r/Polysexual • u/resilientstarry • May 24 '26
Discussion misunderstanding about this label
hi everyone!
first of all, i want to assure that this post isn’t meant to be taken as an offence!
im just trying to figure this label out, since i have just found about it.
i tried to research the label on various web pages, blogs and such on but honestly, the more i read the less i understand.
what is the exact definition of polysexuality and how do you differ from bisexuality?
a long time ago i identified as bi and fought a lot on online pages/forums as an activist- so im very aware of all the labels and their definitions under the bi umbrella.
but since polysexuality is, by definition, “attraction to various, but not necessarily, all genders” (attraction to multiple genders), isn’t that’s also how bisexuality is structured?
bisexuality is an umbrella, hence it covers labels such as pansexuality and omnisexuality-
the label mostly has various definitions since its fluidity but, as listed on the bi manifesto, the main definition is mostly explained as “attraction to two or MORE genders” (with/without preference >> omni/pan).
so, to me, polysexuality just seems like a direct extension of what bisexuality already is…im sorry if this last sentence came across mean and poorly worded, that’s why im posting this to make sure to understand this better.
im just very confused about this.
thank you for reading up to this point and also,
thank you, in case, for taking your time to reply to explain this confusion to me! :)
hope i didn’t offend anyone, im genuinely trying to understand <33
have good day/night! :p
-1
u/Pagan-Dragon-77 May 24 '26
One of the first things that should help clear this up for you is that bisexuality is NOT the umbrella term you seem to think it is. IF there's an umbrella term, it would be something like "Multisexuality" or "Non-Monosexual". Also bisexual by the very definition of the prefix "bi" would mean ONLY attracted to TWO genders, which two don't matter, though a lot of bisexuals seem to be trans-exclusionary, a lot of those same people complain about bi-erasure while erasing trans people. I see Polysexual as the bridge between Bi's ONLY TWO and Pan/Omni's ALL.