Omnisexuality: Meaning, All-Gender Attraction, and Identity

For example, an omnisexual person may be attracted to a man, woman, nonbinary person, or someone with another gender identity. However, this does not mean that they are attracted to everyone they meet.

Gender may still influence how attraction feels. An omnisexual person might notice different qualities in their attraction to people of different genders while remaining open to attraction across the full gender spectrum.

• She spoke openly about her omnisexuality.
• Omnisexuality is a multisexual orientation.
• The article compares bisexuality, pansexuality, and omnisexuality.

The adjective omnisexual describes a person, attraction, or identity:

• an omnisexual person;
• omnisexual attraction;
• an omnisexual identity;
• omnisexual representation.

It may also function as a noun:

• He identifies as an omnisexual.
• The group welcomes bisexuals, pansexuals, and omnisexuals.

However, many people prefer person-centered language such as omnisexual person.

The shortened form omni is common in informal identity language:

• She identifies as omni.
• He uses both omnisexual and omni.

• omni-, meaning all;
• sexual, referring here to sexual attraction;
• -ity, forming a noun that names a condition, quality, or identity.

The prefix indicates that attraction may include all genders. It does not suggest unlimited desire or attraction to every person.

• Omnisexuality involves possible attraction to all genders.

Omnisexual is the adjective or personal identity label:

• They are omnisexual.
• She describes her orientation as omnisexual.

The relationship is similar to:

• bisexuality and bisexual;
• pansexuality and pansexual;
• heterosexuality and heterosexual.

An omnisexual person may experience attraction to all genders while noticing gender as a meaningful part of that attraction.

A pansexual person may describe attraction as occurring regardless of gender or with gender playing little role.

Compare:

• An omnisexual person may say, “I can be attracted to every gender, but gender affects how I experience attraction.”
• A pansexual person may say, “Gender is not an important factor in whether I feel attraction.”

These definitions are not universal. Some people use the terms interchangeably, while others experience a meaningful difference between them.

Omnisexuality more specifically communicates potential attraction to all genders.

Bisexuality is broad enough to include many different attraction patterns. A bisexual person may be attracted to two, several, or all genders.

Some people choose omnisexual because it emphasizes all-gender attraction and the continued relevance of gender. Others prefer bisexual because it is familiar, historically established, or personally meaningful.

Neither identity is more complete, modern, or inclusive than the other.

Omnisexuality refers to possible attraction to all genders.

The prefixes help explain the distinction:

• poly- means many;
• omni- means all.

For example, a polysexual person may be attracted to women and several nonbinary genders but not men. An omnisexual person does not exclude any gender category from potential attraction.

It may include:

• bisexuality;
• pansexuality;
• omnisexuality;
• polysexuality;
• other related identities.

Every omnisexual person may be described broadly as multisexual, but not every multisexual person is omnisexual.

Examples may include heterosexuality, gay identity, or lesbian identity when attraction is limited to one gender.

Omnisexuality allows for attraction to all genders.

These terms describe the range of genders included in someone’s potential attraction. They do not reveal how often attraction occurs, how strong it feels, or whether the person acts on it.

An omnisexual person may be:

• omniromantic;
• biromantic;
• panromantic;
• aromantic;
• heteroromantic;
• homoromantic;
• another romantic orientation.

For example, someone may experience sexual attraction toward all genders while experiencing romantic attraction only toward certain genders.

An omnisexual person might:

• feel different forms of attraction toward different genders;
• notice gender expression strongly;
• have preferences without excluding any gender;
• experience attraction more often toward some genders;
• remain open to people across the gender spectrum.

Attraction to all genders does not require equal attraction to every gender. Frequency, intensity, emotional tone, and personal preference may vary.

A transgender woman is a woman, and a transgender man is a man. Some transgender people are nonbinary or use another gender identity.

People of many orientations may be attracted to transgender individuals. Attraction to transgender people is not exclusive to omnisexuality.

• monogamy;
• consensual nonmonogamy;
• marriage;
• casual dating;
• long-term partnership;
• celibacy;
• single life.

Attraction to all genders does not mean that someone needs partners of multiple genders at the same time.

Orientation describes potential attraction. Relationship structure describes how a person chooses to organize relationships.

• attracted to everyone;
• unable to be monogamous;
• sexually available;
• confused about bisexuality or pansexuality;
• likely to be unfaithful;
• attracted equally to every gender;
• required to date people of several genders;
• using an unnecessary label.

These ideas confuse sexual orientation with personality, behavior, boundaries, and relationship choices.

• using the identity label a person chooses;
• not demanding proof of attraction to all genders;
• avoiding invasive questions about sexual history;
• not treating omnisexuality as sexual availability;
• respecting changes in identity language;
• recognizing that a current partner does not define the full orientation;
• avoiding comparisons that devalue bisexuality, pansexuality, or other identities.

A person does not need experience with people of every gender to identify as omnisexual.

Omnisexuality requires equal attraction to every gender.
Attraction may vary in frequency, intensity, or form.

Omnisexuality and pansexuality are always identical.
They overlap, but some people distinguish them according to whether gender influences attraction.

Omnisexuality is more inclusive than bisexuality.
Bisexuality may also include attraction to all genders. Neither term is superior.

Omnisexual people cannot be monogamous.
Orientation does not determine relationship agreements or faithfulness.

A current partner changes an omnisexual person’s orientation.
A relationship does not erase the person’s broader pattern of attraction.

• identify as omnisexual;
• omnisexual identity;
• omnisexual orientation;
• omnisexual attraction;
• openly omnisexual;
• omnisexual representation;
• omnisexual community;
• pansexuality and omnisexuality.

• Someone identifies as omnisexual because they can experience attraction toward all genders.
• An omnisexual woman remains omnisexual while dating a man.
• A person notices gender strongly but does not exclude any gender from attraction.
• An omnisexual person enters a monogamous marriage.
• A character is represented as omnisexual without being stereotyped as promiscuous.
• Someone uses bisexual publicly and omnisexual as a more specific personal label.
• An omnisexual person has an aromantic orientation.
• A school includes omnisexuality in lessons about sexual orientation.

1. She identifies as omnisexual.
2. Omnisexuality involves the capacity for attraction toward all genders.
3. An omnisexual person is not attracted to everyone.
4. Gender may remain meaningful in omnisexual attraction.
5. Omnisexuality and pansexuality overlap but are not always used identically.
6. His current relationship does not redefine his orientation.
7. Omnisexual people may choose monogamous relationships.
8. The character provides thoughtful omnisexual representation.
9. Attraction does not have to be equal across every gender.
10. No one must prove omnisexuality through sexual experience.

An omnisexual person may experience frequent, rare, strong, weak, or changing attraction. They may be sexually active or abstinent, partnered or single, monogamous or nonmonogamous. These choices do not make their identity more or less valid.

Omnisexuality does not imply consent, attraction to every person, sexual availability, or willingness to participate in any particular activity. Healthy sexuality requires communication, respect for gender identity, bodily autonomy, personal boundaries, and freely given agreement.