Bisexual describes a person who is attracted to more than one gender, often to both men and women.
Bisexual, often shortened to bi, refers to someone attracted to more than one gender. The attraction does not have to be equal or constant, and it can shift over time.
Bisexuality is its own orientation, not a phase or a stop on the way to gay or straight. A bisexual person stays bi whether they are single, dating a man, or dating a woman.
A common myth is that bi people are confused or must be attracted to everyone equally. In reality, most describe their own balance of attraction, and that balance is personal.
Bisexual is sometimes confused with pansexual. The simplest distinction is that pansexual attraction is regardless of gender, while bisexual attraction is to more than one gender, though many people use the labels in overlapping ways.
Like any orientation, only the person themselves can say whether the label fits. For the full picture, including how bisexual and pansexual differ, read our complete guide below.