Polysexuality

A polysexual pride flag

Polysexuality is sexual attraction to multiple, but not all, genders. A polysexual person is one "encompassing or characterized by many different kinds of sexuality."[1] Authors Linda Garnets and Douglas Kimmel state that polysexual is a sexual identity "used by people who recognize that the term bisexual reifies the gender dichotomy that underlies the distinction between heterosexuality and homosexuality, implying that bisexuality is nothing more than a hybrid combination of these gender and sexual dichotomies".[2] However, bisexual people and scholars may object to the notion that bisexuality means sexual attraction to only two genders, arguing that since bisexual is not simply about attraction to two sexes and encompasses attraction to different genders as well, it includes attraction to more than two genders.[3][4]

Scope and cultural aspects

Polysexuality is distinct from polyamory, the desire to be intimately involved with more than one person at once, or pansexuality, which is attraction to all genders and sexes. Polysexuality encompasses many, but not necessarily all, sexualities.[5]

Polysexuality is a self-identifying term that is somewhat amorphous,[6] as there is a wide variety of different people who use the term to describe themselves.[7] Polysexual identity is related to gender identity and is used by some people who identify outside the binarist gender spectrum. People who refer to themselves as polysexual may be attracted to third gender people, two-spirit people, genderqueer people, or people who are intersex. However, polysexuality does not have to be the exclusive attraction towards non-binary genders or sexes, though it can be. People who identify as polysexual may still be attracted to one or both binary genders or sexes.

The relationship between religion and sexuality varies widely among belief systems, with some prohibiting polysexual behavior and others incorporating it into their practices.[8] Major monotheistic religions generally prohibit polysexual activity.[8]

The polysexual pride flag was designed by a Tumblr user with the signature "Samlin", and first made public on the blog @fuckyeahpolysexuality on July 11, 2012.[9] Samlin declared of the flag that, "I, as a poly individual, was greatly saddened by the fact that we don’t have a flag…so I made one :P I made it similar to the bi and pan flags, since they’re all in under the multisexual umbrella. -Samlin".[9] The colors and design of the polysexual flag are based on the pansexual and bisexual pride flags, borrowing the pink and blue, and replacing the yellow and purple stripes with a green one.[9] The polysexual flag's pink stripe represents attraction to female-identified people, its green stripe represents attraction to people who identify outside the traditional male-female binary, and its blue stripe represents attraction to male-identified people.[9]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Simpson, John (ed.) (2009). Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford University Press, USA, ISBN 9780199563838
  2. ↑ Garnets, Linda; Kimmel, Douglas C. (2003). Psychological Perspectives on Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Experiences. Columbia University Press, ISBN 9780231124133
  3. ↑ Eisner, Shiri (2013). Bi: Notes for a Bisexual Revolution. Seal Press. pp. 27–31. ISBN 1580054757. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
  4. ↑ "Doesn't identifying as bisexual reinforce a false gender binary?". American Institute of Bisexuality. 2014. Retrieved May 27, 2014.
  5. ↑ Board, Mykel. "Pimple No More." In Tucker, Naomi S. (ed.) Bisexual Politics: Theories, Queries, and Visions, pp. 281-287. Routledge, ISBN 9781560238690
  6. ↑ Kaloski, Ann (1999). "Extract from 'Bisexuals Making Out with Cyborgs: Politics, Pleasure, Con/fusion' (1997)." In Storr. Bisexuality: A Critical Reader. Taylor & Francis, ISBN 9780415166607
  7. ↑ Som, Indigo Chih-Lien. "Open Letter to a Former Bisexual (or, Do I Hear "Post-Bisexual"?)." In Tucker, Naomi S. (ed.). Bisexual Politics: Theories, Queries, and Visions, pp. 93-97. Routledge, ISBN 9781560238690
  8. 1 2 Hutchins, Loraine; Williams, H. Sharif (2011). Sexuality, Religion and the Sacred: Bisexual, Pansexual and Polysexual Perspectives. Taylor & Francis, ISBN 9780415783040
  9. 1 2 3 4 "Pride Flags". Unco.edu. Retrieved 2018-06-25.
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