough.
Iceland’s representative for this year’s Eurovision stirred the pot in an attempt to change that. They shone the spotlight on pansexuality when they flew the magenta, yellow, and cyan pride flag along with their country’s flag.
Hulda Kristín Kolbrúnardóttir, a backup singer of Daði og Gagnamagnið, held the flag as they greeted the world during the semifinals. Hulda is believed to be a pansexual herself. Whether those speculations are true or not, the pansexual community is happy for the representation. It was a smart way to increase visibility and recognition for their members.
Eurovision is an annual song competition that has been broadcasted since 1951. It is a known and respected institution. In this event, pop music artists from countries in the European Broadcasting Area compete against each other. Some competitors like ABBA, Julio Iglesias, and most notably Celine Dione have pursued successful music careers. That shows how big and impactful this event is.
Because of Eurovision’s reach and popularity, participants and other people involved use the contest as an opportunity to leave a statement. Nowadays, campaigns for gender equality and inclusivity are more adamant about what they are fighting for. Clothing brands, hygiene product companies, and even sex toy manufacturers have shown their support for their cause. So, they would not let chances like this go to waste.
The host Nikkie de Jager, a transgender woman, honored their flag through her gown. Then, Hulda raised the pan flag – the very first time it was seen in Eurovision despite existing since 2010. The flag only appeared on-screen for a couple of seconds, but it was enough to garner attention and support.
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