“Context and safety are everything”: Exploring how pansexual individuals mark and express their identity

Harvey, Emily; Abbott, Keeley; Parker, Samuel; Marcano-Olivier, Mariel

Abstract

Sexuality marking serves to assert one’s sexuality to others. This can be done through language, behavior, esthetics, and/or other non-verbal cues (Morgan & Davis-Delano, 2016). This research explored how individuals who identify as pansexual mark their sexuality within different contexts. An online qualitative survey was completed by 45 participants aged between 18 and 58. Thematic analysis revealed 3 key themes: ‘You just don’t want to risk it’: The importance of safety on sexuality marking, ‘My sexuality wasn’t real’: Dismissal and stereotyping of the pansexual identity within intimate partner relationships, and ‘I’m very loud and proud’. This research is understood to be the first study on sexuality marking among the pansexual community and advances the understanding of the ways in which pansexual individuals navigate and express their identity.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 3, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Jul 8, 2024
• Deposit Date: Jul 14, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 15, 2024
• Journal: Journal of Bisexuality
• Print ISSN: 1529-9716
• Electronic ISSN: 1529-9724
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis (Routledge)
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15299716.2024.2376878
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/12125384