What Is a Pansexual? 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

@elleuk #october2015 ❤️❤️❤️ shot by @mattirwinlondon

A photo posted by Miley Cyrus (@mileycyrus) on Aug 27, 2015 at 9:25pm PDT

In a new interview with Elle UK, pop icon Miley Cyrus comes out as a "pansexual," and now the little-known word is trending like crazy. So, we're here to answer the question, "What is a pansexual?"

Here's what you need to know:

1. Pansexuals, aka Omnisexuals, Feel Love or Attraction Toward People of Any Sex or Gender Identity

found this and thought i should post it😔 #asexual #bi #bisexual #demisexual #pansexual

A photo posted by 💙haley demuth💙 make it green😊^ (@happy._.da._.cat) on Aug 28, 2015 at 10:31am PDT

A pansexual can also be referred to as an omnisexual, and the word refers to someone who feels "sexual attraction, romantic love, or emotional attraction toward people of any sex or gender identity." A pansexual person believes that gender and sex are insignificant or irrelevant when it comes to sexual or emotional attraction to another.

2. Pansexuality Is Not the Same Thing as Bisexuality

Bisexuality is sexual or romantic attraction to "more than one gender or same and different genders" — while pansexuality is the attraction to a person of any sex or gender. Pansexuals can be attracted to cisgender people, transgender people, intersex people, androgynous people, and anyone else.

For more information on bisexuality vs. pansexuality, please click here, as the terms can be widely interpreted.

3. There Is a Pansexual Flag With Its Own Colors

(Pansexual Pride Flag)

The Pansexual Pride Flag was created to increase visibility and recognition for the pansexual community. It has three colored horizontal bars of pink, yellow and blue. The blue represents those who identify within the male spectrum (regardless of biological sex), the pink represents those who identify within the female spectrum (regardless of biological sex), and the yellow portion represents non-binary attraction — such as androgynous, agender, bigender, genderfluid, transgender and intersex people.

4. The Term Is Credited to Sigmund Freud, but It Originally Had a Different Meaning

Sigmund Freud. (Wikipedia)

The pan prefix stems from the Ancient Greek term meaning "every" or "all," while omni is Latin, meaning "all." Pansexual comes from the word pansexualism, which dates back to 1917. Pansexualism at the time was a concept describing the ubiquitous influence of sexual instinct in all human activity. The term, often credited to Sigmund Freud, originally meant "the pervasion of all conduct and experience with sexual emotions."

Miley Cyrus' Pansexual Dating Life: Does She Have a Boyfriend or Girlfriend?

Miley Cyrus has declared herself a pansexual. So, what's the story on her dating life? Does she have a boyfriend, girlfriend, or other love interest?

Click here to read more 5. Cyrus Says She Is Not in a Relationship

Miley Cyrus formerly dated Patrick Schwarzenegger, Arnold's son. (Getty)

Sitting down with Elle UK, Cyrus labels herself as a pansexual, saying:

I'm very open about it – I'm pansexual. But I'm not in a relationship. I'm 22, I'm going on dates, but I change my style every two weeks, let alone who I'm with.

Additional pansexual celebrities include Angel Haze, Sophie B. Hawkins, Jazz Jennings, politician Mary González, and Dreya Weber.

In recent years Miley has become a vocal LGBT activist, and her ability to make pansexual trend today is more evidence of the young star's power as an agent for social change and understanding.

Lauren Weigle is Heavy's celebrity editor. She has an extensive background in entertainment, fashion, PR, lifestyle and journalism. Reach her at Lauren@heavy.com.August 30, 2015 11:23 pm
Source: What Is a Pansexual? 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know