I'm not trying to nitpick at anyone's preferred sexual orientation nomenclature here, just to be clear. I think to identify as pansexual is fine; but I do wonder about whether or not it's hair-splitting.

You see, I've always personally identified as bisexual, and up until rather recently I wouldn't have even considered that that choice would have connotations of excluding people who are trans, non-binary or androgynous. But after a dumb internet argument where someone said that if I am attracted to those people as well, then I must be pansexual, it got me thinking.

Personally, I've always thought identifying as bisexual was a lot more inclusive than that. I mean, there's really only 2 genders right? Even if you are on a 'spectrum', it's on the spectrum between those two gender identities. I know agender people exist, but they are rejecting that spectrum between the binary, not adopting a third identity per se.

So is pansexual really a thing? I would think that most people who identify as bi are generally at least open to dating/sexing people who are gender non-confirming. If you like both it stands to reason that you could like someone who is sort of in between both. I'd like to hear your thoughts. Is pansexual a relatively unnecessary distinction, interchangable with bisexual? Or is there something I'm not 'gettinig'?