multisexualpolls

[multisexualpolls]

Responding to previous tags:

#i identify as bisexual #i often find myself defaulting to referring to things as bi when i'm not thinking #which is something i'm trying to steer off of #but when i'm having active conversations about sexuality/identity where i'm considering my words a lot more carefully #i tend to go for multisexual or omnisexual #because that feels more all inclusive to me?

Just so you know, omnisexual is not an umbrella term. It's a specific term for people who are attracted to all genders. The "omni" prefix means "all," but this refers to all genders, not all variations of multisexuality.

Omnisexuality is similar to pansexuality in that is encompasses attraction to all genders, but a distinction is sometimes made, usually involving whether or not gender factors into attraction. It usually factors into attraction for omnisexual people, but usually doesn't for pansexual people. Regardless, pansexual doesn't fall under the "omnisexual umbrella" because there is no such umbrella; they're just similar terms which are sometimes synonymous.

Omnisexuality is also similar to some experiences of bisexuality, as well as other multisexual orientations, but it is not encompassing of sexual orientations that involve attracted to more than one gender, but less than all.

*This includes anyone who experiences attraction to multiple genders, even if you don't necessarily identify with the multisexual label specifically.

**Other umbrella terms include, but are not limited to:

Multisexual (or derivatives, e.g. m-spec, multi-attraction spectrum)

Plurisexual

Pluralian

BOP(+)

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This is a follow-up to this post because I want to be sure that multisexual people who don't identify as bisexual are properly represented in the results. The first poll doesn't ask about how people identify, and I know there is a possibility of bisexual people dominating the results, leaving pansexual, polysexual, omnisexual, etc. people unheard.

[multisexualpolls]

This poll has ended! However, please keep in mind a crucial limitation of this poll: people were not asked what their sexual orientation was beyond being multisexual, and most multisexual people identify as bisexual. For a poll more encompassing of non-bisexual people under the multisexual umbrella, see this other post.

(The following is accurate as of 30 minutes prior to the linked poll ending; it may need to be updated shortly.)

Bisexual as an umbrella is clearly popular among those who actively identify as bisexual; roughly 78.4% of bisexual respondents stated that they use bisexual as an umbrella term for other sexual orientations. The rest used a different umbrella term (16.2%) or didn't use an umbrella term at all (5.4%).

However, it is not most preferred by those who don't actively identify as bisexual; only about 41.7% of non-bisexual respondents stated that they use bisexual as an umbrella term for other sexual orientations. The rest used a different umbrella term (50%) or didn't use an umbrella term at all (8.3%).

As a bisexual person, I believe that it is important that we center the opinions of non-bisexual people when deciding which umbrella term is most inclusive to them. Of course we would feel included by the bisexual label; we are bisexual. But what about our pansexual, polysexual, omnisexual, and other multisexual siblings? Combining the results of both polls, I think that multisexual (and its derivatives) is likely the most inclusive umbrella terms to use. However, I still may make a follow-up poll.

*This includes anyone who experiences attraction to multiple genders, even if you don't necessarily identify with the multisexual label specifically.

**Polysexual is commonly used as a specific term for people who are attracted to multiple genders, but distinctly not all genders. However, it still sees some use as an umbrella term for all people attracted to multiple genders, regardless of how many.

***BOP stands for bisexual, omnisexual, polysexual/pansexual. A plus (+) may be used to indicate inclusion of other identities involving attraction to multiple genders, beyond these four labels.

[multisexualpolls]

*This includes anyone who experiences attraction to multiple genders, even if you don't necessarily identify with the multisexual label specifically.

**Other umbrella terms include, but are not limited to:

Multisexual (or derivatives, e.g. m-spec, multi-attraction spectrum)

Plurisexual

Pluralian

BOP(+)

•••••••••••••••••••••••

This is a follow-up to this post because I want to be sure that multisexual people who don't identify as bisexual are properly represented in the results. The first poll doesn't ask about how people identify, and I know there is a possibility of bisexual people dominating the results, leaving pansexual, polysexual, omnisexual, etc. people unheard.

[multisexualpolls]

*This includes anyone who experiences attraction to multiple genders, even if you don't necessarily identify with the multisexual label specifically.

**Polysexual is commonly used as a specific term for people who are attracted to multiple genders, but distinctly not all genders. However, it still sees some use as an umbrella term for all people attracted to multiple genders, regardless of how many.

***BOP stands for bisexual, omnisexual, polysexual/pansexual. A plus (+) may be used to indicate inclusion of other identities involving attraction to multiple genders, beyond these four labels.

[multisexualpolls]

*This includes anyone who experiences attraction to multiple genders, even if you don't necessarily identify with the multisexual label specifically.

[multisexualpolls]

This poll has ended!

*This includes anyone who experiences attraction to multiple genders, even if you don't necessarily identify with the multisexual label specifically.

[multisexualpolls]

This poll has ended!

*This includes anyone who experiences attraction to multiple genders, even if you don't necessarily identify with the multisexual label specifically.

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EDIT: To clarify, the "etc" in the poll question refers specifically to other variants of the bi label, e.g. bisensual, bialterous, etc.

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EDIT 2: This poll is about the labels you use specifically in reference to your attraction to multiple genders. Other labels (e.g. a-spec labels, gender labels, etc.) are irrelevant to this poll. I tried to make this clear in the question, but a few people have misinterpreted it, so I'm putting additional clarification here.

[multisexualpolls]

*This refers to people who specifically identify as polysexual, polyromantic, or with other variations of the term.

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For clarity, I define polysexuality as attraction to multiple genders, but not all. This is the definition I see most commonly used, especially as a way of differentiating it from labels like bisexual, pansexual, and omnisexual. It has nothing to do with polyamory, though a polysexual person could also be polyamorous.

However, I'm curious how many polysexual people may use the label for other reasons, contrasted to those who use it according to my understanding of the definition.

[multisexualpolls]

#other?? bisexual but also arospec so while it's not a multi label it is an additional label

This poll is specifically about the labels you use in reference to your attraction to multiple genders. Other labels (e.g. a-spec labels, gender labels, etc.) are irrelevant to the poll.

*This includes anyone who experiences attraction to multiple genders, even if you don't necessarily identify with the multisexual label specifically.

•••••••••••••••••••••••

EDIT: To clarify, the "etc" in the poll question refers specifically to other variants of the bi label, e.g. bisensual, bialterous, etc.

[multisexualpolls]

*This includes anyone who experiences attraction to multiple genders, even if you don't necessarily identify with the multisexual label specifically.

[multisexualpolls]

*This includes anyone who experiences attraction to multiple genders, even if you don't necessarily identify with the multisexual label specifically.

•••••••••••••••••••••••

EDIT: To clarify, the "etc" in the poll question refers specifically to other variants of the bi label, e.g. bisensual, bialterous, etc.

•••••••••••••••••••••••

EDIT 2: This poll is about the labels you use specifically in reference to your attraction to multiple genders. Other labels (e.g. a-spec labels, gender labels, etc.) are irrelevant to this poll. I tried to make this clear in the question, but a few people have misinterpreted it, so I'm putting additional clarification here.

[multisexualpolls]

This poll has ended!

*This includes anyone who experiences attraction to multiple genders, even if you don't necessarily identify with the multisexual label specifically.

•••••••••••••••••••••••

**"Realistically possible" as in, regardless of things like charisma, personal connection, relationship status, etc, you could realistically date at least one person of each gender you are attracted to.

[multisexualpolls]

*This includes anyone who experiences attraction to multiple genders, even if you don't necessarily identify with the multisexual label specifically.

•••••••••••••••••••••••

**"Realistically possible" as in, regardless of things like charisma, personal connection, relationship status, etc, you could realistically date at least one person of each gender you are attracted to.

[multisexualpolls]

This poll has ended!

*This includes anyone who experiences attraction to multiple genders, even if you don't necessarily identify with the multisexual label specifically.

•••••••••••••••••••••••

**"Alternatives" refers specifically to terms that were designed as alternatives or equivalents to butch, femme, and similar or derivative terms. For example, stag, tomcat, and doe are terms for multisexual women who are masculine, androgynous, and feminine, respectively.

"Alternatives" does not refer to more broad terms like masculine, androgynous, or feminine, as those are in common use anyway, and are not queer-specific.

[multisexualpolls]

This poll has ended!

*This includes anyone who experiences attraction to two or more genders and identifies as bisexual, biromantic, or otherwise bi.

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**This includes any type of attraction, as well as fluid or fluctuating attraction. If you are attracted to both men and women (whether simultaneously or not, and whether in the same way or not), the answer would be "Yes, I am attracted to both men and women, with or without additional attraction."

[multisexualpolls]

This poll has ended!

*This includes anyone who experiences attraction to multiple genders, even if you don't necessarily identify with the multisexual label specifically.

[multisexualpolls]

*This includes anyone who experiences attraction to multiple genders, even if you don't necessarily identify with the multisexual label specifically.

•••••••••••••••••••••••

**"Alternatives" refers specifically to terms that were designed as alternatives or equivalents to butch, femme, and similar or derivative terms. For example, stag, tomcat, and doe are terms for multisexual women who are masculine, androgynous, and feminine, respectively.

"Alternatives" does not refer to more broad terms like masculine, androgynous, or feminine, as those are in common use anyway, and are not queer-specific.