As the month of December begins, many LGBT+ content creators begin to make posts regarding December eighth, attempting to spread awareness behind the day. When asked what makes the day so significant, many may draw blanks.
What could possibly be so remarkable about December eighth?
The day encapsulates bringing forth pride towards a love that does not limit itself to gender. Quite literally, it follows the term ‘love is blind.’ It is known as pansexuality.
English teacher and co-director of the Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) club, Lisa Stamedis has outwardly stated she is not completely informed on pansexuality but has commented, “I think that it means you’re attracted to the person, not the gender.”
An anonymous source who identifies as part of the panromantic community states, “I feel like they get erased and lumped in with being bisexual/biromantic or just called gay.”
Pansexuality is not as openly discussed as certain other identies despite still falling under the vast LGBT+ range of sexualities. This leads to a lot of confusion on what panromantic presentation actually entails.
However, attempts have been made for pansexuality to be more visible within mass media. Stamidis herself makes a comment on how inclusion has been attempted. She mentions a particular scene from the popular television Netflix series, Schitt’s Creek.
The moment that has stuck with Stamedis even years after the episode’s debut is in which one of the main characters, David Rose, comes out to a friend of his using an analogy of liking different kinds of wine [people].
Along with this, many creators have built their platforms around queer acceptance and LGBT+ pride, attempting to bring to light lesser known sexualities and gender identities. Back in 2020, the Project MORE Foundation made a post on their blog regarding December eight, explaining to readers both what pansexuality exactly is and why support is so important.
As the blog states, “By celebrating pansexuality, we can better understand how to be inclusive of others and their differences from societal norms. At the end of the day, pansexuality is valid and should be supported, after all, all love is love.”
As the eighth of December steadily approaches, many wonder what the media will hold this year to celebrate pansexual and panromantic pride day; surely queer support foundations such as the Trevor Project and It Gets Better will make posts in commemoration. Truly, only time will tell.
