panromantic

Panromantic is a romantic orientation describing the capacity to feel romantic attraction toward people of any gender. It does not imply sexual attraction; romantic attraction is separate from sexual attraction. A person who is panromantic may be attracted romantically to people across the gender spectrum, while a person who is pansexual experiences sexual attraction regardless of gender. Some individuals use both labels if they experience both romance and sex across genders.

Panromantic can apply to people of any gender identity, including cisgender, transgender, nonbinary, or genderqueer individuals. A panromantic person might be romantically attracted to men, women, nonbinary people, or a mix of genders. They may be romantically attracted to someone of any gender while being asexual or having any sexual orientation. The label communicates a pattern of attraction rather than sexual interest and does not predict how a person will pursue relationships or act in them.

Origin and context: The term panromantic emerged within LGBTQ+ communities in the late 20th and early 21st centuries to describe romance not limited by gender. It is used alongside other terms such as aromantic, demiromantic, alloromantic, bisexual, or pansexual to describe different combinations of romance and sex. People may use panromantic to describe themselves even if they do not fit neatly into other labels. Respect for self-identification and consistent use of language are encouraged.