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Pansexuality and Being Pansexual: Everything You Need to Know[1]

你該知道的泛性戀

One of the biggest downfalls in our education system is the lack of information readily available about sexuality. Our mainstream culture has reached a point where we are all familiar with straight, gay, lesbian and bisexual lifestyles, but these labels still provide a very limited understanding of human sexuality.

我們教育體系中最大的缺點之一就是缺乏有關性的資訊。我們的主流文化已經達到了熟悉直人、男同性戀、女同性戀和雙性戀生活方式的地步，但是這些標籤仍然僅對人類的性提供了非常有限的理解。

The truth is, sexuality is complicated, and the best way we can really understand ourselves and each other is to be more aware of the many different ways humans can love. Today, we are talking about what pansexuality is, a term that has garnered more interest during recent years. Notable pansexual celebrities include Jazz Jennings, Angel Haze, Laci Green, Miley Cyrus, and most recently Janelle Monáe .

事實是，性相當複雜，而能讓我們真正了解自己和彼此的最佳方法是去更加認識到人類對於愛能有許多不同的方式。今天我們要談論的是什麼是泛性戀，這個詞在近幾年獲得許多關注。著名的泛性戀名人包括潔絲·詹寧斯、安吉爾黑斯、拉奇格林、麥莉希拉以及最近的賈奈兒夢內。

Sometimes, pansexuality is used as a synonym for bisexuality or polysexuality, but this is not the case. According to Glaad, being bisexual means you're attracted to more than one gender, while identifying as pansexual means you're attracted to people regardless of sex or gender.

泛性戀有時候會被當作是雙性戀或多性戀的同義詞，但事實上並非如此。根據美國同性戀者反詆毀聯盟(GLAAD)，身為雙性戀是指你會被一個以上的性別所吸引，而身為泛性戀者則是指吸引你的是人，無論其生理性別或心理性別[2]是什麼。

Consider pansexual attraction as being transcendent of gender, meaning: it isn’t limited by gender (internal awareness of a gender role or identity) or sex (anatomy of one’s reproductive system).

可以將泛性戀者這種吸引視為超越性別的吸引，就是指：它不受心理性別（性別角色或性別認同的內在意識）或生理性別（解剖學上的生殖系統）的限制。

Dr. Carol Queen, the legendary staff sexologist at Good Vibrations in San Francisco, who happens to identify as bi/pansexual, explains, “pansexual people do not desire everybody, they just don’t rule a person out because of gender. But that’s not the only possible definition! I would say that there is no exact definition of this term and that people who identify as pansexual might want to be ready to clarify their own specific ‘take’ on this identity to people who are confused about its implications. Just stating your sexual orientation does not tell others what you’re down to do. It basically just says what gender/s of people you would like to do sexual things with… not the specifics of those sexual things.”

美國舊金山Good Vibrations旗下的傳奇性學家Carol Queen博士正好就是認定自己為雙性戀/泛性戀者，她解釋說:「泛性戀者並不是對每個人都會產生慾望，他們只是不會因為性別而排除一個人。但這可不是唯一一個可能的定義！我會說這個詞沒有確切的定義，而身為泛性戀的人可能得準備好向那些對這個含義感到困惑的人，闡明他們自己對這個身份具體的『取向』是什麼。只是陳述你的性取向，並不是告訴別人你想要做什麼。這基本上只是描述了什麼樣性別的人會讓你有『性』趣…而不是說真的想要『做』些什麼。」

Naturally, Teen Vogue talked to three people who identify pan, and here’s how they define it:

當然，《Teen Vogue》與三個認為自己是泛性戀的人聊過，以下是他們對這個詞的定義：

“I knew since I was a kid that I liked both women and men. Joan Jett made me feel funny in the same way as Bruce Springsteen! I had identified as bisexual for most of my life, but as an adult, I heard the term pansexual and I realized it was a more accurate description of the way I felt. I'd say the best definition would be that my sexual attraction is not based on gender assignment or gender expression. I am attracted to men and women as well as non-binary people who don't identify as either. I am attracted to certain personality types and physical features, just like anyone else,” says HB, a full-time student who identifies as pansexual.

身為泛性戀的全職學生HB說:「我從小就知道我喜歡女人和男人。Joan Jett和Bruce Springsteen同樣都會讓我覺得好笑！我大半輩子裡都認為自己是雙性戀，但是成年後，我聽到了泛性戀的這個詞，然後我發現它更能準確地描述出我所想的樣子。我會說最好的定義是對我而言性吸引力不是基於性別劃分或性別表達。我會被男人和女人以及非這種二元化分出性別的人所吸引。就和其他人一樣，我會被某些人格特質和外在特徵所吸引。」

“I've found that being pansexual is extremely empowering as a woman. I don't feel defined by the ridiculous gender roles of our society. I wouldn't go so far to say I'm gender-blind. I work off energy, if I dig your energy, I dig you,” says Alexa, a 25-year-old who discovered her pansexual identity post-college, when she first fell in love with another woman.

25歲的亞莉克薩說：「我發現作為泛性戀者很能增加女性的自立能力和自性。我不用被社會中荒謬的性別角色給框住。當然我也不是說我是性別不分。只是，我釋放出自己的磁場，若我懂你的磁場，我懂的是你這個人。」她在大學後第一次愛上另一個女人時，才發現自己是泛性戀。

Danielle, a 28-year-old who came from a conservative Caribbean culture, discovered her pansexuality after first thinking she was bisexual. After taking a course in queer studies, she assessed her sexuality. She explains, “to me, pansexuality feels the most organic way to exist in this world. It’s all about energy and who you’re attracted to.”

來自保守的加勒比海地區文化，28歲的丹妮爾，一開始認為自己是雙性戀，後來才發現自己其實是泛性戀。在上了酷兒研究的課程後，她確定了自己的性取向。她解釋說：「對我來說，泛性戀是這世界上最活的存在方式。它就是關於一種磁場，讓你知道你會被誰所吸引。」

She continues, “It never felt right for me to identify as bisexual. I know so many people who are asexual or two-spirited, and I’m open to being with someone who is trans. I never wanted to alienate anyone in my sexual exploration. Even though I have never been with anyone who is trans, I’m open to it. For me it’s more of a political decision. I think everyone, regardless of who they are with, should identify as pansexual. I think that would help everyone love each other more.”

她繼續說：「我總對認定自己是雙性戀這件事感到不對。我認識許多無性戀或雙性人，而且我也願意與跨性別者在一起。在對性的探索之中，我從未想過要去排除任何人。即使我從未和任何跨性別者在一起過，但我也願意接受。對我來說，這更像是一種政治決定而已。我認為每個人，無論他們和誰在一起，都應該被認為是泛性戀。我覺得這樣可以讓彼此更加相愛。」

While the personal definitions differ, the overarching theme is that gender does not limit attraction. This often leads to the misconception that pan identity is a hypersexualized lifestyle, that someone who is pansexual wants to have sex with anybody and everybody. A misconception that makes little sense when you apply to that logic to someone else. If you are a straight man you must be attracted to every single woman, or if you are a lesbian, you must want to hook up with every girl you meet.

雖然個人的定義不同，但最重要的主題是吸引力不會被性別所限制。而這常常導致大家會把泛性戀誤認成一種過度性化的生活方式，認為泛性戀者想和任何人、每個人上床。但若你將這種邏輯放在某個人身上時，你會發現這種誤解根本毫無邏輯可言。這就像是，若你是直男，任何女人包準都能吸引你；若你是女同性戀，你就肯定想和每個女生來上一段。

It’s a ridiculous assumption, but Alexa says some people still have trouble taking her attraction seriously. “It certainly makes the dating pool more like a dating lake,” she says, “but I have found that many hetero men and homosexual women have trouble seeing a long-term future with me and think I'm just in a phase.”

這是一個相當荒謬的假設，但亞莉克薩說有些人仍難以認真看待她的性取向。她說：「雖然泛性戀看似有更多選擇，但我發現許多直男和女同性戀卻難以和我有個長遠的未來，因為他們會認為我現在還只是處在一個無法決定的階段。」

HB agrees, saying the biggest misconception about pansexuality is “that we are trying to have sex with anyone and everyone. I am attracted to certain personality types and physical features, just like anyone else.”

HB同意這點，認為關於泛性戀者最大的誤解就是「我們想和任何人、每個人上床。但是就像其他人一樣，我會被某種人格特質和外在特徵所吸引。」

“It’s not like I have this crazy sex drive and I need more people to satisfy it, and that’s why I’m pan,” remarks Danielle. “It’s that I’m open to everyone, and their amazing energy, but whether it meets up with mine is a totally different thing. It’s a hard thing for people to wrap their heads around when they are already carrying their own weird insecurities and biases about how people should identify.”

丹妮爾說道：「這不是說我有強烈的性欲，得更多人才能滿足我，所以我才會變成泛性戀。這只是說我願意接納每個人以及他們特殊的磁場，當然，他們是否與我相合又是另外一件事了。不過當大家背負著自己奇怪的不安全感和對於其他人該如何認同性別的偏見時，他們就很難理解這件事。」

This is a common problem according to clinical sexologist and marriage and family therapist Dr. Kat Van Kirk, who works with teen clients and the LGBTQ community. "Pansexual teens sometimes struggle to find a community to identify with and get support from,” she says. “Even within some LGBTQ organizations,” she continues, “there is a misunderstanding of what pansexuality is. Therefore these teens may experience exclusion and isolation. They're also at a higher risk for being harassed regarding their orientation. They may find it difficult to date when potential partners don't understand or are intimidated by who they are attracted to."

根據臨床性學家和婚姻與家庭治療師Kat Van Kirk醫生的說法，這是一個常見問題，她會與青少年和LGBTQ群體合作。她說：「泛性戀的青少年有時很難找到一個所屬的群體，來幫助他們。」她接著說：「即使是在一些LGBTQ的組織中，對泛性戀是什麼樣子也存在著誤解。所以造成這些青少年遭到排斥和孤立。而他們因為性取向而受到騷擾的風險也更高。他們會更難找到約會的對象，因為那些可能成為他們伴侶的人無法理解他們，或者會被他們不同的取向所嚇到。」

The lack of understanding of what pansexuality is leads to more damaging misconceptions. Dr. Kat tells me that there is also the misunderstanding that pansexuals are turned on by all things sexual, including fetishes, animals, and non-consensual acts. Some people even confuse pansexuality with a person not identifying with any gender, despite many pansexuals identifying as strictly male or female as well as non-gender normative.

就是因為對於泛性戀缺乏理解，才會造成更負面的誤解。Kat醫生告訴我，還有一種誤解是認為所有跟性有關的都能讓泛性戀者產生性趣，包括戀物、戀獸和強迫行為。儘管許多泛性戀者認定自己為完全是男性、完全是女性或是非男女性別規範的人，但有些人甚至會將泛性戀和無性別的人混為一談。

When you’re uninformed, gender, sex, and sexuality are oftentimes confused, but here’s the difference: sex refers to male or female anatomy, gender is how you personally express (or don’t express) masculinity and femininity, and sexuality is who you are attracted to. If you identify as pansexual, you can be attracted to any gender identity, even if you yourself identify as a woman. Alexa, for example, identifies as such, whereas Danielle’s gender expression is androgynous, or a gender expression that is simultaneously feminine and masculine, but not necessarily in equal amounts. She identifies strongest with her femininity, and uses female pronouns. Finally, HB identifies as agender, or not identifying as male or female.

在資訊匱乏之下，心理性別、生理性別和性常常會被混淆，而它們的區別就是：生理性別是指解剖學上的男性或女性、心理性別是指你是如何表達（或不表達）自己的男性特質和女性特質、性則是指你會被誰所吸引。若你認定自己為泛性戀，即使你認定自己是女人，你也會被各種不同的性別認同所吸引。例如亞莉克薩就是這樣，而丹妮爾的性別表達是雌雄同體，或者說是一種同為女性和男性的性別表達，但其中男性與女性所佔的比例可能不相同。她認為自己的女性特質最強，使用的代名詞也是女性。最後是HB，為無性別者，其認為自己不是男性也不是女性。

Whatever your gender expression or sexuality, it’s important to keep up with the evolving Queer community, which grows as we continue to explore and further understand how limitless human sexuality truly is.

無論你的性別表達或性為何，重要的是能跟上酷兒群體，這個群體不斷的發展，而我們也在不斷的探索與進一步的了解人類的性是真正有無限的可能。